Does anyone use a tug tow hook that releases automatically whenglider kites?

On Tuesday, February 18, 2014 7:17:16 AM UTC-6, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 11:54 18 February 2014, Pieter Oosthuizen wrote:

Thanks Chris - appreciate your comments!



Apologies if I interpreted it incorrectly.



PO



I think Chris has made it pretty clear that the fitting of an automatic

system is not at this time a practical solution. I think he has also made

it pretty clear that once the sequence starts the result, as far as the tug

is concerned, is inevitable.



This is one of those situations where tug pilots are going to have to

decide what risks they are willing to take. I would support any tug pilot

who said that he would not tow a glider on a CoG or Compromise hook. On the

other hand I would not tell him he could not do it. There is also a

responsibility for those of us who teach aerotowing to really get across to

students the danger, to the tug pilot, of getting out of position. I am not

sure we have done this in the past, I know I have not been as pedantic as I

should in getting this point home.

Tug pilots do not always know the people they are towing so they are

perhaps not aware of the experience, or lack of it, of the pilot on the

back. In those circumstances the saviour should be the authoriser. We all

know that does not work. Perhaps tug pilots need to be more circumspect in

who they are prepared to tow.

It occurred to me that attaching the tow rope to the tug near the center of gravity (top of turtle deck on a Pawnee for example) would make kiting a non-event. That's how all the RC gliders are towed since you cannot control the position of the glider really well in relation to the towplane while standing on the ground. Interference of the tow rope with rudder and elevator does not seem to be a problem for RC fliers.