I read somewhere (old Soaring?) about extremely short (as in a couple of meters) tow ropes being used to aero retrieve out of dusty, plowed fields; the idea is that you are so close to the tow plane you can't get out of position, and close enough to see the towplane in the dust kicked up by the launch!

Having done a couple of IFR takeoffs 200 ft behind a Pawnee out of western US dirt strips, I can see the appeal of it!

Kirk
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