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Old May 26th 16, 11:15 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Bruce Hoult
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Default Selecting landout airports

On Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 6:44:39 PM UTC+3, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Practice unassisted TO's at your home field.
Slight cross angle of the glider to the runway, tip on the ground. Say you angle right a bit, put the left tip down (keep in mind any crosswind) such that it's drag on the ground aligns you as you accelerate. Part dive brakes can help with flow over the ailerons in the first hundred feet or so. Don't forget to close and lock the dive brakes.


Maybe if you have a CG hook. In which case angle into the crosswind and put the other tip down.

With a nose hook, If you angle right and put the left wing tip down then both rope and tip will be swinging you to the left, which can be a recipe for a violent fishtailing. Better to put the same tip down so the rope is pulling you left and the tip is pulling you right, and you'll be in perfect control.

The amount of angling is not big. Definitely try where there is some width available at your home field to find the right balance of tip turning you one way and rope the other.

Having the down tip going faster also makes it easier to pick it up.