At 17:01 07 May 2014, kirk.stant wrote:
On Wednesday, May 7, 2014 10:34:48 AM UTC-5, Bill D wrote:
=20
The point is when conditions allow, a pilot should know how to turn
back
=
safely.

Precisely. It's called airmanship - knowing how to handle your plane in
an=
y conceivable situation.

If you aren't practicing something new and unusual (or at least thinking
ab=
out it) on every flight, you are limiting your growth as a pilot.

My one real PTT happened at Turf Soaring (Pleasant Valley Airport) many
yea=
rs ago, giving a ride in old 66W - a beat up old 2-32. Tow rope was
hooked=
up incorrectly (muddy) and released just past the end of the runway
(takin=
g off to the East) at what i guess was around 150 - 200 ft, no more. No
go=
od options other than turning back or landing in the desert; so I turned
ba=
ck...and had enough energy to roll back up to the surprised line boy who
ha=
d just launched me. Turned the glider around, hooked up again, and the
cus=
tomer got his full ride the second time.

BUT--conditions were calm with light winds and no lift; and the tow was
fas=
t - and it was pretty easy to whip that big old beast around in a steep
tur=
n and bring it back to land, as I had a lot of time in 2-32s at the time.
N=
ever felt that I was too low during the turn, but didn't even try getting
r=
eal slow (if you have time in 2-32s you will appreciate why!).

Yes, it can be done. But you have to know your plane WELL, and have the
ri=
ght conditions, and fully understand the consequences of pooching it!

Get out there and practice!

Kirk
66

and that dear reader illustrates the problem nicely. Emergency procedures
do not have to be formulated for experienced thinking pilots. I would like
to think that I could get away with doing what Kirk has done. Emergency
procedures have to be formulated for the lowest common denominator, would a
low launches pilot be able to achieve success? Would a relatively
experience pilot who is flying minimum launches per year cope with it? That
is what formulating procedures is all about, having something that everyone
can achieve, not just the top 10%.