On Friday, October 11, 2013 7:17:42 AM UTC-6, George Knight wrote:
This discussion, that started as one about whether to hold the release

during an aerotow launch, has focussed on the risk to the glider pilot if a

wing drops during the launch and subsequently migrated to become a debate

about winch launch techniques.



The poor chap who has been forgotten in all this is the tug pilot! Over

the years a number of tug pilots in different countries have been killed by

glider pilots getting out of position and going too high too quickly. This

results in a big reduction in the tug's airspeed towards the stall, and

since it no longer has enough elevator authority the glider raises the

tugs tail and points it at the ground. Below about 700' a tug upset is

probably fatal for the tug pilot - but only a minor inconvenience to the

glider pilot.



Tug upsets, once triggered, occur in a very short elapsed time period -

probably two or three seconds. This does not give the glider pilot time to

search for the cable release and pull it so as to save the tug pilot's

life.



On aerotow a glider pilot should have his hand touching the release, or

holding a loop of nylon connected to it, if the stick movement would

otherwise be restricted until at least 1,000'. Tug pilots are doing you a

service. Respect them by being able to release instantly if the tow goes

wrong.



One entry in this thread stated that tows can be very rough and that the

release might get pulled by accident. Much better that than kill a tug

pilot.

Hi George,
Thanks for your comments. You are correct that we do need to remember the amazing 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 releasing at low altitudes because their hand was on the release than tow planes being pulled into the ground because a hand was NOT on the release.

Bruno - B4