small correction, I wasn't suggesting yawing the airplane to slow it
down and take out the slack. What I was saying is if you move off to
the side when the slack comes out it will automatically yaw the
towplane and a nose hook equipped glider. No timing required just stay
out to the side.

Brian

If we can base the idea on two premises, first that we have a lot of
slack and second that breaking the rope is undesirable.

The reality is that large amounts of slack tend to result in big speed
differentials between the tow plane and the glider, particularly with
glass gliders and powerful tugs.

While the rope is slack, no thrust is transmitted to the glider.
Even with no pitch change, the glider begins decelerating. Due to
the loss of the glider's drag, the tug either accelerates or increases
rate of climb (depending on the tow pilot's actions). Presuming a
beginning generous gust or slap, and big slack, this allows a long
enough time period for a noticeable speed differential to be created.
Now, with differential speed, the slack is coming out rapidly.

One pilot sits level with or slightly below the tow plane and offset
to one side believing that the imminent yawing between the tow plane
and glider will dampen the loads sufficiently to prevent the rope
from breaking.

A second pilot has positioned himself slightly above the tow plane
and offset enough that he can easily watch the towline and it's
rate of tightening. As the line starts to come tight, this pilot
points his nose toward the tow plane and lowers the nose,
believing that he is in a good position and attitude for at least
some of the tow line loads to be absorbed in accelerating the glider.
The speed differential is diminished, as is the AOA of the glider.

Which of these two pilots is least likely to break the rope? And do
you have sound physics (rather than emotion) to support your position?

M Eiler