News Flash: You don't need elevator control !

No. It happened as Rob described it.

He rigged normally, and then put in water ballast including tail ballast.
To put in the tail ballast he had to disconnect the elevator, and he forgot
to re-connect it.

Presumably he got away with it because the C. of G. was very close to the
aft limit, and he changed speed by the correct use of flaps. During the
winch launch the wire would tend to pull the nose down, so he would be
applying up elevator.

The trim would have been no help, because it is a spring acting on the
elevator control circuit and is only connected to the elevator if the
control is connected.

I know the pilot. No-one knows better than he that he was very, very
lucky.

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).


Remove "ic" to reply.
"Chris OCallaghan" wrote in message
om...

File this one under airfield legend. Flapped gliders with horizontal
stabs (as opposed to full flying) can be manoeuvred without full
elevator authority, but you're as likely to die as not. As for the
CFI, I suspect his elevator was semi-attached (cup on ball, but not
locked). It is likely that the elevator came disconnected during the
rollout on landing, thus the difficulty with aerotow. (Of course, you
might be able to sell this one, if the cg was up around the rudder
pedals.)


Robert John wrote in
message ...

A chief flying instructor of my acquaintance flew about
300k without realising his elevator was disconnected
(ASW20). The initial launch was a winch which was
fine (back-pressure pushing the elevator up). He landed
out at another airfield and took an aerotow retrieve.
He had to release quickly and land ahead using trim
when the glider climbed uncontrollably. The aerotow
needed forward pressure on the stick (downward 'pull'
on the elevator when on tow). At no time during the
previous flight, including on winch launch, was this
needed, though he did remark that the elevator has
felt a little 'odd' at times!

Rob