Low towing thought

Proper release procedure for low tow is to release from that position.
How do we know the "right" position? It is just below the tug wake
such that occasionally you will feel the wake on the top of the
vertical tail. Most people not well trained tend to fly too low.
When you release in "proper" position, the rope will go straight
forward and not up over the glider. If it goes up, you were too low.
Tuggie will feel release as in high tow. The difference is that he
will feel no trim change due to glider being on the thrust line of the
tug in low tow.
These comments based on 10,000+ tows at the back end and 5000+ at the
front end in low tow.
Cheers UH- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I've flown with UH's club here in the U.S., Valley Soaring
(Middletown, NY), which uses low tow as standard. My glider only has a
belly hook but I never had any problems releasing without any special
maneuvering. I prefer high tow but I do use low tow for long aerotows
(e.g., when retrieving) because it's less work. As UH says, if the
tug's wake is bumping the vertical tail occasionally, you're in the
right position.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"