tow rope brake practice crash, what can we learn...

On Jul 22, 1:36*pm, 5Z wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2011 6:42:31 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
I've had two engine failures with gliders on tow (blown front engine seal
and failed oil pump) and both times the glider released when I rocked the
wings. *Had they not, I'd have dumped them without concern of the terrain
below.

Exactly! *If I get a wing rock, I'll think long and hard if pulling the release will put me in danger. *If, while thinking, the tow pilot dumps me, then the decision is made.

The tow pilot has two (radio is the third) options to "signal" the glider: wing rock and pull the release. *Pulling the release is easier to do, so if the towplane rocks its wings for me, I will assess the situation before pulling the release.

When driving a car, do you immediately swerve when something jumps out in front of you? *At a low speed this might work. *At high speed this results in a rollover. *Always, *think* before you act!!!

-Tom

Tom.....

The wing rock means release now! Not to start thinking about whether
you fell like it or not. This is a trust between the glider pilot
and the the tow pilot...

You should have have already done all the thinking before take off
(energency plan) you shoud be ready for a rope break, or wave off, or
any other emergency and react quickly to the plan....

If I were a tow pilot, and I knew that when I give you the "get off
now" signal, that you are going to sit there and ponder for a while,
and worry about your safety, and not be concerned about my
safety...guess what? No tow for you!


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