Further clarification about the tug upset video on YouTube, following first hand feedback from the tug pilot...

The tug had a French Aerazur hook, notorious for not releasing under tension. I guess issues with this hook led to the French pre-solo exercise of landing behind the tug. [I look forward to Kirk supplying me with a new JS1 !!!]

The tug pilot says the take-off felt normal, but during the initial climb the stick became harder...instantly he looked in the mirror and saw the ASK13 climbing like a winch launch...he didn't think, just pulled the red handle to release the rope. Maybe knowing that it was an Aerazur hook helped being decisive in releasing promptly. At the same time he felt the tug's tail lifting up and the tug's attitude was 45° down when he released. During debriefing, it was determined that the glider pilot released the rope just after the tug pilot. The tuggie hasn't said what height the tug was at before he recovered.

Not going to get into the semantics of calling this a kiting incident - while the glider was not excessively pitched up, it was high enough to upset the tug and could have been fatal if the tug pilot had not acted so quickly.

Iain

On Saturday, 22 February 2014 22:57:13 UTC, kirk.stant wrote:
On Saturday, February 22, 2014 10:25:23 AM UTC-6, Iain Baker wrote:
For those who consider using a nose hook largely solves the
problem of kiting, I suggest watching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MkCnVYa3VY

Excellent video.

But interestingly, not a case of kiting - more like the recent US case of upset by flying too high (distracted by open canopy). In the video (made by the pilot himself - bravo!) he remarks that the tow pilot realized something was wrong and released BEFORE the glider did. He then released to get rid of the tow rope trailing from his nose hook and flew his pattern. Pretty cool for a second solo...

I'll bet a new JS-1 that the Rallye towplane had a Tost hook!

In a scenario of the glider flying high due to inattention, with a nose hook, the climb should be slow enough for the tuggie to recognize and release (IF HE CAN - see Schweizer discussion!) because the glider pilot hopefully isn't just yanking back on the stick.

HOWEVER, if this same scenario had happened with a CG hook, it may have turned into a kiting incident, and could easily have been fatal for the tuggie.

Thanks for pointing out this video - I'm definitely showing it at our club's spring safety meeting!

Cheers,
Kirk