Canopy open incident.

"If something goes wrong, or if you think something MIGHT be going wrong before you reach 100 feet AGL, pull the release and drop the nose. You have plenty of space to land straight ahead at this airport. There is no charge for a premature termination of tow."

I've heard this at least 50 times from a CFI-G. When the canopy opened, I thought "pull release, drop nose to level flight" and that is exactly what I would have done (and then I would have landed straight ahead).

I would like to develop this pilot's highly skilled and deliberate problem solving approach to solve the more complicated, novel and uncommon problems that were not foreseen in my rudimentary training. But over adherence to a deliberate problem solving approach might be a liability in a time-critical situation.

On 6/15/2013 11:26 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:
"If something goes wrong, or if you think something MIGHT be going wrong before you reach 100 feet AGL, pull the release and drop the nose. You have plenty of space to land straight ahead at this airport. There is no charge for a premature termination of tow."

At my club (Central Massachusetts USA - 3000 ft rwy), if I pull the
release near 100 ft on a hot no wind day, the "landing" will not be on
the airport.

Tony "6N"

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 11:34:57 PM UTC-4, Tony V wrote:
On 6/15/2013 11:26 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:

"If something goes wrong, or if you think something MIGHT be going wrong before you reach 100 feet AGL, pull the release and drop the nose. You have plenty of space to land straight ahead at this airport. There is no charge for a premature termination of tow."



At my club (Central Massachusetts USA - 3000 ft rwy), if I pull the

release near 100 ft on a hot no wind day, the "landing" will not be on

the airport.



Tony "6N"

Good point. I now fly at an airport where 100 feet is likewise too high to land straight ahead. (That is why I raised the topic of landing out on an uphill grade earlier in the week.)

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 8:20:20 PM UTC-4, Tom K (ES) wrote:
I am not ashamed to admit it was me.



After I landed and saw the footage I felt that it could be a great learning video on decisionmaking. Could I have done things differently, yes. This is not the goal of humiliating myself online. It is to demonstrate that we have options and to evaluate the options to the best of one's abilities. By going through my thought process it provides examples of the different options I thought about and explained what I did.



BTW, 2 engine failures in helicopters, a tail rotor drive shaft failure in the mountains in Alaska, and a couple of single engine failures in twin engine helicopters make a person always look for where am I going to go "if happens"...



Tom

It can certainly happen to anyone. Aside from not latching the canopy, Hans would have been proud of your recovery. Good video.

Mark

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 5:20:20 PM UTC-7, Tom K (ES) wrote:
I am not ashamed to admit it was me.

Happened to me in a 2-33 on 05-19-91 at Estrella. Canopy popped open when
we hit an Arizona boomer just as I was announcing (Thanks, Tom K.) 200 feet.
For a rare time in my life, being left-handed was a benefit. Grabbed canopy with left hand, stick pressure with right hand to get back behind tow plane, locked canopy with left, then released as was high enough for safe downwind landing in gentle winds.
Apologized to tow pilot about getting high - he said the rope was so slack he did't notice until he looked and "you weren't there."
Next morning walked out and found my hat and sunglasses.
Successful "Private Pilot Glider Practical Test Passed & Certificate Issued" that afternoon by Jim Burch - a super examiner and good guy. He had tow pilot roll into thermals and then reverse directions.
The "E" for "emergencies" or "eventualities" on my written checklist, read & done before attaching tow rope, has had a visceral (in your guts) meaning ever since.

If you are under control, and the wind in your face is not an issue. Stay on tow. Get to an altitude where you know you can get back.

A 100 ft release on our 3500 ft runway will have your landing rollout beyond the airport fence, especially on hot days.
I'll pull the release on my students below 50 ft to emphasize, you've got to get it down and stopped!

Had a commercial ride for hire lose a forward Grob canopy on takeoff. Pulled the release at 200ft, standard training for a 180 return to the airport.
He did not make it back, the extra drag of the missing canopy was worse than full spoilers. He had to ground loop it when he saw a barbed wire fence that would have decapitated his front seat pax. They both walked away.

Another 2-32 commercial ride lost the canopy. Front seat pilot had glasses with sport safety strap, he did not lose his glasses. Stayed on tow to 500 ft and an uneventful return to the airport.

The first reaction to "release release release" must be tempered with, "I'm still flying, I'm still under control", "what are my options".
Or as we said in my military flying, "you're still flying, the EP is under control, take time to wind the watch and think about recovery".

BillT

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:03:38 AM UTC-7, Walt Connelly wrote:
I found this on YouTube and I would be more interested in what the crowd

on Aviation Banter/Soaring had to say. I am impressed that this

individual would post his video, has to be a bit embarrassing. Lots of

second guessing and backseat flying in the comments but I think he did

the right thing. What say you, far more experienced glider pilots?



Walt



https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...v=r0I75OZmA-0#!









--

Walt Connelly

I won't 2nd guess his decision to stay on tow to evaluate the situation. I give him credit for continuing to fly the glider with no perceptible deviations. Contrast this to an accident at Ephrata, WA where a water bottle came loose in the cockpit shortly after becoming airborne. The glider pilot became preoccupied with grabbing the bottle and reflexively pulled back on the stick. The glider kited, pulling up the tail on the tow plane. The tow plane pilot was subsequently killed when the tow plane hit the ground (the forces on the tow hook exceeded the pilot's ability to pull the release).

PLEASE, the 1st priority is ALWAYS to fly the plane, especially at low altitude.

Tom

Originally Posted by 2G

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:03:38 AM UTC-7, Walt Connelly wrote:
I found this on YouTube and I would be more interested in what the crowd

on Aviation Banter/Soaring had to say. I am impressed that this

individual would post his video, has to be a bit embarrassing. Lots of

second guessing and backseat flying in the comments but I think he did

the right thing. What say you, far more experienced glider pilots?



Walt



https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...v=r0I75OZmA-0#!









--

Walt Connelly

I won't 2nd guess his decision to stay on tow to evaluate the situation. I give him credit for continuing to fly the glider with no perceptible deviations. Contrast this to an accident at Ephrata, WA where a water bottle came loose in the cockpit shortly after becoming airborne. The glider pilot became preoccupied with grabbing the bottle and reflexively pulled back on the stick. The glider kited, pulling up the tail on the tow plane. The tow plane pilot was subsequently killed when the tow plane hit the ground (the forces on the tow hook exceeded the pilot's ability to pull the release).

PLEASE, the 1st priority is ALWAYS to fly the plane, especially at low altitude.

Tom

One might think that an engineer could design a system which would overcome the force on the tow hook which exceed the pilot's ability to pull the release. I've heard of a condition like this happening when the glider pilot "thought" he had released and in fact had not. Never sure how things like that happen.

Walt

There is a new Schweizer style design that has roller bearings on the slide hook, used towing ultralights, not approved for airplane, no STC that I am aware of.

A Tost release on the tow plane should release a lot easier than the Schweizer style.

One could question the weak link. But a weak link may not fail with a gradual onset of load, but will snap if jerked as in a poor slack line recovery.

BillT

Reading many of these responses one might conclude that loss of one's glasses might be a high probability in a canopy opening on tow. Perhaps our check lists might need to include "safety strap on glasses." I wear a pair of FIT OVERS over my glasses when flying, they are secured with a strap which I would hope would preclude the loss of both in such an event. It would only add to the situation if a pilot was to suddenly find him or herself in such a situation and additionally be impaired by the lack of adequate vision. Also, the need to emergency egress and the opening shock of a chute might cause one's specs to depart one's face. It might be time for me to break down and have that Lasik number done.

Walt