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#51
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Letter to the FAA
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#52
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Letter to the FAA
On Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 8:43:09 PM UTC-4, Walt Connelly wrote:
Andreas Maurer;947904 Wrote: On Tue, 30 May 2017 14:24:11 +0100, Walt Connelly wrote: - and Germany had required special training for pilots flying CG hooks on aerotow. - .... which isn't required anymore. Regards from Germany Andreas Thank you Andreas, I do believe I used the past tense "had." That being said I understand from some highly reliable sources that the intended use of the CG hook was for ground launches. If you think of where a string is attached to a KITE, it is not attached to the nose, it is attached where it is attached for a reason. However it is not my intention to cause any problems for the CG hook glider pilots out there....rather to give a fighting chance to the tow pilot to release quickly and effectively when the need arises. I have heard from tow pilots who will not tow a CG hook glider with a Schweizer on the tow plane. I may be "Persona Non Grata" in the soaring world but I feel compelled to move forward in this endeavor. I have much work left to do. Walt Well, you could do something positive then. For instance set up a means to share information on existing STCs or field approvals that others might find useful (anyone have a field approved Tost installation for an L-19? I'd be interested in that) or figure out how to get some engineering work done to support new applications, perhaps supported by a GoFundMe campaign or similar. I can think of many options. You know as well as the rest of us what form direct "help" from the FAA will take. best, Evan Ludeman / T8 |
#54
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Letter to the FAA
Of the 5 pure sailplanes I've owned, all but one had a CG releases
*ONLY*. To my mind, that does not imply that a CG hook is only for ground launching because that would reduce the number of prospective purchasers by a bunch. As others have stated - please don't wake the sleeping giant (FAA). It is for those tow pilots who have concerns on the matter to decline to tow a CG release-equipped glider with a Schweizer-equipped tug. To put it into blunter terms, it is not for you or the FAA to tell me what I can or cannot fly based upon your concerns. More freedom, less regulation. Dan On 5/31/2017 2:36 PM, Walt Connelly wrote: Andreas Maurer;947904 Wrote: On Tue, 30 May 2017 14:24:11 +0100, Walt Connelly wrote: - and Germany had required special training for pilots flying CG hooks on aerotow. - .... which isn't required anymore. Regards from Germany Andreas Thank you Andreas, I do believe I used the past tense "had." That being said I understand from some highly reliable sources that the intended use of the CG hook was for ground launches. If you think of where a string is attached to a KITE, it is not attached to the nose, it is attached where it is attached for a reason. However it is not my intention to cause any problems for the CG hook glider pilots out there....rather to give a fighting chance to the tow pilot to release quickly and effectively when the need arises. I have heard from tow pilots who will not tow a CG hook glider with a Schweizer on the tow plane. I may be "Persona Non Grata" in the soaring world but I feel compelled to move forward in this endeavor. I have much work left to do. Walt -- Dan, 5J |
#55
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Quote:
Walt |
#56
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Quote:
In my case a 15 year old on her first solos kited not just high and fast but to the right, pulling my nose down and to the left as if in a spin and does this below 350 feet, this happened in the wink of an eye. We can discuss recurrent trainining which would not have entered into the picture in this situation. We can discuss emphasis on releasing but getting someone to actually do it is another thing. We can discuss it until the cows come home but the bottom line is the tow pilot must be given a fighting chance to have a determination in the outcome when others involved in the situation fail. Walt |
#57
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Letter to the FAA
You can keep terminally ill patients from dying of their disease by shooting them in the head. Works every time.
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#58
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Letter to the FAA
I, along with many others, agree with burt on this one walt. go through steve northcraft if you choose to pursue this further.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 8:43:10 PM UTC-4, Walt Connelly wrote: Before I send my letter to the FAA I'd like to ask if anyone has ever attempted to get them to see the light and end the use of Schweizer hooks on tow planes here in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is a well known fact and clearly stated in the SSA/SSF and FAA circulars and literature that under certain conditions (the exact condition that the tow pilot will need to release) that it can be near impossible to release the glider. Tow planes have crashed, lives have been lost and at the same time everyone knows that this is a dangerous situation. Along with the conversion to Tost hooks I'd like to see it made mandatory that the release handles be up high, near the throttle and quickly available to the tow pilot with adequate mechanical advantage. I can assure you that one does not have the time to go ducking and reaching and feeling for a handle down on the floor of a Pawnee while the glider kites in back of you. The idea of requiring nose hooks on all gliders does not seem to be feasible although it has been brought up to me as something that needs to be addressed. My understanding is that the CG hook is meant for ground/winch launch operations, however I have probably done thousands of CG hook aero tows with no problem. For the most part these are ships being flown by the best and most aware pilots. I'd like more input from experience pilots on this point. I currently have a number of highly experienced pilots from all levels of aviation in agreement with me and willing to help me in this cause. If one life is saved as a result of this endeavor then it will be well worth it. Walt Connelly -- Walt Connelly |
#59
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Letter to the FAA
Walt,
You are not listening to the people you asked an opinion of. The majority are asking you to not act on your proposed letter. You must realize that the governments response is completely unpredictable, Maybe they will ignore you, maybe they will conduct a survey, I have a sense that they will not be willing to spend any money on a solution. But it costs almost nothing to ground a fleet. especially a fleet of mostly non commercial, recreational gliders and tow aircraft. I have no faith that the FAA would be willing to differentiate between a Schweizer tow release on a tug and a Schweizer release on a glider. Improbable, Horrible, Worst case scenario, All Schweizer release equipped aircraft are grounded, including gliders. Could happen? ask the owner of a Blanik l13 with 200 hrs. If I'm being alarmist so be it. But You must acknowledge you have no idea what the goverment response will be. Respectfully, Scott. |
#60
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Letter to the FAA
Walt-
Before you go off with velocity but no direction, please supply the names and incidences of all these dead tow pilots. You see a problem because it happened to you. I agree that perhaps the Schweizer release is susceptible to failures when the towed glider is wildly out of position, and that there is likely a remedy through either inverting the release or hoping for better training. Asking for a ban on these release mechanisms nationwide is likely to cause a large number of glider operations to halt operations since the Schweizer release is the ONLY mechanism accepted for a particular tow plane. Banning the Schweizer release is likely to shut down an active club or commercial operator. The FAA will issue a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) prior to proposing an Airworthiness Directive that would ban the use of the Schweizer release. They will have to justify this by citing the "Unsafe conditions" that the AD is supposed to correct. You will have to supply the evidence that this is, in fact, a valid concern. Be prepared with solid evidence of fatalities, accidents incidents and testimony from affected parties. Your word and your singular experiences will not be enough. Commercial operators and clubs faced with a significant monetary outlay to change release systems are encouraged to document the hundreds of thousands of successful aerotows using the Schweizer release with no incidents or accidents (or tow pilot fatalities). You don't like Schweizer releases because of your particularly terrifying experience, and I can heartily agree and accept that. Glad you are still around. But, how many tows have you done with the same system that went off without a hitch? I have fallen off a bicycle several times. (Also motorcycles, hang gliders, horses etc., etc.) but I don't see the need to stop other participants when the vast majority of operations are carried out successfully.. Or, as one of my more colorfully necked acquaintances recently said, "Y'all don't need ta' NUKE the gopher!" |
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