Tow rope length?

For the sake of this discussion I have just posted my video from 2013 taken at my home Aeroklub Poznanski with a 10 m rope tow given to Jerzy Makula:

https://youtu.be/eBInTKSbq_Y

Incidentally, the rope proved to be so short that the poor girls had to push the glider by 0.5 meter to hook it up.

Enjoy!

BravoMike

"Too close for missiles. Switching to guns."

On Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 9:09:03 PM UTC-4, BravoMike wrote:
For the sake of this discussion I have just posted my video from 2013 taken at my home Aeroklub Poznanski with a 10 m rope tow given to Jerzy Makula:

https://youtu.be/eBInTKSbq_Y

Incidentally, the rope proved to be so short that the poor girls had to push the glider by 0.5 meter to hook it up.

Enjoy!

BravoMike

That is the best soaring recruitment video I have ever seen.

On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 4:09:03 AM UTC+3, BravoMike wrote:
For the sake of this discussion I have just posted my video from 2013 taken at my home Aeroklub Poznanski with a 10 m rope tow given to Jerzy Makula:

https://youtu.be/eBInTKSbq_Y

Incidentally, the rope proved to be so short that the poor girls had to push the glider by 0.5 meter to hook it up.

I'm disappointed they didn't roll inverted (or via half-loop) during initial climbout.

Maybe more power is needed?

So the question remains unanswered. Why not use longer ropes for added safety? The shorter the rope, the harder the tow. I wonder if there are any accident statistics?

Boggs

On Tuesday, 18 October 2016 15:18:15 UTC+2, Waveguru wrote:
It seems that most operations here in the USA use a 200' tow rope, and I've heard that some places in Europe even use a rope as short as 120'. Ropes at our operation are more like 275' because it seems safer and easier when it's longer. What is the rational behind using shorter ropes? I see no reason for short ropes unless you are towing out of a short field.

Boggs

One reason I can think of for a shorter rope is the extra height a tug aircraft requires to clear an obstacle (such as a fence or power line) while landing. Every little bit of extra height greatly increases the required landing distance but if the airfield is that small it probably shouldn't be used for aerotow operations because what is your safety margin on takeoff?
There is always the option of dropping the rope before rejoining the circuit and landing if obstacles are an issue.

Less than 45 meters (150 feet) is looking for trouble IMO.

On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 9:13:11 AM UTC-4, Waveguru wrote:
So the question remains unanswered. Why not use longer ropes for added safety? The shorter the rope, the harder the tow.

I was happy to have a longish towrope when the right landing gear of a Pawnee collapsed at 30 knots and prop strike. (Just enough time and space to avert collision.)

The other day I saw a CG hook launched glider go out of position and pull the tug's tail sideways. A longish rope made this recoverable.

On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 12:21:28 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
I was happy to have a longish towrope when the right landing gear of a
Pawnee collapsed at 30 knots and prop strike.
(Just enough time and space to avert collision.)

The other day I saw a CG hook launched glider go out of position
and pull the tug's tail sideways. A longish rope made this recoverable.

Good grief! Where are you flying???

"Mine's shorter."

"No way. Mine's shorter!"

"Bull****, I have video."

First for everything....

T8

On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 4:28:32 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
"Mine's shorter."

"No way. Mine's shorter!"

"Bull****, I have video."

First for everything....

T8

I said mine was longer!
LOL
UH