Rope Break!

It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. Got it on video for you all to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0

http://alturl.com/bdmwy

Boggs

On 8/27/2012 9:13 AM, Waveguru wrote:
It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. It happened
at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. I did manage to hang on to the rope
and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage
with it. Got it on video for you all to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0

http://alturl.com/bdmwy

Boggs


Alright. This clinches it for me. Correlation DOES reflect causation. Would
the rope have broken had you not turned the camera toward the towplane? I get
really nervous when I see people filming stuff anymore! :-)

Nicely handled...

Bob W.

On Monday, August 27, 2012 10:49:05 AM UTC-6, Bob Whelan wrote:
On 8/27/2012 9:13 AM, Waveguru wrote:

It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. It happened

at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. I did manage to hang on to the rope

and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage

with it. Got it on video for you all to see.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0



http://alturl.com/bdmwy



Boggs





Alright. This clinches it for me. Correlation DOES reflect causation. Would

the rope have broken had you not turned the camera toward the towplane? I get

really nervous when I see people filming stuff anymore! :-)



Nicely handled...



Bob W.

Another correlation reflecting causation is when a glider transceiver emitting RF energy degrades a thermal. ("Over and out - where the heck did that thermal go?")

This confirms that it's not if, it's when!

Boggs

On Monday, August 27, 2012 11:49:05 AM UTC-5, Bob Whelan wrote:
On 8/27/2012 9:13 AM, Waveguru wrote: It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. Got it on video for you all to see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0 http://alturl.com/bdmwy Boggs Alright. This clinches it for me. Correlation DOES reflect causation. Would the rope have broken had you not turned the camera toward the towplane? I get really nervous when I see people filming stuff anymore! :-) Nicely handled... Bob W.

sort of like when i was flying with a student last fall and as we climbed through about 600 ft i started to discuss with him that his pre takeoff briefing of "above 500 abbreviated pattern" wasn't going to work here since the towpilot was turning us further upwind instead of circling back over the airport, and there was just the slightest bow in the rope during the turn and when it went back to full tension the rope broke! We didn't make the abbreviated pattern either!

On Aug 27, 8:13*am, Waveguru wrote:
It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. *It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. *I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. *Got it on video for you all to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0

http://alturl.com/bdmwy

Boggs

I would have expected 200ft of tow rope to back release from the
weight and air drag.
T

On Monday, August 27, 2012 6:45:24 PM UTC-7, T wrote:
On Aug 27, 8:13*am, Waveguru wrote:

It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. *It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. *I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. *Got it on video for you all to see.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0



http://alturl.com/bdmwy



Boggs



I would have expected 200ft of tow rope to back release from the

weight and air drag.

T

Schweizer release...

Darryl

On Aug 27, 6:45*pm, T wrote:
On Aug 27, 8:13*am, Waveguru wrote:

It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. *It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. *I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. *Got it on video for you all to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0

http://alturl.com/bdmwy

Boggs

I would have expected 200ft of tow rope to back release from the
weight and air drag.
T

I wouldn't after watching Shad carry around 600' of auto-tow rope
around on the LS-4 at Roach!

On Aug 27, 6:51*pm, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Monday, August 27, 2012 6:45:24 PM UTC-7, T wrote:
On Aug 27, 8:13*am, Waveguru wrote:

It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. *It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. *I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. *Got it on video for you all to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0

http://alturl.com/bdmwy

Boggs

I would have expected 200ft of tow rope to back release from the

weight and air drag.

T

Schweizer release...

Darryl

I've had back release on the 2-33 hook from a rope break. Granted it
was more than 200 ft of auto tow rope.
And yes, the spring tension is within parameters at the annual
inspection.
T

On Aug 27, 5:30*pm, Tony wrote:
On Monday, August 27, 2012 11:49:05 AM UTC-5, Bob Whelan wrote:
On 8/27/2012 9:13 AM, Waveguru wrote: It didn't actually break, it came loose from the towplane end. It happened at 800ft tho, so it was no big deal. I did manage to hang on to the rope and drop it back on the airport so we could find it and not do any damage with it. Got it on video for you all to see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsGcburRP0 http://alturl.com/bdmwy Boggs Alright. This clinches it for me. Correlation DOES reflect causation. Would the rope have broken had you not turned the camera toward the towplane? I get really nervous when I see people filming stuff anymore! :-) Nicely handled... Bob W.

Though this rope release was not an actual break, it brings up a good
point. I've seen some synthetic ropes exposed to the heat/sun such
that they turn to powder after awhile. They look OK until you stress
them. Worth inspecting/replacing at certain intervals, perhaps? By the
way, the WGC team made over a 100 new tow ropes, some of which may
still be for sale.

Here's a video of another release that happened at 300' (by the
altimeter) at Inyokern. It appears to be a Blanik (L-13 or L-23). I
recall that one could easily trigger the release on the L-13 if you
placed your foot too far forward against the unenclosed mechanism. If
you watch the yellow release handle on the lower left panel, you can
see it jiggle slightly as the rope gets released. Not sure what the
'cause was, but I suspect they did a thorough investigation.

The caption reads, in part, "Had an actual rope break (uncommanded
relase of tow rope from glider it turned out) at 200' above the
ground."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK1jn...eature=related