Keep your hand off the release handle during aero tows!

The UK recommendation is to hold the release during the start of a winch launch, due to the exceptionally short time available to avoid disaster by releasing if a wing is going down and you cannot prevent it with aileron. While this may not apply to an aerotow launch it is likely that pilots trained on the winch and flying unflapped gliders would do the same for an aerotow launch. I would expect pilots to take their hand off the release once comfortably clear of the ground. I have not heard of an inadvertent release.

At 17:44 04 October 2013, waremark wrote:
The UK recommendation is to hold the release during the start of a winch
la=
unch, due to the exceptionally short time available to avoid disaster by
re=
leasing if a wing is going down and you cannot prevent it with aileron.
Whi=
le this may not apply to an aerotow launch it is likely that pilots
trained=
on the winch and flying unflapped gliders would do the same for an
aerotow=
launch. I would expect pilots to take their hand off the release once
comf=
ortably clear of the ground. I have not heard of an inadvertent release.



The problem is on schemp gliders if the right wing goes down and you us
full
left stick and can't get the wing to lift you now can't get your hand to
the
release the next thing is an accident .
It happens very fast and before you say "won't happen to me" I know of a
fighter pilot and current glider pilot who cartwheeled a ventus .
My solution is 6 inch of parachute cord fastened round the release that I
can
hold loosely for those first 50feet or so .the transition from wing low to
crash
is so fast there is no time for anything .
Jon may

Couple of things;

1) THIS THREAD IS ABOUT YOUR HAND ON THE RELEASE! NOT ON THE SPOILERS! Can we all say "oops"?

2) I had a PTT when I had my hand on the release. Never again.

3) That being said (#2 above) I saw a friend get in trouble on tow and couldn't find the release handle due to G forces (scratch one glider). So I came up with a fairly long lanyard that goes from the release knob to my wrist. In this way small movements of my hand won't impact the release but, in an emergency, a half way hands up gesture of "you're under arrest" will release the tow. Luckily I have never used this. Needless to say I use the knob for a non-emergency releases. Here is a link to my Mark 1 version (Bumper type model numbering), I don't have a shot of Mark II with its adjustable palm knob and black nylon webbing. http://aviation.derosaweb.net/images...selandyard.JPG

My $0.02.

- John

Sounds like a decent idea, John, but I think you should actually try it at
least once in flight. The act of raising your hand ala "stick 'em up" is
different than a straight back pull so I think you should see how it feels
and if it really works.

Intuitively, it looks like the gesture you mentioned would result in about a
45 degree upward pull on the release. Would the cable jam in its fairlead?

The release knob in my LAK is a fairly small disk, about a half inch (maybe
a bit more) in diameter and might be easy to miss in an emergency. I think
I'll give your rope idea a try for myself.

"JohnDeRosa" wrote in message
...
Couple of things;

1) THIS THREAD IS ABOUT YOUR HAND ON THE RELEASE! NOT ON THE SPOILERS!
Can we all say "oops"?

2) I had a PTT when I had my hand on the release. Never again.

3) That being said (#2 above) I saw a friend get in trouble on tow and
couldn't find the release handle due to G forces (scratch one glider). So I
came up with a fairly long lanyard that goes from the release knob to my
wrist. In this way small movements of my hand won't impact the release but,
in an emergency, a half way hands up gesture of "you're under arrest" will
release the tow. Luckily I have never used this. Needless to say I use the
knob for a non-emergency releases. Here is a link to my Mark 1 version
(Bumper type model numbering), I don't have a shot of Mark II with its
adjustable palm knob and black nylon webbing.
http://aviation.derosaweb.net/images...selandyard.JPG

My $0.02.

- John

On Friday, October 4, 2013 3:57:04 PM UTC-4, JohnDeRosa wrote:
Couple of things; 1) THIS THREAD IS ABOUT YOUR HAND ON THE RELEASE! NOT ON THE SPOILERS! Can we all say "oops"? 2) I had a PTT when I had my hand on the release. Never again. 3) That being said (#2 above) I saw a friend get in trouble on tow and couldn't find the release handle due to G forces (scratch one glider). So I came up with a fairly long lanyard that goes from the release knob to my wrist. In this way small movements of my hand won't impact the release but, in an emergency, a half way hands up gesture of "you're under arrest" will release the tow. Luckily I have never used this. Needless to say I use the knob for a non-emergency releases. Here is a link to my Mark 1 version (Bumper type model numbering), I don't have a shot of Mark II with its adjustable palm knob and black nylon webbing. http://aviation.derosaweb.net/images...selandyard.JPG My $0.02. - John

The lanyard loop is a fairly old solution that, I understand resulted from Gerhard Waibel not being able to get to the release on a '20 at Eagle Field resulting in a crunch of sorts. Interestingly, the releases on all his following gliders are up on the left and easily seen and gripped.
For 19's and 20's and such, we make a loop out of about 24 inches of parachute cord that loops around the release handle. The pilot lays this across his left thigh, and the release is easily found and pulled if needed quickly.. Holding the loop with slack would present minimal risk of accidently releasing and yet provides the benefit of quick access.
People adding to other ships should consider what such a loop may interfere with when implementing.
I guard the release during the early part of ground launches, but stay away from it on aero tow.
Another voice heard from
UH

Winch tow, hand on release? Not a good idea?
Jerk acceleration, from some slack or something in the line and you inadvertently pull the release.
Probably not too bad if still on the ground.

The accident report is not final from the recent Jacuma CA winch accident. Preliminary information is a Premature release at to low an altitude and to high an attitude.

Aero tow, I was giving a flight review and the pilot tried to hold his fist right in front of the 2-33 release, it was a bumpy tow and his hand was everywhere except near the release. We discussed the usefulness of that concept.

BT

On Friday, October 4, 2013 8:06:12 PM UTC-6, Bill T wrote:
Winch tow, hand on release? Not a good idea?

Jerk acceleration, from some slack or something in the line and you inadvertently pull the release.

Probably not too bad if still on the ground.



The accident report is not final from the recent Jacuma CA winch accident.. Preliminary information is a Premature release at to low an altitude and to high an attitude.



Aero tow, I was giving a flight review and the pilot tried to hold his fist right in front of the 2-33 release, it was a bumpy tow and his hand was everywhere except near the release. We discussed the usefulness of that concept.



BT

OK, I gotta jump in here. Keeping a hand on the release is SOP on winch launch. If the ground roll isn't perfectly straight and level, you have to release instantly.

A launch failure can happen anytime at any height on a winch launch and in itself doesn't cause accidents - provided the PIC is doing his job of flying the glider. Student pilots can expect an instructor to pull the release at any height and then be expected to land the glider safely.

On Fri, 04 Oct 2013 19:06:12 -0700, Bill T wrote:

Winch tow, hand on release? Not a good idea?
Jerk acceleration, from some slack or something in the line and you
inadvertently pull the release.
Probably not too bad if still on the ground.

If that happens, would you really want to stay on?

If/when that happens to me the release gets pulled because:
(1) I don't want a large bight in the shock rope to wrap round my wheel
(2) I'd rather not subject my hook to the sort of snatch load a powerful
winch can apply.

The accident report is not final from the recent Jacuma CA winch
accident. Preliminary information is a Premature release at to low an
altitude and to high an attitude.

This a good reason for the UK emphasis on a slow rotation into full climb
and not starting rotation until you have 150% of stall speed (50kts in
most gliders) and positive acceleration. It helps to ensure that while
you're low and slow you're not steep.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

At 02:06 05 October 2013, Bill T wrote:
Winch tow, hand on release? Not a good idea?
Jerk acceleration, from some slack or something in the line and you
inadvertently pull the release.
Probably not too bad if still on the ground.

The accident report is not final from the recent Jacuma CA winch
accident.
Preliminary information is a Premature release at to low an altitude and
to
high an attitude.

Aero tow, I was giving a flight review and the pilot tried to hold his
fist
right in front of the 2-33 release, it was a bumpy tow and his hand was
everywhere except near the release. We discussed the usefulness of that
concept.

BT

It is absolutely essential that hand contact with the release is maintained
from the time a cable is attached to the time until flight is achieved on a
winch launch. The wing drop/yaw/crash sequence is well documented and while
being able to operate the release quickly does nothing to prevent, only
mitigates the severity of the accident, it is nevertheless literally the
difference between life and death.
Inadvertently operating the release on a winch launch may prove
embarrassing, not operating the release if a wing drops may spare your
embarrassment by killing you.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...NN%2006-13.pdf

On Sunday, October 6, 2013 2:53:16 AM UTC-6, Don Johnstone wrote:

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...NN%2006-13.pdf

There are so many bonehead screw-up's in this report it makes one want to cry.

A few:

1. Not staging the glider so it points exactly at the winch.
2. A VERY long, slow, wobbly takeoff roll despite a 15kt headwind component..
3. A failure of the launch crew to stop the launch when a wing went down.
4. Not releasing when it was clear the ground roll wasn't precisely normal.

A dry Nimbus 3 launching into a 15 knot wind would likely have aileron control BEFORE the roll began and should have been airborne in around one second after rolling about a glider length. Obvious point: Once airborne, there's no danger of dragging a wing.

At least you Brits are good at writing accident reports.