First Soaring Experience

In article lIKTe.91506$084.52171@attbi_s22,
Jay Honeck wrote:
Since you have an airplane, you can choose any glider operation within
reasonable reach, and use the plane to get to the glider.

That would end up being the most expensive part, I suspect. The closest
glider ops are in Ames, about 45 minutes away.

Just put a tow hook an Atlas. You claim he can lift anything, and
you can trade off being tow pilot or glider pilot. And you just
solved the problem of how to get more stuff to OSH, since you have
your aerial trailer.



John
--
John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/

Just put a tow hook an Atlas. You claim he can lift anything, and
you can trade off being tow pilot or glider pilot. And you just
solved the problem of how to get more stuff to OSH, since you have
your aerial trailer.

Hmm. I know you're kidding, but why wouldn't this be an option?

Heck, if a dinky little Super Cub could pull that glider aloft, Atlas should
have no problems.

What's involved with towing gliders -- NOT for hire?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay wrote: "dinky little Super Cub"

Dinky little Super Cub? I hear they have a very good power to weight
ratio, like that of a Gymnast, and can haul supplies like a Beijing
bicycle. ; ^)

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Dinky little Super Cub? I hear they have a very good power to weight
ratio, like that of a Gymnast, and can haul supplies like a Beijing
bicycle. ; ^)

Good point. They have 180 hp, and weigh next to nothing.

But they *are* dinky...

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

What's involved with towing gliders -- NOT for hire?

First, you need to find a tow hook arrangement STC'd for your aircraft (or jump
through the hoops needed to get an STC). Then there's training and a checkout.

Practically speaking, Atlas would make a mediocre tow plane for most gliders.
It's too fast. Towing a "trailer" to Osh would be a long exercise in slow
flight, with the glider constantly trying to pull the tail up.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

Practically speaking, Atlas would make a mediocre tow plane for most
gliders. It's too fast. Towing a "trailer" to Osh would be a long exercise
in slow flight, with the glider constantly trying to pull the tail up.

Yeah, but George -- wouldn't it be cool??

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Hmm. I know you're kidding, but why wouldn't this be an option?
What's involved with towing gliders -- NOT for hire?

The hard part would be finding an STC'd towhook, or finding a FSDO that
would give you a field approval.

With a notch or two of flaps, you would be plenty slow enough for most
gliders - and if you kept it light on fuel, performance would be fine.
182's with O-470 engines are routinely used for towing.

The training required is pretty trivial - you need dual instruction in
a glider being towed by an aircraft (and it sounds like you already
have that, if your flight was with a CFI-G) and a checkout from another
tow pilot. An hour of flight and an hour of ground is plenty, and can
be used to meet your BFR requirements if the tow pilot is a CFI.

The real issue is insurance.

Michael