pick your poison on tow

When aerotowing, is it more dangerous for the glider to pull way up,
pitching the towplane nose down, or pulling way down, pitching the
towplane nose up?

Johan Larson

wrote in message
ups.com...
When aerotowing, is it more dangerous for the glider to pull way up,
pitching the towplane nose down, or pulling way down, pitching the
towplane nose up?

Johan Larson


Although 'low-tow' LOOKS more dangerous, I suspect that there will be
agreement that 'low-tow' is less so. A tow plane will have used up some of
its up elevator authority to trim out at towing speeds. That leaves less to
oppose a glider lifting the tail. Tugs seem to have plenty of down elevator
authority to oppose the downward pull of a glider in low tow I know of no
instance where a glider caused control problems by being low.

Of course, this ignores the issue of ropes draping over a glider in low tow.
That I have seen.

Bill Daniels

As a tow pilot, I would much rather the glider be low. Too high is
very dangerous.

Todd Smith

A tow pilot was killed in Arizona a few years back by a glider getting
high and pulling his tail up beyond his ability to recover. Last time I
was at TSA, I noticed they had gone to Tost tow hooks on the towplanes,
so they could easily release under upward pressure. Smart guys, those
Texas boys...

Jack Womack
Clovis, New Mexico (still a Texan and TSAer at heart.)

In article . com,
writes
When aerotowing, is it more dangerous for the glider to pull way up,
pitching the towplane nose down, or pulling way down, pitching the
towplane nose up?

Johan Larson

I would MUCH rather the glider got low.

A few years back a glider got too high and I found myself looking at the
ground with the stick right back, the airspeed increasing and the
altimeter unwinding.

Fortunately the rope broke and I had control again.

Brown trousers time.
--
Mike Lindsay

Too high kills tow pilots.
Too low wakes glider pilot up to get back into position.

UH- 9500+ low tows behind and 4000+ in front.

wrote:

Too high kills tow pilots.
Too low wakes glider pilot up to get back into position.

UH- 9500+ low tows behind and 4000+ in front.

Tug climbs better with low tow.


Jack

Depends on whether you like the tow rope draped over your glider,
or hanging under it



wrote:
When aerotowing, is it more dangerous for the glider to pull way up,
pitching the towplane nose down, or pulling way down, pitching the
towplane nose up?

Johan Larson

At 18:12 30 March 2006, wrote:
When aerotowing, is it more dangerous for the glider
to pull way up,
pitching the towplane nose down, or pulling way down,
pitching the
towplane nose up?
The dynamics of a glider pitch up/tug pitch down situation
are classic positive feedback and the divergence can
be extremely rapid. Always pull off before the tug
disappears downwards from view or you may well have
a dead tug pilot below a 1000' and a very irate one
if higher. From tug pitch down to impact can happen
faster than he can reach the release (and even if he
does the release force required may be high).
Pitching him up is more difficult and he'll have time
to think about it.