Low towing thought

"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
In Oz it's a no-no to pop up into high tow as you release (with all due
respect to Oscar's experience and SA's rules) because it's been known to
initiate a kiting situation. I guess our experience is that a 'slow' move
through a turbulent slipstream into high tow isn't all that easy to accomplish
for ab initio and low experience pilots...

That trip up (and/or down) through the wake is part of the drill for the
"boxing the wake" manuver. I would never solo a student who couldn't do that.

Vaughn

Vaughn Simon wrote:
"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
In Oz it's a no-no to pop up into high tow as you release (with all due
respect to Oscar's experience and SA's rules) because it's been known to
initiate a kiting situation. I guess our experience is that a 'slow' move
through a turbulent slipstream into high tow isn't all that easy to accomplish
for ab initio and low experience pilots...

That trip up (and/or down) through the wake is part of the drill for the
"boxing the wake" manuver. I would never solo a student who couldn't do that.

Vaughn

Good.

Your point is?

GC

"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
Vaughn Simon wrote:
"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
In Oz it's a no-no to pop up into high tow as you release (with all due
respect to Oscar's experience and SA's rules) because it's been known to
initiate a kiting situation. I guess our experience is that a 'slow' move
through a turbulent slipstream into high tow isn't all that easy to
accomplish for ab initio and low experience pilots...

That trip up (and/or down) through the wake is part of the drill for the
"boxing the wake" manuver. I would never solo a student who couldn't do
that.

Vaughn

Good.

Your point is?

My point is that the slow "trip through the wake" should not be a problem,
even for ab initio and low experience pilots. It is something that is easily
trained for and practiced.

Vaughn

Vaughn Simon wrote:
"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
Vaughn Simon wrote:
"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
In Oz it's a no-no to pop up into high tow as you release (with all due
respect to Oscar's experience and SA's rules) because it's been known to
initiate a kiting situation. I guess our experience is that a 'slow' move
through a turbulent slipstream into high tow isn't all that easy to
accomplish for ab initio and low experience pilots...
That trip up (and/or down) through the wake is part of the drill for the
"boxing the wake" manuver. I would never solo a student who couldn't do
that.

Vaughn
Good.

Your point is?

My point is that the slow "trip through the wake" should not be a problem,
even for ab initio and low experience pilots. It is something that is easily
trained for and practiced.

1. In my instructing experience boxing the wake is a moderately
difficult manoeuvre to carry out in a well-controlled way for ab initio
and low experience pilots. Many experienced pilots botch boxing the
wake on their annual check. That's why instructors set it as an
exercise. I suspect that's why you set it.

2. Boxing the wake doesn't actually involve a trip directly through the
slipstream.

GC

Vaughn

On Mar 8, 6:44 am, Graeme Cant gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote:
1. In my instructing experience boxing the wake is a moderately
difficult manoeuvre to carry out in a well-controlled way for ab initio
and low experience pilots. Many experienced pilots botch boxing the
wake on their annual check. That's why instructors set it as an
exercise. I suspect that's why you set it.

Yes. And I stress *precision* in the exercise. The point is not to
get around the wake as fast as possible, it is to prove to the
instructor that you have the skill to make the various transitions
while maintaining control of the glider.

2. Boxing the wake doesn't actually involve a trip directly through the
slipstream.

Many people begin the exercise by dropping from high to low tow
through the wake. This help establish the reference for where the
bottom part of the box should be.

-Tom

Adding to Tom's point, there are "locational" variations to boxing the
wake. Where I learned, we would drop down to low tow, climb right back
up to high tow, then box the wake going clockwise around the wake.
Where I fly now, we drop to low tow, box the wake going clockwise
around the wake, then climb back up to high tow. I've heard that at
some sites the wake is boxed going counter-clockwise around the wake
instead of clockwise.

None of these variations really matter much - as 5Z says, the whole
point of the maneuver "is to prove to the instructor that you have the
skill to make the various transitions while maintaining control of the
glider."

-John

On Mar 8, 11:03 am, "5Z" wrote:
Many people begin the exercise by dropping from high to low tow
through the wake. This help establish the reference for where the
bottom part of the box should be.

-Tom

On Mar 8, 11:31 am, "jcarlyle" wrote:
Adding to Tom's point, there are "locational" variations to boxing the
wake. Where I learned, we would drop down to low tow, climb right back
up to high tow, then box the wake going clockwise around the wake.
Where I fly now, we drop to low tow, box the wake going clockwise
around the wake, then climb back up to high tow. I've heard that at
some sites the wake is boxed going counter-clockwise around the wake
instead of clockwise.

None of these variations really matter much - as 5Z says, the whole
point of the maneuver "is to prove to the instructor that you have the
skill to make the various transitions while maintaining control of the
glider."

-John

On Mar 8, 11:03 am, "5Z" wrote:



Many people begin the exercise by dropping from high to low tow
through the wake. This help establish the reference for where the
bottom part of the box should be.

-Tom- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

John,

that is not quite correct. As one of your highly overpaid
instructors, I really don't care if one goes left or right so long as
the maneuver is performed to the standard.

Chip F.

5Z wrote:
....snip
Many people begin the exercise by dropping from high to low tow
through the wake. This helps establish the reference for where the
bottom part of the box should be.

I've not seen that but it's an interesting thought. Being down under,
of course, we'd usually begin by climbing.

GC

-Tom

And doing it upside down at the same time.

"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
5Z wrote:
...snip
Many people begin the exercise by dropping from high to low tow
through the wake. This helps establish the reference for where the
bottom part of the box should be.

I've not seen that but it's an interesting thought. Being down under, of
course, we'd usually begin by climbing.

GC

-Tom