Low towing thought

Martin Gregorie wrote:
I did annual checks about a month ago, when we were encouraged to try
low position on the way up for spin checks. I decided that I like low
tow and will use it in future, but before I do so there's one thing I'd
like to ask the Aussies and other habitual low towers: when you release
do you just pull the bung in the low position or do you pop up above the
wake first?

In Oz it's a no-no to pop up into high tow as you release (with all due
respect to Oscar's experience and SA's rules) because it's been known to
initiate a kiting situation. I guess our experience is that a 'slow'
move through a turbulent slipstream into high tow isn't all that easy to
accomplish for ab initio and low experience pilots at the same time as
they're trying to stay in position, check for traffic before release,
think about which knob to pull and how to initiate a turn.

The current teaching in Oz is to tow in whatever position you prefer
(most choose low) BUT you release from the tow position you used for the
climb so you don't scare the tuggies. KISS principle.

In general, while all gliders in Oz should have a nose hook for aerotow,
in practice this isn't always possible and the few gliders with only
belly hooks usually high tow, while the rest have the luxury (as Martin
discovered, it's easier) of low tow. So Oscar's problem of the Ottfur
ring (?) breaking the canopy is not relevant.

I fly a Libelle, which normally tows with a lot of sag in the rope, even
with the wheel down, and it occurred to me that releasing in the low
position could cause the rings to pass close to the canopy or even hit
it. At least the Libelle has a nose hook: if this is an issue, would it
be even worse with a belly hook?

I've never heard of a problem with low towing Libelles with nose hooks.
Obviously it would be sensible to release when the rope is under
tension but this applies to all towing. For those with only belly hooks,
see above.

GC