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Old August 19th 17, 09:14 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Auto Towing a 1-26

Congratulations on getting the glider rating! Your 1-26 auto towing goal sounds reasonable. You do need some additional study and training with documentation of the requirements n the regulations from a CFIG and an endorsement for ground launch from the CFIG.
We get about 600 ft. consistently auto towing our club 1-26E in low head wind conditions at our field, a bit higher if towing into a 10 kt. headwind. Our field elevation is 800 ft. MSL and we have about 3000 ft of usable runway. It gets quite hot in the summer, about 100-110 deg. F. in the summer, so the density s;titude gets a lot higher then. It's a dirt surface, and we use 1100 ft of 1/4 poly twisted rope. It's rated at 1100 lbs breakng strength when new, but obviously gets lower ib strength with age, UV exposure and wear. We use various tow vehicles, depending on who we can cadjole to volunteer. Yours should be more than adequate for the task, and will towca 2-33 with two people in it adequtely also. We use handheld vhf aircraft radios for communications on the CTAF frequency. We have a Schwizer release on the tow vehicle mounted on a heavy gat hinge that can pivot up and down so the release remains in line with the direction of the force on the towline. There is an eye on the moving part of the hinge that keeps the release line in lined up with the releaxe in the proper directo