On 10/5/2017 3:13 AM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 11:37:45 AM UTC+3, krasw wrote:
On Thursday, 5 October 2017 06:08:14 UTC+3, wrote:
The CG hook "problem" on aero tow is an airport myth. Nose hooks are a
hardware solution to a software problem. Spend your money elsewhere -
like a pneumatic tailwheel or spoiler mod.

Agreed, nose vs. cg hook is non-issue and gets way more attention than it
really deserves. Most pilot woudn't notice any difference. Tail skid on
the other hand is something that should have been left in 1910's and
biplanes. Just horrible thing to have in anything, royal pain in the ass
everytime it touches ground.

Certainly in normal circumstances it isn't a problem.

In rotor with slack line I've pitch up when the rope suddenly becomes tight
has been noticeable in a Janus, but easily dealt with.

Someone asked a while ago whether there was any history of towplane upsets
with nose hook gliders. I don't recall that it was ever answered. You'd
think that if it happens someone would be able to quickly point to an
example or two.

Dunno if it was "kiting" in the sense of "torquing about the glider's CG" or
not, but I recall reading about a tow pilot fatality after a K-8 drove it into
the ground; happened in the 1960s in Utah. The article was given me as part of
a Safety Corner collection by my club's chief instructor for a
reading/feedback assignment during my primary instructional days. My takeaway
was: Kids, don't DO this!

I'd bet other instances in the U.S. - where nose hooks predominated for much
of soaring - can be found...

Bob W.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
http://www.avg.com