Use of ridge lift for tow - review of procedure/protocol

Dan, you're the right guy to put a recording digital fish scale on a tow rope and give us an authoritative answer. --bob

On Friday, July 3, 2015 at 8:01:02 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
A so-called soft release is OK by me if I happen to be looking in
the mirror at the time of release but I will log your release height
at the point where I realize you're gone, not where you claim you
got off.



There was an article in Soaring back in the 80s, I believe, which
discussed rope tension during tow.* It's not very much for a glass
glider (20 lb) and I wouldn't think more than 40 lb. or so for a
drag master (2-33).* There's no harm in releasing at that tension.*
Why fly a bunch of maneuvers just to get a little slack before
releasing?




On 7/3/2015 8:32 AM,
wrote:



So true. After flying with Jason at Estrella I had check rides at two different soaring locations before renting and I used Jason's soft release technique. HEAVILY CRITICIZED by both CFIs for the soft release.
I have used it a couple of times during my private tows and have seen the towplane fly straight ahead for a couple miles before realizing that I was no longer on tow.





--

Dan Marotta

Having an ASH26E, I'm rarely at the distal end of a tow rope. But as a part time, when needed tuggie at Minden, I've been victim of soft releases. We even once had an instructor who seemed to take delight in getting off with a loose rope to see how long I'd keep climbing away. He'd do the same in wave day rotor, when even a normal tension release can easily go unnoticed for awhile.

I like it when a glider says something like, "Glider AA off at 5800, thanks!" That both tells you he's off, and also confirms altitude so there's no surprises paying the tab.

bumper

On Friday, July 3, 2015 at 6:01:02 PM UTC+3, Dan Marotta wrote:
There was an article in Soaring back in the 80s, I believe, which
discussed rope tension during tow.* It's not very much for a glass
glider (20 lb) and I wouldn't think more than 40 lb. or so for a
drag master (2-33).* There's no harm in releasing at that tension.*

On a cross-country tow, yes. Not when climbing at 700 fpm at 70 knots! Then you've got to add 1/10th of the glider weight from the climb to the 1/40th of the glider weight from the drag.

i.e. more like 100 lb tension than 20 lb (for a modern single seater with a bit of water)