On Saturday, February 22, 2014 8:04:43 AM UTC-5, Karl Striedieck wrote:
On Sunday, February 9, 2014 5:27:23 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote: This topic was buried in a drifting degenerate thread. I'm wondering if anyone knows more about the tow hook innovation mentioned below by UH. On Saturday, February 8, 2014 9:31:13 AM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote: Why does the pilot need to pull the release if the glider kites? Why is the release for a deadly tow position not fully automatic? Is a simple purely mechanical, totally foolproof and 100% automatic release not possible? As the guy in the glider, I would be fine with a 100% automatic release. If I kite, release me immediately. On Sunday, February 9, 2014 5:05:52 PM UTC-5, wrote: There was a design and prototype of a release like this created many years ago and published, I believe, in Soaring magazine. I know if no one that has adopted this which makes it fairly clear that this is not perceived as a huge problem.. Although FAA approval might be an obstacle, a system that would work would be to connect the elevator cable to the tow release cable such that the last small increment of travel toward full up elevator of the tow ship would pull the release. An additional concern that tow pilots should be aware of is the possibility of an accelerated stall right at release of a kiting glider. With full back stick the angle of attack might increase so rapidly the tug pilot wouldn't get the stick forward fast enough.

Full back stick is where I am during run up, beginning of take off roll, and commonly in the flare.
A combination of inputs might be made to work if including:
Climb power above some threshold
Plus some predetermind degree of up pitch control input
Plus some predetermined air speed.
Maybe find a way to add in a rate of deceleration input.
Maybe add reduction in G force for some predetermined time
If the combinations fall into the specified range, you have as problem.
Need is to avoid a single input that may be false.
FWIW
UH