On Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 8:39:46 AM UTC-4, Peter Whitehead wrote:
If we could guarantee the glider pilot would never be stupid, or get distracted (insect bites, battery going bang, medical problem etc etc) there would be no problem to solve.
Giving a miscreant a 'talking to' or a permanent ban may give some satisfaction, but it is retrospective.
Imploring people to have brain in gear and 'be safe',or give more training may make one feel one is addressing the issue but it will fail to stop these occurrences.
I don't regard an engineering solution as particularly complex. The sensors and simple processing power (much less than in your phone) would be easy to source.The mechanics of the rope release would be simple.
Failure to operate would leave us in the same position as now. Inadvertent operation would dump the glider... unlikely to cause death or serious injury.
Certification is a hurdle, but do we not think it would be worth it? The FAA does consider positively any obvious safety enhancements..it may take time but doesn't that mean start as soon as possible?
The costs? Yes it would cost, but development could be in the hands of Universities or manufacturers (eg TOST).
How much would I personally give if only I could bring back my two deceased tug pilot colleagues?
How much would we all give to prevent future tug upset fatalities?
I am considering switching off my auto's airbags, going to 'manual'. It is far too complex. I am sure I would have enough time
during the tyre squeals to press the button.
I'm not being serious, of course.
So an automatic system for me, please.
I shall not post anything further (until the next tug upset fatality). Good luck. Pete

Peter, with all due respect sir, your 48 years of soaring eclipses mine substantially. Many good comments and Ideas but I have to tell you if the FAA really took seriously any obvious safety enhancements the Schweizer hooks installed conventionally and the release handles down on the floor would have been handled decades ago. The NTSB investigates and makes suggestions which the FAA largely ignores as I am told by pilots of much greater experience than myself. Look up "Tow Plane Upsets" and "letter to the FAA" by Walt Connelly on this site, it will give you an idea of how the soaring community feels. The FAA Advisory Circular on this subject clearly indicates that they are aware of the hazards. The SSA in their own publications IN BIG RED LETTERS indicate that they are aware of the potential hazards currently not being addressed. While none of these would have interdicted the situation resulting in the death of the tow pilot in California they are still conditions which have not been adequately addressed by the soaring community as a whole and which may well result in deaths of tow pilots down the line.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow PIlot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot