Selecting landout airports

Practice unassisted TO's at your home field.
Slight cross angle of the glider to the runway, tip on the ground. Say you angle right a bit, put the left tip down (keep in mind any crosswind) such that it's drag on the ground aligns you as you accelerate. Part dive brakes can help with flow over the ailerons in the first hundred feet or so. Don't forget to close and lock the dive brakes.

On Thursday, 26 May 2016 09:44:39 UTC-6, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Practice unassisted TO's at your home field.
Slight cross angle of the glider to the runway, tip on the ground. Say you angle right a bit, put the left tip down (keep in mind any crosswind) such that it's drag on the ground aligns you as you accelerate. Part dive brakes can help with flow over the ailerons in the first hundred feet or so. Don't forget to close and lock the dive brakes.

When I self launch, wheels on the wings assist this, the tow plane will stand on the brakes for 15 or seconds and create prop wash that helps with lifting the down wing and getting wind over the wings.

YEMV

On Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 6:44:39 PM UTC+3, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Practice unassisted TO's at your home field.
Slight cross angle of the glider to the runway, tip on the ground. Say you angle right a bit, put the left tip down (keep in mind any crosswind) such that it's drag on the ground aligns you as you accelerate. Part dive brakes can help with flow over the ailerons in the first hundred feet or so. Don't forget to close and lock the dive brakes.

Maybe if you have a CG hook. In which case angle into the crosswind and put the other tip down.

With a nose hook, If you angle right and put the left wing tip down then both rope and tip will be swinging you to the left, which can be a recipe for a violent fishtailing. Better to put the same tip down so the rope is pulling you left and the tip is pulling you right, and you'll be in perfect control.

The amount of angling is not big. Definitely try where there is some width available at your home field to find the right balance of tip turning you one way and rope the other.

Having the down tip going faster also makes it easier to pick it up.

Don't even try to take-off unassisted with a CG hook. It won't go well. I fly a standard class glider with a CG hook. I carry a JJ WingRunner in the cockpit with me on every flight and have used it in the very scenario you are anticipating - landout at a paved strip and aerotow out un-assisted. Entirely uneventful. It breaks down into very small components and is stowed in the baggage compartment until needed. Then assembly and attachment to the wingtip is quick and easy as per JJ's instructions. I consider it an essential piece of equipment and prefer to use that rather than an untrained human wingrunner.
Tom

Yes, that's a product I've been looking for. Ordered mine today. Might come in handy in Minden where I spend a week every year. Thanks for the tip.

Why do you say that? I've taken off unassisted in my LAK-17a (CG hook
only) without a second thought. I think there's way too much fear
around CG hooks.


On 5/26/2016 5:20 PM, Tom Nau wrote:
Don't even try to take-off unassisted with a CG hook. It won't go well.

--
Dan, 5J

It's not possible in my ship, a '28, without a wingtip wheel.
Tom

Understood.

However, years back my partner and I launched our LS-6a (no tip wheels)
unassisted, though using a stick for a wing stand. I was in the tug and
he was in the glider. We had to make a couple of attempts due cross
winds causing the wing to rise and the stick to drop. Circumstances of
the day did not allow a trailer retrieve so I flew out to get him. I
wouldn't do that routinely...

On 5/26/2016 7:30 PM, Tom Nau wrote:
It's not possible in my ship, a '28, without a wingtip wheel.
Tom

--
Dan, 5J

Another trick is to carry a cheap old fashioned toilet plunger. Stick the suction cup under the wing with the wood dowel slightly screwed in. The dowel drops off as you roll.
Craig


On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 7:24:45 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Understood.

However, years back my partner and I launched our LS-6a (no tip
wheels) unassisted, though using a stick for a wing stand.Â* I was
in the tug and he was in the glider.Â* We had to make a couple of
attempts due cross winds causing the wing to rise and the stick to
drop.Â* Circumstances of the day did not allow a trailer retrieve
so I flew out to get him.Â* I wouldn't do that routinely...

Glad I read this now, may have prevented me from unassisted aero retrieves from a grass field a in a ASW-20, 24, 27 & 28 all with CG hooks......... Oh, never had an issue with those tows....... ;-)....... YMMV.......