On Jun 25, 8:07*pm, Gary Emerson wrote:
How many more of those we need till we conclude that the rudder

waggle does NOT work?

I think this is a reasonably valid point. *There HAVE been a number of
people who have misunderstood this signal.

Perhaps something else would be better. *The question is what signal
would be a good replacement. *You could have flashing lights on the
towplane, perhaps mounted just above the towhitch. *The only thing is
you'd probably have to install two lights. *Say one yellow and one red.

Yellow means you've got a problem, but if you can get it fixed pretty
quick we'll keep going. *Red means get off now or I'm gonna dump you.

If you don't have two signals, I'd bet that we'd still have people
releasing when they didn't have to.

As I think about it, it might be best if there was a single array of
high output LEDs. *When both "colors" of the array are "on" then you
have a single visible color that means "ok" (red and blue make green in
concept, but in emitted light that combination doesn't work). *That way
the glider pilot can verify at the start that both signals "work" and
they stay "on" for the duration of the tow. *If either the "warning" or
"get off" switches are selected in the cockpit then only the
corresponding "color" is then visible to the glider pilot. *Perhaps with
the "warning" being a steady signal and "get off" being a rapid flash to
help with fast recognition and a sense of urgency.

Other thoughts?

I don't know....

Our club drillsit in to us about the signals, has safety meetings
every year, and it just so happens I was behind the tow plane in a
2-22 several years ago when the Pawnee had an engine failure. We were
at 1800' AGL but I recognized the signal to release and did so... All
turned out OK. In that instance there was not a lot of time for radio-
comm, though I always listen to traffic while on tow and while in the
pattern.

I think learning the signals AND using radios offer the best way to
fly safe.

Pete Gaveras