Towplane accident at The Dalles, Oregon

Hi Gary

Sorry to hear about the Wilga, from the sound of it even a Wilga will not be
rebuildable.

For what it is worth, I would stick with the winch. Cheaper, safer and often
faster than aerotow. (I know you might have difficulty convincing some folk to
try it) We only ever wish we had a towplane when the crosswind shuts our
operation down - and it is comming straight down the cross runway we cant use
because the cable would cross a tar runway. (that would not be in use because of
the same wind - but the CAA makes the rules)

With a decrepit single drum winch we manage 30-36 launches a day.

Bruce

Gary Boggs wrote:
I can't tell you how much this kind of support means to us. I feel really
crappy and pretty alone here sometimes in my attempt to make this into a
viable soaring site for us all in the soaring community to benefit from. It
never fails, as soon as a tow is unavailable, we get the best looking wave
I've seen in years!

There is so much to be thankful for..... No one was killed and so much
more. I hope we are tough enough, here, to survive this.

If it wasn't for our winch, we wouldn't have any way to launch at all.
Anyone have an extra tow plane?

Gary Boggs, CFIG
3650 Airport Drive
Hood River, OR
97031-9613
541.490.5557
503.708.8869


http://www.nwskysports.com/




"John Sinclair" wrote in message
...

If it wasn't for bad luck, Gary you wouldn't have any
luck at all. Hang in there, buddy. We need your operation
up there.
JJ




Yes, it was my Wilga. We were taking off in a cross
wind and a strong gust
got under the tow plane's wing shortly after take off.
The pilot touched
down just off the runway and touched the prop in the
dirt, damaging the prop
and ending any chance of climbing out of the situation.
He flew another 100
yards, caught the gear on some rocks and flipped it
end over end. There
were amazingly only cuts and bruises. I released as
soon as I saw him touch
the ground after take off and landed my 2-33 straight
ahead on the runway.

Gary Boggs
Hood River, Oregon.


'Thomas F. Dixon' wrote in message
.com...

Is this Garry Boggs Wilga?

Tom
Boise, ID

Stewart Kissel wrote in

message news:...

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?e...14X01425&key=1