On 4/15/2011 1:18 PM, David Salmon wrote:

I think we should possibly make a distinction between types of launch. I
normally winch launch, done many thousands of 'em, and there is only one
place my left hand is, and that is holding the release. The accident
happens too quickly to be able to grab for it,


I'm a winch newbie (about 35) but have about 2000 aero tows. One of our
(US) club instructors also teaches at Cambridge (UK) and what David says
is what he taught all of us. For a winch launch, the hand is ON the
release because when things go wrong, they go wrong quickly - and you
never pick up a dropping wing on the ground roll, for example - you
release. For aero tows, we keep our hand NEAR the release but not on it.

Tony V.