A Tale of Two Takeoffs

Sorry for the delay but am hiking in Germany with limited time and Internet access. My comment about whining pertained to RAS Posts not about speaking up at contests. I cannot speak for others but the contests I have assisted with in thee ground we review everything you mention and we strive no wing drops and appropriate tow speeds.

Of the 700 or so tows at Nephi last year during the Nats I recall 9 wing drops, I do not have m,y notes in front of me. I saw them all, including the one that started this thread. No one common denominator in these incidents. Can we them all? I hope so but human nature is a tough nut to crack

For tow speeds we review with the chief tow pilot, all pilots at the beginning and when we hear for speed calls. Again no excuses but many factors attribute to this situation. Some calls for speed are erroneous when items released such as waffle balls are used to protect rope end and the glider ASI tube is in the nose with the tow hook! I have heard pilots calling for more speed when the tow plane was already doing 75+. We remind pilots about this situation but it still happens every contest I have been involved with.

Getting all pieces together for a contest is a delicate dance with many partners. I do not know any folks organizing contests that does not put safety first. So yes speak up if necessary and better yet lets you and every other contest pilot on t he ground assisting and contributing to the solution at once a year.

One other note concerning tow speeds, it is going to get harder going forward. The latest high wing loading racing gliders are requiring 85 knots at a minimum, according to the manufacturer. Many tow planes while able to dro the speed do not climb as well at those speeds. Sol faster tows may. Mean lower tows which could mean higher tow fees.

Ron Gleason