Fatal Towplane Accident 5-9-20

Your strapped in, closed up, checklist complete, hooked up.............then something stops the launch! It’s hot inside your closed up cockpit and it looks like a several minute delay, so you open up the canopy. How can you insure you latch the canopy again?
Here’s a little trick I’ve used for 48 years....................leave your hand on the canopy latch! May be a little uncomfortable, but your hand on the canopy latch is there to remind you that something must be done, before you are once again READY FOR TAKEOFF.
Just my .02 cents,
JJ

John I like that little trick
Dan

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 5:43:15 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Your strapped in, closed up, checklist complete, hooked up.............then something stops the launch! It’s hot inside your closed up cockpit and it looks like a several minute delay, so you open up the canopy. How can you insure you latch the canopy again?
Here’s a little trick I’ve used for 48 years....................leave your hand on the canopy latch! May be a little uncomfortable, but your hand on the canopy latch is there to remind you that something must be done, before you are once again READY FOR TAKEOFF.
Just my .02 cents,
JJ

What part of my solution didn't you guys understand? There's a fairly simply technological solution that circumvents human failings, and that is an automatically actuated tow release. Professional airline pilots which have two pilots in the cockpit with electronic checklists still screw up. If that's the solution I guarantee that towplane upsets will continue to happen.

The tow pilot is in a very vulnerable situation: he/she is totally dependent upon the correct performance of the glider pilot. One towplane upset accident is one too many.

Tom

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 9:05:32 PM UTC-4, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 5:43:15 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Your strapped in, closed up, checklist complete, hooked up.............then something stops the launch! It’s hot inside your closed up cockpit and it looks like a several minute delay, so you open up the canopy. How can you insure you latch the canopy again?
Here’s a little trick I’ve used for 48 years....................leave your hand on the canopy latch! May be a little uncomfortable, but your hand on the canopy latch is there to remind you that something must be done, before you are once again READY FOR TAKEOFF.
Just my .02 cents,
JJ

What part of my solution didn't you guys understand? There's a fairly simply technological solution that circumvents human failings, and that is an automatically actuated tow release. Professional airline pilots which have two pilots in the cockpit with electronic checklists still screw up. If that's the solution I guarantee that towplane upsets will continue to happen.

The tow pilot is in a very vulnerable situation: he/she is totally dependent upon the correct performance of the glider pilot. One towplane upset accident is one too many.

Tom

Since you seem to have the problem solved, it seems that you have a real opportunity to create a product that will be in demand.
Maybe the first place to start would be a functional specification.
Go for it.
UH

What part of my solution didn't you guys understand? There's a fairly simply technological solution that circumvents human failings, and that is an automatically actuated tow release.

Great. Design it, build it, test it and get it approved. How hard could it be?

Put up or....

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 6:14:30 PM UTC-7, wrote:
What part of my solution didn't you guys understand? There's a fairly simply technological solution that circumvents human failings, and that is an automatically actuated tow release.

Great. Design it, build it, test it and get it approved. How hard could it be?

Put up or....

Yeah, sure. Just send me a million bucks and I will get right on it!

Tom

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 7:43:15 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Your strapped in, closed up, checklist complete, hooked up.............then something stops the launch! It’s hot inside your closed up cockpit and it looks like a several minute delay, so you open up the canopy. How can you insure you latch the canopy again?
Here’s a little trick I’ve used for 48 years....................leave your hand on the canopy latch! May be a little uncomfortable, but your hand on the canopy latch is there to remind you that something must be done, before you are once again READY FOR TAKEOFF.
Just my .02 cents,
JJ

Jeeeesh.. that suggestion wasn't worth the full 0.2cents; here's a penny rebate back. Take your low-tech ideas somewhere else, like the flat-earth society who'll appreciate numskull ideas. You take us for a bunch of idiots?
...... Okay, well, actually that sounds like a simple, workable solution. We use it on the flap handle when thermalling; a reminder to go neutral or negative when leaving the lift. Any simple ideas to keep us from stall/spinning in?

Yeah, sure. Just send me a million bucks and I will get right on it!

Tom

But, but, you said it was simple!

Ideas are cheap. Implementation is a bit more difficult.

Your time isn't worth a million bucks. Your ideas, without the fortitude to back them up are worthless.

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 7:36:50 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Yeah, sure. Just send me a million bucks and I will get right on it!

Tom

But, but, you said it was simple!

Ideas are cheap. Implementation is a bit more difficult.

Your time isn't worth a million bucks. Your ideas, without the fortitude to back them up are worthless.

Mark,

I don't have a dog in the fight: I fly a motorglider: no towplane, no tow pilot, no kiting. And I certainly don't have a towplane. I AM NOT going to develop something for which I have no use. But I AM a degreed graduate engineer and can offer advice for those that wish to take on such a project.

Tom

Whoopee for you. If you aren't going to develop it, and you have "no dog in the fight," quit pontificating about what somebody else "should do."

Once again, put up or....

I assume your advice will be free to those who wish to take advantage of your genius, as your opinions are so freely offered.