![]() |
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
The only time I have ever seen a tow rope break is during an
intentional rope break manuver. I have been flying the big Nevada and Eastern Sierra air since 1968, as a glider pilot, tow pilot, air ambulance driver (rotorcraft). I have thousands of hours flying the east side in all kinds of conditions (many hundreds of flights in wave and rotor conditions). Mark, something seems odd about your descriptions and experiences. Are you getting professional assistance? Please do not take my post as a slight, as it is not meant to be degrading. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
In article ,
Bill Wallace wrote: The only time I have ever seen a tow rope break is during an intentional rope break manuver. Same here. The only time I've ever seen two rope breaks was during our two intentional rope break manuevers. Eastern Sierra air since 1968, as a glider pilot, tow pilot, air ambulance driver (rotorcraft). I have thousands of hours flying the east side in all kinds of conditions (many hundreds of flights in wave and rotor conditions). Mark, something seems odd about your descriptions and experiences. Are you getting professional assistance? Please do not take my post as a slight, as it is not meant to be degrading. I was very satisfied with my instructor and the instruction we did. I certainly feel confident I know the difference between textbook correct and incorrect slack line procedures (having practiced both intentionally). I'm also confident that the rope will not break during normal, and even fairly rough tows with standard technique. I'm equally confident it will break cleanly if stressed enough (and will do so without damage to the towplane or glider). I'm convinced to practice such things over desolate areas, and I'm convinced the 2-33 will back release if the rope breaks with 100+ feet of line and drags back behind the glider (although I've never had the experience like Brian's back release without a rope break). Overall I'm quite satisfied with my "professional assistance." Your question also prompted me to to call back my friend who had two rope breaks flying into wave in the Sierras. He's also a pilot examiner for power and a commercial glider pilot and gave me some more detail, including exact CFIG name and dates and FBO. I called the FBO (which uses high tow through wave, by the way), and got some additional confirming detail. I'm tempted to share what I learned, but perhaps will wait until I'm able to get an even fuller story and permission to use names in person from the CFIG up in the Sierras. The general gist is that my experience seemed not uncommon. Ropes break where they are worn, which is not always at the weak leak. Imperfect technique by pilot or tow pilot may break a rope. It's harder in rotor because so much is going on. Bill, your response is relieving, because it suggests you are an experienced tow and glider pilot in rotor, and that this experience has made rope breaks non-existent for you. It's nice to hear that with experience, rope breaks are not inevitable. Perhaps you could also please share with us your techniques for towing/being towed through rotor? To fix slack line, do you yaw? Do you go high/low? Do you ever use spoilers? Have you tried a low tow? Do you tow through rotor, or around, over and on top of the wave? Have you ever released rather than watch an apparently inevitable rope break? Sharing your personal experiences would be perhaps be more enlightening than any of my further comments... ![]() |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Fwd: [BD4] Source of HIGH CHTs on O-320 and O-360 FOUND! | Bruce A. Frank | Home Built | 1 | July 4th 04 07:28 PM |
(PIREP, long) Cherokee 180 from Bay Area to Bishop, CA | Dave Jacobowitz | Piloting | 15 | June 24th 04 12:11 AM |
Flight test update - long | nauga | Home Built | 1 | June 5th 04 03:09 AM |
SWRFI Pirep.. (long) | Dave S | Home Built | 20 | May 21st 04 03:02 PM |
MT. DIABLO HIGH SCHOOL CONCORD, CA PHOTOS | MT. DIABLO HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOS | Home Built | 1 | October 13th 03 03:35 AM |