Being towed too slow?

On 17 Nov, 04:44, Steve Leonard
wrote:

Or better yet, spend a little time talking with the
towpilots and getting to know them.

I tend to have the opposite problem - tug pilots may not tow much
wood, and often go rather fast. So whenever I can, I make a point of
talking to the tuggy beforehand and letting them know my ideal speed
range.

Ian

In article
s.com, Ian writes
On 17 Nov, 04:44, Steve Leonard
wrote:

Or better yet, spend a little time talking with the
towpilots and getting to know them.

I tend to have the opposite problem - tug pilots may not tow much
wood, and often go rather fast. So whenever I can, I make a point of
talking to the tuggy beforehand and letting them know my ideal speed
range.

Ian

A lot of years ago I was towed at 80 KPH when the glider had a placard
reading Ne jamais depasser 65KPH. Nobody seemed the least bothered.
--
Mike Lindsay

On 17 Nov, 19:31, Mike Lindsay wrote:

A lot of years ago I was towed at 80 KPH when the glider had a placard
reading Ne jamais depasser 65KPH. Nobody seemed the least bothered.

A lot of years ago I was given an aerotow retrieve in a Slingsby
Swallow by a tug pilot who was the CFI of a club which shall remain
nameless. Max aerotow speed: 61kt (or some pathetic number about
that). Actual tow speed: 90kt. And the Swallow was twitchy enough on
the elevator at the best of times. Still, I was poor(er) then, and the
CFI knew I was paying by the minute for the retrieve.

Ian

Ian wrote:

I tend to have the opposite problem - tug pilots may not tow much
wood, and often go rather fast. So whenever I can, I make a point of
talking to the tuggy beforehand and letting them know my ideal speed
range.


I've had the same problem in a 1-26. At 75 MPH IAS the bird gets a
little more sensitive in pitch than I like on tow, so prior to departure
I have asked for a 65 MPH IAS max. 60 MPH IAS is not that easy for a
Pawnee to do, but just letting them know that it makes a big difference
to a 1-26 does help.


Jack

On 17 Nov, 21:49, J a c k wrote:
Ian wrote:
I tend to have the opposite problem - tug pilots may not tow much
wood, and often go rather fast. So whenever I can, I make a point of
talking to the tuggy beforehand and letting them know my ideal speed
range.

I've had the same problem in a 1-26. At 75 MPH IAS the bird gets a
little more sensitive in pitch than I like on tow, so prior to departure
I have asked for a 65 MPH IAS max. 60 MPH IAS is not that easy for a
Pawnee to do, but just letting them know that it makes a big difference
to a 1-26 does help.

My standard speed compromise with the Sutton Bank tuggy was to go up
with the CHT needles on the red line. Faster than I'd have liked,
slower than he'd have liked, but both reasonably happy!

Ian