Tow ring attachment?

Some operations attach both a Tost ring and a Schweizer ring onto the end of the rope where as others have a Schweizer ring on the end and a weak link to the Tost ring or visa versa. Has anyone had any issues when both rings were on the end of the rope?

Boggs

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 2:28:20 PM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:
Some operations attach both a Tost ring and a Schweizer ring onto the end of the rope where as others have a Schweizer ring on the end and a weak link to the Tost ring or visa versa. Has anyone had any issues when both rings were on the end of the rope?

Boggs

...only when some idiot puts the small Tost ring on a Schweitzer hook!

Mike

We do not connect a ring directly to the rope without weak link. It is easy and quick to swap them as needed.
Two rings on one weak link. Get a link break and you've lost two $$ rings.

Granted, most use ropes that are within the 80-200% requirement for the glider being towed and splice the ring directly to the rope with no weak link required.
Splicing another ring to the first with a weak link has been done with no issues. The risk again is the loss of two $$ rings in the event of a primary rope break.

I have seen two rings on one link. The risk is someone using the wrong ring, tost on a Schweizer hook. Normally the extra ring would not interfere with a release.

BillT

"Normaly" the large ring of the Tost pair will not hang up on a Schweizer hook, but occasionally it does so we never do that. I am wondering if having both rings at the glider end of the rope ever causes a problem. Using the wrong ring could be such a problem. Others?

Boggs

"Normaly" the large ring of the Tost pair will not hang up on a Schweizer hook, but occasionally it does so we never do that. I am wondering if having both rings at the glider end of the rope ever causes a problem. Using the wrong ring could be such a problem. Others?

Boggs

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 7:16:16 PM UTC-5, Waveguru wrote:
"Normaly" the large ring of the Tost pair will not hang up on a Schweizer hook, but occasionally it does so we never do that. I am wondering if having both rings at the glider end of the rope ever causes a problem. Using the wrong ring could be such a problem. Others?

Boggs

Boggs, using a Tost pair at the glider end of a Schweizer hook can definitely cause problems! From personal experience - right there in AZ overhead P48 - while giving a ride in a 2-33, I had the release jam solid, as in could not move the release AT ALL. At the time Turf was using the Tost ring set for both it's 2-33s and K-21/G-103s. I moved out and signaled to the tow pilot that I couldn't release, and he dropped his end - at which time my release unjammed and the rope back released into the desert, never to be seen again. On the ground, we found that with the Tost big ring inserted in the Schweizer tow hook, it's possible for the little ring to slip over the release arm in such a way as to totally jam the release as long as there is any tension on the rope. Needless to say, that was the end of that practice!

So not only is it illegal per FARs, it's also stupid and potentially dangerous.

Cheers,

Kirk
66

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 4:28:20 PM UTC-5, Waveguru wrote:
Some operations attach both a Tost ring and a Schweizer ring onto the end of the rope where as others have a Schweizer ring on the end and a weak link to the Tost ring or visa versa. Has anyone had any issues when both rings were on the end of the rope?

Boggs

We don't attach either Tost or Schweitzer rings directly to the tow ropes as it causes excessive wear to the rope. Our club attaches a nylon webbing loop to the tow rope. The webbing loop has a Schweitzer ring on it. If a Tost or Blanik ring is needed, an additional webbing loop with the required ring is attached to the Schweitzer ring. The March 2011 issue of Soaring Magazine has an article I wrote on this method. Send me an email if you would like a copy of the article.

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 2:28:20 PM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:
Some operations attach both a Tost ring and a Schweizer ring onto the end of the rope where as others have a Schweizer ring on the end and a weak link to the Tost ring or visa versa. Has anyone had any issues when both rings were on the end of the rope?

Boggs

Boggs,
It kinda depends on your splice. I have demonstrated to myself that the loose Toast-pair can get hooked around the Schweizer release; and then the release is no longer a release. Try it on the ground.
Heinz