Tow Plane Upsets......

I was once air retrieving someone from an airport over 50 NM away from
Moriarty. We briefed thoroughly before takeoff that I would level off
and reduce power slowly at 10,000'. He later told me that, as I was
leveling off, he was looking inside the cockpit and missed it and lost
sight of me. He immediately released, which was great, but it was late
in the day and he did not have glide home. I told him to land and I
would give him another tow for free but he said he'd try for home. I
flew along with him looking for and guiding him to thermals. ...And he
beat me back to Moriarty. But he released immediately on losing sight
of me.

On 4/25/2017 7:40 PM, George Haeh wrote:
Yes, I know that's taught, but does anybody put the student high so that
release is required.

Just as with spins, there's a difference between being told what to do -
and
actually going into the situation.


--
Dan, 5J

Originally Posted by George Haeh

We train boxing the wake, cannot release and slack rope recovery, and
expect
demonstration of some or all of these items on checkouts.

Hands up anybody who trains release when high on the towplane?

If students have never done this, how can we expect them to do it when
needed before or after license?

Good point and it is obviously not part of any training syllabus of which I am aware. If done at altitude....2 or 3K feet and done only momentarily I feel it would be a reasonable thing to do BUT only with the towpilots knowledge that it is going to be done and with some kind of signal immediately before hand. I am confident I can get out of anything I can get into with sufficient altitude. Then again this would depend on the willingness and preparation of the tow pilot. JMHO.

Walt

On Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 8:43:08 AM UTC-4, Walt Connelly wrote:
George Haeh;944170 Wrote:
We train boxing the wake, cannot release and slack rope recovery, and
expect
demonstration of some or all of these items on checkouts.

Hands up anybody who trains release when high on the towplane?

If students have never done this, how can we expect them to do it when
needed before or after license?

Good point and it is obviously not part of any training syllabus of
which I am aware. If done at altitude....2 or 3K feet and done only
momentarily I feel it would be a reasonable thing to do BUT only with
the towpilots knowledge that it is going to be done and with some kind
of signal immediately before hand. I am confident I can get out of
anything I can get into with sufficient altitude. Then again this would
depend on the willingness and preparation of the tow pilot. JMHO.

Walt




--
Walt Connelly

This tow pilot will not agree to putting aircraft out of control at any altitude.
UH

This tow pilot will not agree to putting aircraft out of control at any altitude.
UH

I can imagine that a severe kiting upset of the type under discussion could put a towplane uncomfortably close to its negative load factor limits. It might also expose the tug's tailplane to loads beyond those for which it was designed or tested.

--Bob K.

Well yes, we really don't want to go to extreme attitudes, nor do would
anybody half sane contemplate practicing getting high on the towplane until

approaching release altitude.

The idea is to build the muscle memory of releasing well before the
towpilot
has gotten to maximum up elevator.

We do want to give the towpilot adequate margin.