Reaction was not an issue.Â* Surprise!Â* It got quiet.Â* Dump the glider
(no worrying that it was my wife flying - she can do this on her own).Â*
Pick out a field and steer that way.Â* Actually I'd chosen that field
years before.Â* Look inside for what might be the problem.Â* Aha!Â* The
edge of my glove had hooked the mixture control as I came back from
adjusting the prop control (this was a Cessna Skywagon with throttle and
mixture on the left side quadrant and prop on the panel).Â* Add mixture,
recover around 100' AGL, land, and put the gloves in my pockets.Â* That
never happened again!

On 3/11/2019 5:04 PM, wrote:
I'm curious as to how many clubs or tow pilots have really trained and cut a glider loose? It takes a bit of time to react to the situation and if you've never trained or experienced it the time is even greater.
Most tow pilots have talked about it but never experienced it in the heat of the moment.
We pull an unexpected release on our glider students. When do the tug pilots get the same unexpected training?

At one of the clubs I frequent they drop the rope in the grass on landing. So at least the tug pilot is used to reaching for the release and becomes comfortable with its location.

--
Dan, 5J