Nice article on soaring on EAA web site

http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

On Feb 10, 6:32*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

Nice article.

But, arggh, a soft release in a Grob? With a Tost tow hook? Really?

Just curious, is this a US only aberration or is this dangerous
practice used in other countries?

Kirk
Grumpy in snowy Illinois

On Feb 11, 10:51*am, 66 wrote:
On Feb 10, 6:32*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:

http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

Nice article.

But, arggh, a soft release in a Grob? With a Tost tow hook? Really?

Just curious, is this a US only aberration or is this dangerous
practice used in other countries?

Kirk
Grumpy in snowy Illinois

The PTS says "normal towline tension" This is the way I was taught,
and the way I teach. Every tow pilot I have ever asked said they
would prefer normal tension release. Every textbook I can remember
reading says normal tension. I cannot think of one good reason for a
"soft release" and many possible problems with it. I have no idea
where this concept came from, and why it is still use/taught in some
places. It is funny how bad ideas seem to "stick"...... When I do
check rides for pilots I don't know, I usually say "Now you're not
going to do a "soft release" are you?" Sometimes I forget and they
really scare the crap out of me when they suddenly pull up and then
dive!!!

There is a movement to standardize soaring instruction and
procedures.......He is an area which needs attention!


Cookie

In article
,
" wrote:

On Feb 11, 10:51*am, 66 wrote:
On Feb 10, 6:32*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:

http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

Nice article.

But, arggh, a soft release in a Grob? With a Tost tow hook? Really?

Just curious, is this a US only aberration or is this dangerous
practice used in other countries?

Kirk
Grumpy in snowy Illinois

The PTS says "normal towline tension" This is the way I was taught,
and the way I teach. Every tow pilot I have ever asked said they
would prefer normal tension release. Every textbook I can remember
reading says normal tension. I cannot think of one good reason for a
"soft release" and many possible problems with it. I have no idea
where this concept came from, and why it is still use/taught in some
places. It is funny how bad ideas seem to "stick"...... When I do
check rides for pilots I don't know, I usually say "Now you're not
going to do a "soft release" are you?" Sometimes I forget and they
really scare the crap out of me when they suddenly pull up and then
dive!!!

There is a movement to standardize soaring instruction and
procedures.......He is an area which needs attention!


Cookie


Soft release is an old-time Schweizer thing. The Schweizer 2-33 frame
has a small cross member just in front of the tow release that gets hit
by the tow release arm when the rope is released under tension.
Eventually, the little cross member cracks. This lets in moisture and
then you get corrosion. The soft release was an attempt to prevent that.
People were taught to do this by old-time Schweizer instructors but were
never told why. The practice took on a life of it's own and persists.

On Feb 11, 3:32*pm, Berry wrote:
In article
,





" wrote:
On Feb 11, 10:51*am, 66 wrote:
On Feb 10, 6:32*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:

http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

Nice article.

But, arggh, a soft release in a Grob? With a Tost tow hook? Really?

Just curious, is this a US only aberration or is this dangerous
practice used in other countries?

Kirk
Grumpy in snowy Illinois

The PTS says "normal towline tension" *This is the way I was taught,
and the way I teach. *Every tow pilot I have ever asked said they
would prefer normal tension release. *Every textbook I can remember
reading says normal tension. I cannot think of *one good reason for a
"soft release" and many possible problems with it. *I have no idea
where this concept came from, and why it is still use/taught in some
places. *It is funny how bad ideas seem to "stick"...... *When I do
check rides for pilots I don't know, I usually say "Now you're not
going to do a "soft release" are you?" * Sometimes I forget and they
really scare the crap out of me when they suddenly pull up and then
dive!!!

There is a movement to standardize soaring instruction and
procedures.......He is an area which needs attention!

Cookie

Soft release is an old-time Schweizer thing. The Schweizer 2-33 frame
has a small cross member just in front of the tow release that gets hit
by the tow release arm when the rope is released under tension.
Eventually, the little cross member cracks. This lets in moisture and
then you get corrosion. The soft release was an attempt to prevent that.
People were taught to do this by old-time Schweizer instructors but were
never told why. The practice took on a life of it's own and persists.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I have seen this cracking problem with Schweizers....I have also seen
Schweizers with a little rubber bumper pad installed where the hook
swings up, so it bounces off without causing any damage. I do not
know if this was "original equipment"

I have also seen a few Schweizers where the tow hook has gotten
"stiff" and will not open by gravity alone. It would be possible to
pull the release, with no tension on the rope, and have the rear part
of the mech. just go back in place with no release! At least with
"normal" tension on the rope, you are sure to release. (Yeah, the
stiff hook shoudl be repaired/adjusted).

I think the soft release deal is sort of fixing a small problem by
creating a big problem.

Cookie

Exactly. A certain soaring site in Arizona, which flew both G103's
and 2-33's insisted on "soft releases" in either, I guess
standardizing the process for the towpilots. This was 20 years ago -
The last time I visited to rent, there was no mention of this during
the check ride.

--Sarah


On Feb 11, 2:32*pm, Berry wrote:
In article
,



" wrote:
On Feb 11, 10:51*am, 66 wrote:
On Feb 10, 6:32*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:

http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...iderflight.asp

Nice article.

But, arggh, a soft release in a Grob? With a Tost tow hook? Really?

Just curious, is this a US only aberration or is this dangerous
practice used in other countries?

Kirk
Grumpy in snowy Illinois

The PTS says "normal towline tension" *This is the way I was taught,
and the way I teach. *Every tow pilot I have ever asked said they
would prefer normal tension release. *Every textbook I can remember
reading says normal tension. I cannot think of *one good reason for a
"soft release" and many possible problems with it. *I have no idea
where this concept came from, and why it is still use/taught in some
places. *It is funny how bad ideas seem to "stick"...... *When I do
check rides for pilots I don't know, I usually say "Now you're not
going to do a "soft release" are you?" * Sometimes I forget and they
really scare the crap out of me when they suddenly pull up and then
dive!!!

There is a movement to standardize soaring instruction and
procedures.......He is an area which needs attention!

Cookie

Soft release is an old-time Schweizer thing. The Schweizer 2-33 frame
has a small cross member just in front of the tow release that gets hit
by the tow release arm when the rope is released under tension.
Eventually, the little cross member cracks. This lets in moisture and
then you get corrosion. The soft release was an attempt to prevent that.
People were taught to do this by old-time Schweizer instructors but were
never told why. The practice took on a life of it's own and persists.

On Feb 12, 5:04*pm, Sarah wrote:
Exactly. *A certain soaring site in Arizona, which flew both G103's
and 2-33's insisted on "soft releases" in either, I guess
standardizing the process for the towpilots. *This was 20 years ago -
The last time I visited to rent, there was no mention of this during
the check ride.

--Sarah

I think I saw some mention of this in info on that gliderport's
website. The last check ride where I had somebody do that, a hard
pull up followed by a big dive, then release..the guy said he learned
it at that place too. When I asked him "why" they do that, he had no
answer, just "that's they way they told me".

What is the "plus" of soft release as far as tow pilot is concerned?

BTW....I searched the "soft release" on the Internet, and found one
textbook which has a section on "soft release" I do not know what the
book actually says about the soft release, but there is a section
about it.....Hopefully it says the soft release is a bad idea. I also
found some reports from a Soaring Safety Foundation meeting, where all
agreed on the "normal tension" release, and recommended a rubber
bumper be installed in the tow hook of the SGS-2-33.

One of my favorite textbooks is "Beginning Gliding" by Derek
Piggott.....He has a couple of paragraphs about relaese for aero tow.
He warns of the dangers of diving before release, as well as the
problems of trying to release under "increased" tension.

Are people confuing release technique for winch launch and aerotow
launch??

Cookie

Cookie