motorgliders as towplanes

I observed a 100HP Lambada equipped with 13m wings being used as a
towplane in the 2000 Worlds in South Africa. It seemed to perform
very well despite the moderate density altitude. They were launching
from an asphalt runway and the ground acceleration was slower than
most other towplanes, but once airborne no difference was notable.

The Lambada and similar modern motorgliders are very light (300kg) -
nearly half the weight of the older designs, such as the Grob 109 -
and perform very well.

I have flown a Grob 109 and it had enough trouble getting itself into
the air. The Lambada also handles a lot better than the older heavy
beasts and is a joy to fly.

Mike