Tow Plane Upsets......

Hi Walt I am a tow pilot but don't have nearly as many tows. I do have a lot of total time and an A&P/IA.

I've given it a lot of thought and research. I won't tow with anything but a Tost tow hook for the exact reasons of your difficulty releasing. Of the three Pawnee's I tow with the releases are within easy reach from a normal seating position. I am adding a Tost hook to my personal Cub for tow pilot training . I intend to put the tow release within easy reach of my left hand near the throttle. There's a lot of leeway on where to put the release. An STC isn't really needed as installing a tow hook system is outlined in AC 43-13.

Just some of my thoughts. Hope they help.

Walt,

Our Pawnees have Tost releases. Schweizer hooks were removed about 30 years ago after an upset accident. The release cable is within a few inches reach of the throttle lever.

The release cable runs along the floor near the flap handle to a pulley attached to the floor that turns the cable 90 degrees upwards and then it attaches to the bottom of the instrument panel directly in front of the throttle quadrant. Reach forward and pull the cable, the glider is gone.

Release handles mounted to the floor are an accident waiting to happen, as are Schweizer hooks. As you have now experienced!

Originally Posted by Dave Springford

Walt,

Our Pawnees have Tost releases. Schweizer hooks were removed about 30 years ago after an upset accident. The release cable is within a few inches reach of the throttle lever.

The release cable runs along the floor near the flap handle to a pulley attached to the floor that turns the cable 90 degrees upwards and then it attaches to the bottom of the instrument panel directly in front of the throttle quadrant. Reach forward and pull the cable, the glider is gone.

Release handles mounted to the floor are an accident waiting to happen, as are Schweizer hooks. As you have now experienced!

Thank you for your input Dave....it is quite obvious that this problem is well known and that there are things that can (AND WILL) be done to mitigate the difficulty of releasing in an emergency. While nothing is fool proof our current situation is FOOLISH. Until you experience it, until you try to pull the handle it will not be obvious to you. It is now beyond obvious to me. The discussions going forward will be what we can do and why....NOT what we can't do. It CAN be corrected...It WILL be corrected. I love aerobatics, just not at 200-300 feet AGL in a non aerobatic airplane.

Walt

Originally Posted by Charles Longley

Hi Walt I am a tow pilot but don't have nearly as many tows. I do have a lot of total time and an A&P/IA.

I've given it a lot of thought and research. I won't tow with anything but a Tost tow hook for the exact reasons of your difficulty releasing. Of the three Pawnee's I tow with the releases are within easy reach from a normal seating position. I am adding a Tost hook to my personal Cub for tow pilot training . I intend to put the tow release within easy reach of my left hand near the throttle. There's a lot of leeway on where to put the release. An STC isn't really needed as installing a tow hook system is outlined in AC 43-13.

Just some of my thoughts. Hope they help.

Thank you Charles.....this is the kind of response I am looking for especially from an A&P/IA.

Walt