First glider Nimbus 2 ?

I fly from an airport where for many very good reasons we only launch to the West. Yet in the winter we have many days of Santa Ana (strong East winds). The operators of this airport have 30 plus years of experience with downwind takeoffs. I personally have flown take offs with paying passengers in a 2-32 or G-103 with quartering tailwinds of up to 26 knots, any higher than that I let the owners fly. After some number of these launches they really become a non-event. I have flown take off's with an ASW-24 or Ventus 2c with up to 18 knots of quartering tailwind as do the other private pilots.

Maxims while useful have limitations. Pilot need to be able to fly the conditions given.
The most important thing to do when flying in challenging conditions, set the controls for the wind before the take off roll, i.e., if you have a x-wind from left before the roll begins put in right rudder keep left wing low

Experience of the operators and pilots makes a big difference.
On Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 8:00:25 AM UTC-7, Dan Daly wrote:
Good airmanship says you shouldn't launch with a tail wind or even a moderate crosswind, and that is doubly so with an older generation open class glider (and doubly again if you are relatively inexperienced). You can usually get away with it - for a while - but eventually it will catch up with you.. At the pre-SSA Convention safety talk, one phrase really hit home. Burt Compton said his Dad told him "In aviation, anything you do for convenience jacks up the risk." (I think I wrote it down correctly). At my home field, I have come to the front of the launch line and looked at the windsock, and hooked up to the car and taken the glider to the other end, when I see a tailwind (followed by a safe tow). You shouldn't accept a launch with a slight downwind component which has developed since morning launch direction was decided... Granted, I fly a 55, and standard class gliders of that generation don't handle tailwinds or quartering tailwinds very well (and my previous Austria SH-1 was the same), and I don't have negative flaps.

I realize it is a PITA to pack everything up and do the 'march of the elephants' to the other (correct) end (and in some circumstances (large contests) it may not be the best choice, but casually accepting that you will, in the future, choose to launch downwind is opening one of those holes in the "Swiss Cheese Model of Aviation Accidents". Some of the holes you cannot close; the more of them that "... jack up the risk..", the less safe you are.. Especially in an early-generation open class glider.

I wish you safe flights and much enjoyment in a beautiful glider.

Cheers
Dan

A few years ago the crosswind was picking up and the decision was made to
change runways after I took off. The towplane drifted to the downwind side
of
the runway while I was:

1. busy maintaining wings level

2. the tow rope was overpowering the towplane rudder the farther the
towplane
drifted downwind.

Once airborne I lined up behind the towplane sharpish maybe a half second
before he was going to dump me to avoid going off into the crop.

I will leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine appropriate
positioning
of the towplane and glider in a strong crosswind.

At 20:05 19 April 2018, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
I fly from an airport where for many very good reasons we only launch to
th=
e West. Yet in the winter we have many days of Santa Ana (strong East
wind=
s). The operators of this airport have 30 plus years of experience with
do=
wnwind takeoffs. I personally have flown take offs with paying
passengers
=
in a 2-32 or G-103 with quartering tailwinds of up to 26 knots, any
higher
=
than that I let the owners fly. After some number of these launches they
r=
eally become a non-event. I have flown take off's with an ASW-24 or
Ventus=
2c with up to 18 knots of quartering tailwind as do the other private
pilo=
ts.

I'm curious about what techniques you use to take off with a strong
tailwind, do you just let the wing drag until you have forward airspeed,
then pick it up?

Chris

My first glider is a LAK-12. Same wing profile and performance as a Nimbus 2. Moved onto the LAK straight after flying ASK-23 and ASK-21 training gliders. Its a big, friendly dog - way more docile than the Standard and 15m gliders I have flown subsequently. There are challenges - the long low wings can catch long grass easily, and circuit planning needs to be done more carefully because the glider just doesn't want to come down. Flaps are like changing gears in a car - become second nature after a while especially if used to driving a manual car. The benefits of a big old open class is the performance for the price - phenomenal. Downsides - finding out who your true friends are when sitting in a field or when arriving at the airfield and announcing the LAK needs some hands to help rig. Owned the glider now for 15 years and it's still an absolute joy to fly.

Helps to have a 300 hp tug or when that one is down a 220 hp tug. A young wing runner who knows to keep the upwind wing low, and then there have been a few interesting rides. I am always ready to release until I have aileron control. And practice, 5-11 tows a day. After a few Sundays it was normal so when we had a tailwind of only 8 knots that was like a 10 knot headwind! There are pilots out there whom safely fly everyday in very challenging conditions, I admire them. We have pilots who fly 2-33's in conditions I prefer not to fly.


On Friday, April 20, 2018 at 12:15:06 AM UTC-7, Chris Rowland wrote:
At 20:05 19 April 2018, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
I fly from an airport where for many very good reasons we only launch to
th=
e West. Yet in the winter we have many days of Santa Ana (strong East
wind=
s). The operators of this airport have 30 plus years of experience with
do=
wnwind takeoffs. I personally have flown take offs with paying
passengers
=
in a 2-32 or G-103 with quartering tailwinds of up to 26 knots, any
higher
=
than that I let the owners fly. After some number of these launches they
r=
eally become a non-event. I have flown take off's with an ASW-24 or
Ventus=
2c with up to 18 knots of quartering tailwind as do the other private
pilo=
ts.

I'm curious about what techniques you use to take off with a strong
tailwind, do you just let the wing drag until you have forward airspeed,
then pick it up?

Chris