Dan, you're the right guy to put a recording digital fish scale on a tow rope and give us an authoritative answer. --bob

On Friday, July 3, 2015 at 8:01:02 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
A so-called soft release is OK by me if I happen to be looking in
the mirror at the time of release but I will log your release height
at the point where I realize you're gone, not where you claim you
got off.



There was an article in Soaring back in the 80s, I believe, which
discussed rope tension during tow.* It's not very much for a glass
glider (20 lb) and I wouldn't think more than 40 lb. or so for a
drag master (2-33).* There's no harm in releasing at that tension.*
Why fly a bunch of maneuvers just to get a little slack before
releasing?




On 7/3/2015 8:32 AM,
wrote:



So true. After flying with Jason at Estrella I had check rides at two different soaring locations before renting and I used Jason's soft release technique. HEAVILY CRITICIZED by both CFIs for the soft release.
I have used it a couple of times during my private tows and have seen the towplane fly straight ahead for a couple miles before realizing that I was no longer on tow.





--

Dan Marotta