Use of ridge lift for tow - review of procedure/protocol

What are the best practices for using ridge lift when towing?

What is different when the ridge altitude is increasing?

Should the tow plane approach the ridge perpendicular at the saddle (rather than at a 45)? What if circumstances force you to release at this point (pointed straight at the ridge, close and below)?


Is it okay to tow below the top of the ridge and utilize slope lift? (With the wind coming from the right or the left?)

Assuming that the wind is coming from the left, is it okay to release, uncrab and drift downwind to clear towplane rather than circling right and ending up low and on the leeward side of the ridge.

If you're above the ridge and the wind is coming from the right, is it okay to release and make the towplane go onto the leeward sink side of the ridge?

Other things to keep in mind?

When I've released below a left ridgeline, I say to the towpilot over the radio, "I'm going to release below the ridgeline. Go ahead and turn right. We'll maintain visual separation."

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 10:38:57 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
What are the best practices for using ridge lift when towing?

What is different when the ridge altitude is increasing?

Should the tow plane approach the ridge perpendicular at the saddle (rather than at a 45)? What if circumstances force you to release at this point (pointed straight at the ridge, close and below)?


Is it okay to tow below the top of the ridge and utilize slope lift? (With the wind coming from the right or the left?)

Assuming that the wind is coming from the left, is it okay to release, uncrab and drift downwind to clear towplane rather than circling right and ending up low and on the leeward side of the ridge.

If you're above the ridge and the wind is coming from the right, is it okay to release and make the towplane go onto the leeward sink side of the ridge?

Other things to keep in mind?

We tow to the local small ridge, it is only 1500ft above airport elevation, so many do not release below ridge height. It is up to the tow pilot to approach the ridge safely and plan the turn to parallel the ridge. Most gliders will release and able to turn right based on our planned tow cours, nose into the wind, the tow will descend straight ahead, maybe slight left and correct back away from the ridge. For the tow to turn strong left over the top of the ridge into the back side rotor is a rough ride.

The key is the tow has to make sure he descends and remain well clear of ridge soaring gliders. Years ago we had a mid air between tow and the glider he just released. The tow flew down the ridge with power back but with the lift had not descended, turned back along the ridge thinking he had descended when he had not. The glider just released was below the cowling out of the field of view. Both landed safely.

We now train that the glider must never lose sight of tow for any release until he is assured with visual confirmation that Tow is below the glider.
BillT

If there are other gliders on the ridge, tow will normally parallel the lift farther out from the track the gliders are using and tow higher, allowing the glider to choose when to release and maneuver into the ridge lift.

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 12:38:57 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
What are the best practices for using ridge lift when towing?

What is different when the ridge altitude is increasing?

Should the tow plane approach the ridge perpendicular at the saddle (rather than at a 45)? What if circumstances force you to release at this point (pointed straight at the ridge, close and below)?


Is it okay to tow below the top of the ridge and utilize slope lift? (With the wind coming from the right or the left?)

Assuming that the wind is coming from the left, is it okay to release, uncrab and drift downwind to clear towplane rather than circling right and ending up low and on the leeward side of the ridge.

If you're above the ridge and the wind is coming from the right, is it okay to release and make the towplane go onto the leeward sink side of the ridge?

Other things to keep in mind?

It makes little sense to fly straight at the ridge once the glider and tug get into lift. Turning parallel before the peak allows gradual engagement of the ridge lift.
Obviously the tug will need to turn away from the ridge on release. The glider pilot needs to keep this in mind. Tug may need to fly straight to get spacing before turning.
UH

If you know there's lift on the ridge (other gliders are already there, climbing before getting away from a local ridge) then just release before you get to the ridge and fly there yourself.

If you don't know there's lift then it will be because there also isn't a traffic issue - so get towed into the lift, once you know there's good lift then release and slow down. Towing happens at faster than your best glide, so slowing down to best glide (or whatever is safe for the ridge you're on) will cause separation to build up.

In the second scenario, the potential problem I can see is if the ridge lift is too rough for you to be comfortable about slowing down after release. In that case, either release and turn away from the ridge into calmer air or (better) let it take you past the lift, release as you would normally, turn around and come back as fast as you like.

OP flies at *Sugarbush*, where they have been towing gliders into ridge lift for roughly a half century.

30 seconds of conversation with tow pilot is better than 30 hours of wasted time on r.a.s.

-T8 (& frequent tow pilot)

An interesting ridge tow. 1000 AGL, ridge on left, pull up, push down, release, and pull back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhozkvZSQ-Q&t=1m42s

It's called a soft release, saves banging the Schweizer hook on release. At least he briefed his pax on what he was going to do.
They can be in ridge lift at 500ft at Dillingham.

BillT

"soft release" is a poor practice and not needed. It makes the release of the rope less positive, makes it much harder for the tug pilot to know the glider is off, and in extreme cases can leave enough slack to be a hazard.
Releasing from normal position, without excess tension beyond stable tow, does no harm to properly maintained Schweizer hooks.
Good example of RAS being a prime source for bad practices and misinformation.
UH

Us cranky tow pilots don't like a soft release very much. It wastes
time and fuel to be climbing merrily along with the glider gone. Do
that to me and you'll be charged for the altitude at which I realize
that you're no longer there. That is, unless you give me a radio call.

BTW, I had my first glider flight there on 5/3/86. Elmer let me fly the
entire flight; takeoff, tow, ridge, pattern, and landing. I was hooked!

:-D

On 7/1/2015 7:23 PM, Bill T wrote:
It's called a soft release, saves banging the Schweizer hook on release. At least he briefed his pax on what he was going to do.
They can be in ridge lift at 500ft at Dillingham.

BillT

--
Dan Marotta