Qn: Italy, Ultralight aerotowing

I witnessed a tricycle Virus (essentially a short wingspan Lambada) towing at the World's in South Africa over ten years ago - that was at high density altitude, but from a very looong runway. Take-off runs were notably long, but otherwise the tows looked fine. It would be interesting to hear reports from any participants.

My own perspective is that power rules (maybe I've lived in the USA too long!) and that the quicker I can get away from the ground and off tow the better! I have fond memories of my ASW-20 being dragged skyward by an Ag-Cat that, if I remember correctly, had a giant radial engine of more than 450HP..

Mike

Mike - The AG Cat would have had the R1300 engine. LOTS of power.

HAve towed behind Samba and Lambada here.

Both are fine for 15m single seaters. Actually much nicer to tow behind
with a dry 15m club class glider - very nice and smooth. Hot and high -
at over 5100 feet MSL and 25+ centigrade +2.5kt on the vario.

The excess power is limited, but you don't need huge amounts to climb.
Just 20-30 hp extra, and a tug that climbs well in the speed range you
tow at.

Would be somewhat cautious with a heavy glider because of that slow
initial acceleration. Especially on grass.

However - the available performance is quite remarkable.
Have seen a Janus (now there is a heavy 2 seater if ever there was one)
Launched behind one of these 100hp Lambadas.
5100" MSL (at Magaliesburg)
24 Centigrade
2 "well rounded" pilots on board Janus.
P1 inadvertently released the drag chute during the launch.
There the combination is, maintaining height but heading away from the
field at 50 feet AGL, over the rocks trees and power lines, and clearly
in some trouble.
Tug pilot was obliged to exceed redline on the engine by a couple of
hundred RPM to get a positive climb and turn back.
Tuggie saw the parachute's shadow on the turn back, took the Janus to
over the numbers at 100" and released. Janus pilot was surprised at how
much stick forward was required to maintain approach speed.

No Rotax was damaged in the production of the little drama, the only
damage was to some egos.

Note to self - don't do stupid things on the day there is a national
association meeting happening at your club...



On 2012/10/18 10:08 PM, Mike the Strike wrote:
I witnessed a tricycle Virus (essentially a short wingspan Lambada) towing at the World's in South Africa over ten years ago - that was at high density altitude, but from a very looong runway. Take-off runs were notably long, but otherwise the tows looked fine. It would be interesting to hear reports from any participants.

My own perspective is that power rules (maybe I've lived in the USA too long!) and that the quicker I can get away from the ground and off tow the better! I have fond memories of my ASW-20 being dragged skyward by an Ag-Cat that, if I remember correctly, had a giant radial engine of more than 450HP.

Mike


--
Bruce Greeff
T59D #1771

On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:08:17 -0700, Mike the Strike wrote:

My own perspective is that power rules (maybe I've lived in the USA too
long!) and that the quicker I can get away from the ground and off tow
the better! I have fond memories of my ASW-20 being dragged skyward by
an Ag-Cat that, if I remember correctly, had a giant radial engine of
more than 450HP.

A solo launch behind a Zlin 137T could be short and sweet too. Thats the
towplane that launched 9 Blanik L-13s as a single aero tow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAdIkB5rbgo in case you haven't seen it.


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

On Oct 21, 5:21*am, BruceGreeff wrote:
Mike - The AG Cat would have had the R1300 engine. LOTS of power.

The AgCat Mike is referring to had a supercharged Wright R-975,
probably around 500hp. Rare combination, most AgCats had/have P&W
R-985s (450hp) or R-1340s (600hp), and even heard of some with Wright
R-1820s (1200hp!). And of course, many now have P&W PT-6 turboprops.

I asked the owner about the unusual engine, and he said that due to it
being supercharged more than the equivalent Pratt, it was better at
the high Parowan summer density altitudes. Towing behind it was like
being pulled by a helicopter! At low tow, all you saw above was sky
and wings - lots of wings!

My then future wife said she loved attaching the towrope to the AgCat
because of the sound it made - like a bunch of Harleys all idling
together.

That particular AgCat was later destroyed in an accident straight out
of the movie "North by Northwest"...so I hear ;^)

Kirk
66

Sorry - wrong ag plane - it was the Ayres Thrush fitted with the R-1300.


On 2012/10/21 3:46 PM, kirk.stant wrote:
On Oct 21, 5:21 am, BruceGreeff wrote:
Mike - The AG Cat would have had the R1300 engine. LOTS of power.

The AgCat Mike is referring to had a supercharged Wright R-975,
probably around 500hp. Rare combination, most AgCats had/have P&W
R-985s (450hp) or R-1340s (600hp), and even heard of some with Wright
R-1820s (1200hp!). And of course, many now have P&W PT-6 turboprops.

I asked the owner about the unusual engine, and he said that due to it
being supercharged more than the equivalent Pratt, it was better at
the high Parowan summer density altitudes. Towing behind it was like
being pulled by a helicopter! At low tow, all you saw above was sky
and wings - lots of wings!

My then future wife said she loved attaching the towrope to the AgCat
because of the sound it made - like a bunch of Harleys all idling
together.

That particular AgCat was later destroyed in an accident straight out
of the movie "North by Northwest"...so I hear ;^)

Kirk
66


--
Bruce Greeff
T59D #1771

Interesting. The only other plane I ever heard of using the R-1300 was the original Air Force T-28A. Ive got a few hours in a friends T-28B with the big 1450 hp R-1820 - now that is a nice plane!

Kirk
66

Bruce:

I am very familiar with the runway at Magaliesburg and have had some anxious moments myself over the kopje and power lines to the north when launching my heavily ballasted Jantar-1 with a weak tug (I seem to remember a 150HP Cub?), especially when the grass was a bit long. It's also possible that I have flown the Janus of which you speak (there aren't many in South Africa). Heavy, yes, but a decent cross-country ship.

I am surprised the Lambada does as well at towing (I have flown an identical 100HP Lambada) and while it does perform well, I wouldn't have expected enough surplus thrust for towing, especially a Janus

Mike

The Janus is ZS-GSX - tail number SX - original Janus prototype.
Lambada does just fine - regularly tows G103 and Janus in the berg.
I am sure everyone would prefer more excess power - but it does the job.
With a single seater - as I said it is at least as good as the more
battered of the clubs 180hp Super cubs were.

With that one I have been 50 foot over the winch looking up at the
Orient hills ridge with the Kestrel...

Said Cub was recently retired in favour of a Cessna 182 with lots of
power and an insatiable affinity for avgas.

Bruce

On 2012/10/22 3:03 AM, Mike the Strike wrote:
Bruce:

I am very familiar with the runway at Magaliesburg and have had some anxious moments myself over the kopje and power lines to the north when launching my heavily ballasted Jantar-1 with a weak tug (I seem to remember a 150HP Cub?), especially when the grass was a bit long. It's also possible that I have flown the Janus of which you speak (there aren't many in South Africa). Heavy, yes, but a decent cross-country ship.

I am surprised the Lambada does as well at towing (I have flown an identical 100HP Lambada) and while it does perform well, I wouldn't have expected enough surplus thrust for towing, especially a Janus

Mike


--
Bruce Greeff
T59D #1771