Identifying the other guy

Sorry to hear you ran out of Crayons, JJ. My favorite
mis-identification happend at a regionals at Lubbock.
There was a somewhat frantic call over the radio 'Watch
out, Zuni!!!'

I was flying the only Zuni at the contest. Trouble
was, my plane was on the grid and I was sitting in
my crew vehicle, and my plane was totally stationary.
I guess the guy in the air saw a 'Z' on a glider,
and just assumed. It was a DG-600.

Should I be flattered or insulted that the pilot confused
a DG-600 for a Zuni?

Signed,
Confused

At a regional contest in the U.S. this past spring, we had a bit of
"entertainment" on the radio. The launch was underway, with about
four Pawnee's, one Cezzna Agtruck (Agwagon?), and one Cezzna 175, all
towing up about 50 gliders.

Over the radio:
"Towplane, speed up!"

Response:
"Which Towplane?"

Glider Guider:
"The Pawnee!"

Response:
"Which Pawnee?"

And then, I was laughing so hard, I couldn't concentrate on flying my
own glider. But the play continued.

"What color Pawnee?"

Glider Guider:
"White"

Response:
"Which white Pawnee? What color stripes?"

Glider Guider:
"I can't tell"

I guess he finally got off tow. I don't know if they ever figured out
which Pawnee needed more speed.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA

Many contests now have the towplanes put their "callsigns" on the flaps
with tape or JJ's crayon. Puts the info right where the person who
needs it can see it.



Helps out tremendously in case you missed looking at the N number in the
heat of a contest launch.



Larry





"rlovinggood" wrote in message
:

At a regional contest in the U.S. this past spring, we had a bit of
"entertainment" on the radio. The launch was underway, with about
four Pawnee's, one Cezzna Agtruck (Agwagon?), and one Cezzna 175, all
towing up about 50 gliders.

Over the radio:
"Towplane, speed up!"

Response:
"Which Towplane?"

Glider Guider:
"The Pawnee!"

Response:
"Which Pawnee?"

And then, I was laughing so hard, I couldn't concentrate on flying my
own glider. But the play continued.

"What color Pawnee?"

Glider Guider:
"White"

Response:
"Which white Pawnee? What color stripes?"

Glider Guider:
"I can't tell"

I guess he finally got off tow. I don't know if they ever figured out
which Pawnee needed more speed.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA

Over the radio:
"Towplane, speed up!"

Response:
"Which Towplane?"

Glider Guider:
"The Pawnee!"

Response:
"Which Pawnee?"

Funny, looking back at it. I'm laughing as well, being an occasional
towpilot.
But it brings to mind that in the USA, we have a signal to ask the
towpilot to increase speed. NO RADIO REQUIRED. A 10 minute DVD on
the Standard SSA Signals is offered for FREE by request from the
Soaring Safety Foundation at www.soaringsafety.org (or get one at the
SSF booth February 14-16, 2008 SSA Convention in Albuquerque.) A
review of the signals is also on the SSF website, along with a
wingrunner and towpilot course. Lots of good stuff on the SSF
website, but safety is a hard sell, and Imust agree, not as
entertaining as looking at the OLC or browsing the sailplane
classified ads.

But the fact is that US glider pilots must know all 18 SSA signals
before solo and on glider rating checkrides. SInce those events are,
for many of us, a distant memory, it's a good idea to review all
signals soon, or insist upon it during your next Flight Review (oops,
unless that "BFR" is technically satisfied in an airplane, helicopter,
balloon, or as part of an airline job.) Glider specific procedures
can be reviewed on your Flight Review in a glider or on your "First
Flight" of the new year with a CFIG, as promoted, again, by your
Soaring Safety Foundation. All towpilots and wingrunners must review
the signals as well.

By the way, if you disagree with the effectiveness of the current
signal to speed up (Hint: "Rock & Roll"), volunteer to chair a
committee to change it.

Refer to the FAA regulation CFR 91.309 (a)(5) that basically tells us
that all glider pilots and towpilots must agree on certain tow
procedures before aerotow launch. This includes discussing tow
speed. A hassle at a contest indeed, but a radio call before launch
requesting a tow speed may eliminate the assumption on the part of the
glider pilot that towpilots can read minds. A non-radio option is to
have all towpilots tow at a relatively fast speed, then the glider
pilot could use the "slow down" signal, (yaw or "fishtail"), which
only works if the towpilot knows the signal and is checking the
mirror. Make the radio call, but simultaneously perform the proper
signal.

It's a team effort, this aerotow bit. Learn, review, and practice
the signals.
This suggestion includes glider pilots, wingrunners and towpilots.
Get the free DVD from the Soaring Safety Foundation, or review the
signals at www.soaringsafety.org

Thought for the next thread: Towpilot gives the fast rudder waggle
signal just after takeoff and a majority of glider pilots - - -
release. Wrong. Good luck landing your 10 to 1 brick glider. Know
the signals!

Burt
Marfa, west Texas
USA

As a fellow towpilot I have my opinion on the visual signals.

My thoughts a
It's hard enough looking in the mirror to see the glider in the
first place. The mirror vibrates enough that I have to take a hand and
steady it to get a be tter (not good) view. The field of view is
limited and the towplane tail obscures the glider often.

The towpilot is scanning many things, so the glider pilot will have
to maintain the signal for quite a while to be seen and understood.

The radio is quicker and easier. The issue about miss identified
tow planes will only happen at contests. (Or at very busy sites
maybe ?)

Since the radio is the usual method of communication, the visual
signals do not get practiced. Therefore they might have been
memorized, but they are not practiced on every tow. I keep a placard
in my cockpit, just in case. The only 2 signals that I have reliably
memorized are a) wave-off by tow plane (he rocks his wing) and b)
check your spoilers/glider (rudder waggle). The rest I'll take the
time to look up if needed.

The signals were developed in a time when gliders and tow planes
didn't always have radios. Now we normally have radios and the only
signals we need are the true emergency signals.

Todd Smith
3S

Todd Smith wrote.........
The radio is quicker and easier. The issue about miss identified.........

I'm with you 100% Todd, There was an instructor at Minden who is no
longer with us because of no radio communications. After calling for
the sailplane to close his spoilers, the tow pilot gave the signal
(rudder wag) which was mis-understood and the sailplane released at
300 feet, made a 180 degree turn and hit the wires at the end of 30.
Student severely injured and instructor later died from complications
relating to the accident. The radio should be the primary means of
communications and the tow should not be initiated without a com
check. Joe would be with us today if he had followed this procedure.
JJ

On Nov 16, 7:47 am, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:

By the way, if you disagree with the effectiveness of the current
signal to speed up (Hint: "Rock & Roll"), volunteer to chair a
committee to change it.

I don't really care if the signal is changed but I will never use it.
If you are really too slow, trying to rock the wings enough to alert
the tow pilot is not too wise. If you really can rock the wings
enough to alert the tow pilot you probably aren't really too slow.

At most contest I've been to, the tow speed is agreed by the tow pilot
and the glider pilot by being set at the mandatory pilot meeting.
True, the first day usually finds some of the less experienced tow
pilots flying slow, but there should never be a need for all pilots to
request a tow speed prior to launch. The frequency must be kept clear
to safety calls.

Andy

In article
s.com, Andy writes
On Nov 16, 7:47 am, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:

By the way, if you disagree with the effectiveness of the current
signal to speed up (Hint: "Rock & Roll"), volunteer to chair a
committee to change it.
At most contest I've been to, the tow speed is agreed by the tow pilot
and the glider pilot by being set at the mandatory pilot meeting.
True, the first day usually finds some of the less experienced tow
pilots flying slow, but there should never be a need for all pilots to
request a tow speed prior to launch. The frequency must be kept clear
to safety calls.

Andy

But if the combination is going too slow a call to request a speed up IS
a safety call.
--
Mike Lindsay

By the way, if you disagree with the effectiveness of the current
signal to speed up (Hint: "Rock & Roll"), volunteer to chair a
committee to change it.

It may work if you're flying a Gollywomper, but not with a heavily
ballasted racing ship. At one contest, my tow pilot hit a strong
thermal and rapidly slowed down. Before I could even hit the
microphone button, I had almost lost control and sank rapidly into low
tow position, well below his mirrors. I had too little airspeed to
rock or waggle anything, and my only pitch control was the rope
holding the nose up, so I released and dropped backwards off the tow
rope.

I've had a few similar experiences, but would never ever try to signal
the towplane pilot except by radio.

Mike

Too-slow tows are a constant problem at contests. Not being a tow
pilot, I can only guess a the problem, but I suspect that tow pilots
used to pulling 2-33s can't seem to adjust to what happens with
heavily ballasted gliders on a hot day. The radio is full of radio
calls, wing rocking, (yes, contest pilots know the signals) and more
radio calls to no effect.

It happened to me last summer. The big problem was not "more speed" on
a well-balanced tow. My towplane simply took off for the sky while I
was still rolling on the ground! Towing a fully ballasted glider
requires the towplane to gain speed while low, and make sure the
glider has taken off before climbing. The contest rules say 70 mph,
and that means gain speed to 70 while still in ground effect.

Most hilarious radio exchange: Lubbock, standard class nationals. Full
water, slight cross and downwind. The same towplane is always too
slow. "Towplane X, 70 mph please. ...(no answer) TOWPLANE X, MORE
SPEED (no answer) .... TOWPLANE X, I NEED MORE SPEED NOW!" (pause)
"all right, all right, ... but what do y'all want to fly so fast for
anyhow?"

Of course many seasoned contest tow pilots provide excellent and
dedicated servce, for little reward, and we're very thankful for
them.

John Cochrane