On Saturday, February 8, 2014 10:50:52 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
The standard setup is to use a Schweizer hook which is rigidly mounted in

pitch and can swivel around the yaw axis. So, if the glider kites, it

exerts sufficient force on the release mechanism that the tow pilot may not

have the strength to pull the lever. It's also possible that, should the

glider get too wide, the axis of the release cable is too far off center to

operate the release. So... Stay in position on tow!


Dan, there is a 337 for an inverted mounting of the Schweizer hook on Pawnees - Turf soaring developed it many years ago. It simply mounts the fixed arm at the top, and the swinging arm at the bottom - so that when the glider kites, the rope tension is taken by the fixed arm and there isn't any additional pressure on the release gate (which is what makes the Schweizer hook so hard to release in an kiting situation).

Roy Couillete at Turf may still have access to the 337 documentation, if you are interested.