Keep your hand off the release handle during aero tows!

On Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:20:54 +0000, Del Copeland wrote:

That's what we told to do when we first acquired our Tost winches at
Lasham, in order to contain the speed and get the highest possible
launches. Prior to that we autotowed, where you had to initially climb
quite gently as the acceleration was slow and it took time to build up a
safe speed. After a few cases when K8's and similar lightweight gliders
went into near vertical climbs before breaking the weak link, we backed
off the instruction. Fortunately we didn't kill any of the pilots.
Dunstable went on launching quite steeply for some years until they had
a fatality caused by a flick spin. Certainly when we visited that club
we always used to hold our breath as we watched them winch launching
gliders. Some German pilots seem to pull up more steeply than we now do,
and I note from the accident statistics published earlier in this thread
that they have had a couple of flick spin fatalities in recent times.

Very interesting, and it may well explain a German photo I found showing
a Libelle around a meter off the ground, cable attached, but pitched up
steeply enough to make me, as a fellow Libelle driver who usually
winches, wonder just what happened during the next 2 or three seconds.

Unfortunately the photo only showed the front half of the glider so I
couldn't see what angle the elevator was at.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

At 15:09 11 October 2013, George Knight wrote:
Agreed, but depending on the tug being flown this may be more difficult
than for the glider pilot. The tug pilot will normally have one hand on
the stick and the other on the throttle/gas so at a moment when he is
probably being subjected to a violent downward 'bunt' he needs to let go
of
something (the throttle), look for the release, grab it and operate it.
On
some tugs the release is near the throttle, on others it is in the roof,
it
may be on his left when he has his right hand on the throttle. Evidence
suggests that tug pilots are not able to react fast enough.

The onus must be on the glider pilot not to put the tug and its pilot at
risk. If the glider pilot has his hand touching the release:
1. He/she can pull it faster than the tug.
2. The glider pilot is in a better position to see/realise that the tow
is
going wrong. Unless the tug pilot is looking in the mirror at the right
moment, by the time he feels the speed going and the nose dropping it is
probably too late if he is much below 1,000'.

Following the accident at Aboyne in which Stan Easton lost his life one of
the requirements for UK tugs is that the release must always be adjacent to
the throttle. I have seen banner towing tugs where it is not but for glider
towing I understood that it was a requirement.

If the pilot is going to hold the release knob, which I would
assert is a good idea, his arm should not be at full stretch when
their is a chance of accidentally pulling it if turbulence is
encountered. There should be some slack in the system. If the
release knob is hard to get at, or a bit too far away, then an
extension cord should be added.

Derek Copeland

At 16:54 11 October 2013, wrote:
Hi George,
Thanks for your comments. You are correct that we do need to
remember the
a=
mazing guys and gals up in the tow planes and remember the
risks they take
=
to tow us up for our own fun. That said, I would like to assert
that there
=
have been many more accidents and bent ships from gliders
accidentally
rele=
asing at low altitudes because their hand was on the release
than tow
plane=
s being pulled into the ground because a hand was NOT on the
release.=20

Bruno - B4

For a comprehensive discussion of this topic, search RAS for Fatality at PGC. Read the post by Bill.

At 15:58 12 October 2013, wrote:
For a comprehensive discussion of this topic, search RAS for Fatality at
PGC. Read the post by Bill.

By all means read both references but I implore you to ignore the advice of
Bill, he is speaking about something he knows very little about.

On Friday, October 11, 2013 2:31:00 AM UTC-4, Derek C wrote:
.... we

were told to start with the stick hard back to contain the speed.

This led to a number of (usually fatal) flick spin accidents,...

What is a Flick Spin?

The simulation videos here http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/saf...nch-safety.htm illustrate Flick Roll and Spin, but no Flick Spin.

At 18:43 12 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, October 11, 2013 2:31:00 AM UTC-4, Derek C wrote:
.... we

were told to start with the stick hard back to contain the speed.

This led to a number of (usually fatal) flick spin accidents,...

What is a Flick Spin?

The simulation videos here
http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/saf...nch-safety.htm
illustrate Flick
Roll and Spin, but no Flick Spin.


Same thing. Due to rapid pitch up caused by the rotational couple
effect (line of pull below c of g of glider), plus not controlling the
rate of rotation, causing the wings to stall and a flick roll can
follow. Mostly a problem associated with powerful winches and
very rapid acceleration.

Derek Copeland

At 18:43 12 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:

What is a Flick Spin?

A Flick Roll with enough room to segue into a properly developed spin
before you hit the ground?

I believe that's what we Yanks call a snap roll.


"Del Copeland" wrote in message
...
At 18:43 12 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, October 11, 2013 2:31:00 AM UTC-4, Derek C wrote:
.... we

were told to start with the stick hard back to contain the speed.

This led to a number of (usually fatal) flick spin accidents,...

What is a Flick Spin?

The simulation videos here
http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/saf...nch-safety.htm
illustrate Flick
Roll and Spin, but no Flick Spin.


Same thing. Due to rapid pitch up caused by the rotational couple
effect (line of pull below c of g of glider), plus not controlling the
rate of rotation, causing the wings to stall and a flick roll can
follow. Mostly a problem associated with powerful winches and
very rapid acceleration.

Derek Copeland

What ever it is, it will still kill or seriously injure you if do one
close to the ground in a glider. Basically it's a low altitude spin in
with no time or height in which to effect a recovery.

Derek Copeland


At 22:32 12 October 2013, Dan Marotta wrote:
I believe that's what we Yanks call a snap roll.


"Del Copeland" wrote in message
...
At 18:43 12 October 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, October 11, 2013 2:31:00 AM UTC-4, Derek C
wrote:
.... we

were told to start with the stick hard back to contain the
speed.

This led to a number of (usually fatal) flick spin
accidents,...

What is a Flick Spin?

The simulation videos here
http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/saf...nch-safety.htm
illustrate Flick
Roll and Spin, but no Flick Spin.


Same thing. Due to rapid pitch up caused by the rotational
couple
effect (line of pull below c of g of glider), plus not controlling
the
rate of rotation, causing the wings to stall and a flick roll can
follow. Mostly a problem associated with powerful winches
and
very rapid acceleration.

Derek Copeland