At 03:42 09 September 2003, M B wrote:
The regs seem to simply require experience while'towing
a glider with an aircraft' and the U.S.regs don't seem
to care what kind of aircraftis used. Tow with a blimp?
Don'tthose things go something like maybe twentyknots
tops? While towing gliders I've been quite concernedabout
my 'noodle.' Yes I've been concernedabout catching
on a runway light, rope in theprop during taxi, etc.
But the idea of therope snapping back and wrapping
the elevatoror rudder in flight has been a concern
both as a towpilot and as a glider pilot. Prettyremote
possibility, but a good reason fora nice weak link
at the end of the towrope.Towing in a helicopter?
My goodness! Thiswould REALLY scare me. Towrope in
the rotor blades? Yikes! Did they have somethingweighty
on the end of the towrope?Mark Boyd



I believe the Royal Navy experimented with towing with
a helicopter in the 60's. If I recall rightly the main
problem mentioned, apart from maintaining separation
between ropes and rotors, was keeping the glider out
of the turbulence created by the helicopter. This needed
about half a mile of towrope.