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Old February 20th 14, 08:53 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Don Johnstone[_4_]
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Posts: 398
Default Does anyone use a tug tow hook that releases automatically when glider kites?

At 14:36 20 February 2014, Chris Rollings wrote:

To repeat one point, our tests left us convinced that the tail-plane on

the
tow-plane stalled quite early on in the kiting event, it would need some
tests to check exactly how early. It might be that the nose down angle
would have to be quite small, something that could happen in turbulence
perhaps.

Which is why I suggested speed camera technology to detect a faster than
normal rapid climb of the glider in relation to the tug. Measuring the
height or even the angle is just not going to give the system time to work.
Detecting the rapid vertical acceleration early will do that. Even if the
pilot in the glider detects the early acceleration, inertia probably means
that he will be unable to correct in time.