Aerotow takeoff with Cirrus, aileron rudder use

On Jul 26, 7:29*pm, akiley wrote:
Hi all, new forum member, new transition glider pilot as of this
spring.

I just got a checkout and have done two flights in a 1970 Standard
Cirrus that our club owns. *(This Cirrus model has the full flying
elevator s/n 70 I think)

I read as much as I could find on the web, thought long and hard then
went for it. *Things went well the first tow. *The second tow, my
right wing touched briefly on the initial roll. *First time this has
happened to me. *I got it up quickly and there was no yawing, so I
continued the flight uneventfully.

So, I have a question for any experienced Cirrus pilots. *I've been
told that one needs both rudder and aileron combined to get a low wing
up during initial roll on aerotow. *Furthermore the POH says not to
use aileron on takeoff! *I don't understand either of these things. *I
can understand both rudder and aileron for the first three seconds or
so if one has no wing runner, *but it seems like I should just use
rudder to keep the nose straight and aileron to keep the wings level
in general. *Especially after my speed is 15kts or more. *This has
always worked in a Grob 103 and an ASK21 of which I have the bulk of
my hours.

... akiley

First some questions

1. Does this glider have the spoiler mod completed?
2, What type of tail wheel skid does it have?
3. If it is the rubber tail skid with wheel, what type of wheel does
it have? Plastic or rubber?
4. Have you pushed the glider over a very flat runway or tie-down and
checked that it tracks true and not left or right significantly?

Basic answers are with the Std. Cirrus you are going to use BOTH
ailerons and rudder. The ailerons quickly to counter act any drop and
the rudder to pick up the wing if it is dropping. The POH is 40 years
old and we have learned much since those were written.

Depending wind conditions and if your glider is straight (no tacking
to one side) I would recommend:

1. Light winds or winds straight down the runway. Stick full forward
and use both ailerons and rudder until the glider is stable on tow.
If you have enough time in gliders opening the spoilers will help.
Full open if you have the spoiler mod, half open if you do not.

2. Cross winds. Stick full back on the start of roll to plant the
tail until you get rudder authority, then go stick full forward to
bring the tail up.

If your glider does not track true and has the rubber tail wheel
assembly take it off and reattach it so that the glider rolls
straight. If you still have a plastic tail wheel get a good rubber
one and replace it (William's Soaring sells a good one), roller blade
wheels will work but not as well.

Tim
(500 hours in Std Cirrus)
(800 hours in Nimbus 2M)