Help!

At 01:18 25 October 2005, Btiz wrote:
so which one is operating downwind.. the tow plane
landing or the combined
take off
BT

Fair question-

And I must add the caveat that the runway slopes slightly
downhilll from the end that tows generally take place.

Having said that...Parowan generally has light(less
then 10 mph winds from N, W, or S)...so factoring in
the slope, either the tow takes place downhill with
a tailwind, or the towplane lands with a taillwind,
or either with a crosswind...up to 10mph.

Moving on to another of my favorite questions on this
issue...

What is the point of dropping a rope...surely not to
save money?
Anytime spent flying about during a rope drop is surely
negated by that fact ropes are dirt cheap and could
be replaced every 100 tows and still come out ahead....this
subject I sorely wish to hear more on.

Mal wrote:
The weak link is normally at the tug end above the ground so its dragged
through nothing !

I have seen evidence that dropping of ropes with weak links bending the weak
link and it breaking, I made it a mini project for a few months to watch the
practice as they would tell us they were going to drop the rope when
refuelling. I would inspect the weak link prior and afterwards.

During this time I observed from a distance a launch that was going to
proceed if I had not stopped it were one of the weak links was broken upon
examination the remanning link was bent and the link that broke, broke by
bending.

I have also seen the indent in a wing of a weak link breaking and hitting
the wing after hearing the instructors birds eye view I would rather be
towed with ropes that are not dropped.

Perhaps if you didn't put the weak link at the tug end, and then fly
low-tow routinely, the weak-link wouldn't have such a propensity for
hitting the glider? I've always found the combination of these two
procedures quite remarkable.

-Dave

Nyal Williams wrote:
Thanks to all who wrote. None of you really answered
my question, which was 'Can you point me to the discussion.'

But Nyal, they just prefer to point you to the discussion by recreating
the whole thread, post by post. That's how we do it on RAS.

Todd Smith
3S

No harm done if they ALL get back on it. Which ones
are lacking? grin

At 12:18 25 October 2005, Toad wrote:

Nyal Williams wrote:
Thanks to all who wrote. None of you really answered
my question, which was 'Can you point me to the discussion.'

But Nyal, they just prefer to point you to the discussion
by recreating
the whole thread, post by post. That's how we do it
on RAS.

Todd Smith
3S

No harm done if they ALL get back on it. Which ones
are lacking? grin

At 12:18 25 October 2005, Toad wrote:

Nyal Williams wrote:
Thanks to all who wrote. None of you really answered
my question, which was 'Can you point me to the discussion.'

But Nyal, they just prefer to point you to the discussion
by recreating
the whole thread, post by post. That's how we do it
on RAS.

Todd Smith
3S

At 03:06 25 October 2005, Stewart Kissel wrote:
At 01:18 25 October 2005, Btiz wrote:
so which one is operating downwind.. the tow plane

What is the point of dropping a rope...surely not
to
save money?
Anytime spent flying about during a rope drop is surely
negated by that fact ropes are dirt cheap and could
be replaced every 100 tows and still come out ahead....this
subject I sorely wish to hear more on.

Suppose the field is wide enough for three parallel
lanes with a paved runway in the middle. Suppose the
gliders are staged on the left, launch is from the
runway in the middle, and landing is on the right side
in the grass.

A tug might drop the rope at touchdown, taxi back into
position where a glider is staged with a rope already
attached and laid out. The tug could attach take out
the slightest amount of slack and be off. The ground
crew could then retrieve the dropped rope and have
it ready on the next glider before the tug got back.

That could save money and TIME, if it could be made
to work safely.

At 03:06 25 October 2005, Stewart Kissel wrote:
At 01:18 25 October 2005, Btiz wrote:
so which one is operating downwind.. the tow plane

What is the point of dropping a rope...surely not
to
save money?
Anytime spent flying about during a rope drop is surely
negated by that fact ropes are dirt cheap and could
be replaced every 100 tows and still come out ahead....this
subject I sorely wish to hear more on.

Suppose the field is wide enough for three parallel
lanes with a paved runway in the middle. Suppose the
gliders are staged on the left, launch is from the
runway in the middle, and landing is on the right side
in the grass.

A tug might drop the rope at touchdown, taxi back into
position where a glider is staged with a rope already
attached and laid out. The tug could attach take out
the slightest amount of slack and be off. The ground
crew could then retrieve the dropped rope and have
it ready on the next glider before the tug got back.

That could save money and TIME, if it could be made
to work safely.

Standard procedure at Magalies Gliding Club.

No hard runway, lots of grass.

Tugs land and backtrack on 36L, Gliders grid and tow from 36 R
36RR is for winch launch.

Tuggie drops the rope in the flare, next to the foremost glider.
Ground crew collects it and connects the glider end, with the appropriate level
of enthusiasm.
When a contest is running, or there are lots of gliders waiting the ground crew
will have the rope attached to the glider and waiting by the time the tug is in
position. Perpetual motion.


Amazing how much you can pack into about 55m width...



Nyal Williams wrote:
At 03:06 25 October 2005, Stewart Kissel wrote:

At 01:18 25 October 2005, Btiz wrote:

so which one is operating downwind.. the tow plane


What is the point of dropping a rope...surely not

to
save money?
Anytime spent flying about during a rope drop is surely
negated by that fact ropes are dirt cheap and could
be replaced every 100 tows and still come out ahead....this
subject I sorely wish to hear more on.


Suppose the field is wide enough for three parallel
lanes with a paved runway in the middle. Suppose the
gliders are staged on the left, launch is from the
runway in the middle, and landing is on the right side
in the grass.

A tug might drop the rope at touchdown, taxi back into
position where a glider is staged with a rope already
attached and laid out. The tug could attach take out
the slightest amount of slack and be off. The ground
crew could then retrieve the dropped rope and have
it ready on the next glider before the tug got back.

That could save money and TIME, if it could be made
to work safely.





--
Bruce Greeff
Std Cirrus #57
I'm no-T at the address above.