On Jul 22, 4:01*pm, "
wrote:
On Jul 22, 1:36*pm, 5Z wrote:

On Friday, July 22, 2011 6:42:31 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
I've had two engine failures with gliders on tow (blown front engine seal
and failed oil pump) and both times the glider released when I rocked the
wings. *Had they not, I'd have dumped them without concern of the terrain
below.

Exactly! *If I get a wing rock, I'll think long and hard if pulling the release will put me in danger. *If, while thinking, the tow pilot dumps me, then the decision is made.

The tow pilot has two (radio is the third) options to "signal" the glider: wing rock and pull the release. *Pulling the release is easier to do, so if the towplane rocks its wings for me, I will assess the situation before pulling the release.

When driving a car, do you immediately swerve when something jumps out in front of you? *At a low speed this might work. *At high speed this results in a rollover. *Always, *think* before you act!!!

-Tom

BTW......I know a couple of tow pilots who say it is not all that easy
to get to and pull the release during a real emergency.....also that
they may not be in a position to rock the wings either.

We had one tow pilot, who when I asked to do a wing rock, to show a
student...she would just simply put the tow plane into a
dive.......She said that is what she would do in a real
emergency...not release, not rock the wings...just establish a nose
down glide.....

I teach my students to release imediately if the tow plane starts
diving..

Cookie

And so why is that tow pilot still towing gliders at your operation? I
would hope you (and the tow pilot) would want to teach and demonstrate
in-flight standard rock-off signals. if for no other reason that the
student will be towed elsewhere where tow pilots expect to use that
signal. This comment makes no sense in general, for example I see no
reason why a tow pilot would stick the nose down for a rough running
engine etc. if they just want to return to the airport and can
maintain altitude.

Darryl