Two Sticks

I'm really kicking myself for leaving my camera in my car...

Yesterday I didn't feel like rushing to finish a glider project, so
elected to do my club mates a favor and tow. Just playing my part in
the "vast high wing conspiracy" (ask Gregg Ballou about that). It was
a beautiful soaring day. Late in the afternoon, I got word via radio
relay that Paul had landed his LS-4 at Twin Mountain airport, which is
just a few miles from Mt Washington. I've looked at this airport from
as low as 1200 agl a couple times, never landed there. Now I get to
go on someone else's nickel: perfect!

Paul had staged for takeoff on 27. Back at the runway threshold, the
scene looked post apocalyptic: the runway (paved) is deteriorating
badly, looks ancient. The wilderness comes right up to the runway
from all over. The ground is densely covered with moss, lichens
and... moose poop. Lots and lots of moose poop. Looking around from
where the glider was staged, there was no evidence of humanity other
than us two pilots, two planes and an "obviously" 500 year old runway
in the wilderness. It was a very weird sight. But what to do about
those damned 500 year old runway lights? They're high (this is snow
country) and not all that far apart! "Paul, you need a stick." A
little later "No! I've got it. Two sticks." One under each wing tip
on the skid with a little bend in the wing to keep them put. This
worked so well we could hardly believe it, but you really do need two
people to set it up. Do it after you position the tow plane with
slack out. Piece of cake. Full throttle with brakes on, release as
soon as max rpm achieved, Paul held a little brake until the line went
taught.

The better solution is a stick on (suction cup, etc) wing wheel. I
have one, but it was a hundred miles away from where I needed
it. ...and it didn't really fit the image, anyway. The sight of that
LS-4 with a couple of gnarly old branches propping up the wing tips
in the wilderness was really something.

((Obviously: don't leave sticks anywhere an airplane can/will run over
them.))

-Evan Ludeman / T8