tow the line ..

[txflyer]

Around here you could do that in the club planes. You fly tows for tows. No need to use your own plane. I think at a lot of places it's easier to lay hands on a tow plane than a tow pilot.

I'll keep looking into it.

I don't mind being a tow-***** for people. It's all flying. If I had a winning lotto ticket, a self-launching glider might be on the front burner.

Soaring was the closest thing to true flying that I've done. It takes skill and forward thinking. But when you've got air and altitude, and it's cool in the cabin and quiet, there's a nirvana point where you feel like an angel and one with the sky. I miss it.

 

[denverpilot]

The tow plane normally drops the rope before landing. There does exist a rather pricey reel system which allows the rope to get reeled into the tow plane after the glider releases, but I think they're rare due to the cost. You don't normally land with the rope dragging because it abraids the rope and they aren't cheap.

Everybody around here is landing with the rope on, in the grass/dirt.

 

[FormerHangie]

The tow plane normally drops the rope before landing. There does exist a rather pricey reel system which allows the rope to get reeled into the tow plane after the glider releases, but I think they're rare due to the cost. You don't normally land with the rope dragging because it abraids the rope and they aren't cheap.

When does the rope get dropped? Does the tow pilot make a low pass just for the purpose of dropping the rope, or does he drop it when he first crosses the fence on final, or ?

 

[Matthew]

When does the rope get dropped? Does the tow pilot make a low pass just for the purpose of dropping the rope, or does he drop it when he first crosses the fence on final, or ?

Our club keeps the rope when operating on grass, and drops it when operating on asphalt. It's not too hard to drop the rope on the numbers and complete the landing, or to sidestep then drop the rope next to the rwy and sidestep back and land. Or a low pass to drop the rope works, too. The idea is just to not drag the rope on the asphalt.

 

[Witmo]

When does the rope get dropped? Does the tow pilot make a low pass just for the purpose of dropping the rope, or does he drop it when he first crosses the fence on final, or ?

The gliders takes off from the displaced threshold here. When the towplane returns, he drops the rope alongside the displaced threshold and then lands on the runway. No need for a low pass and go around.

 

[brcase]

When does the rope get dropped? Does the tow pilot make a low pass just for the purpose of dropping the rope, or does he drop it when he first crosses the fence on final, or ?

We just drop the rope as towplane crosses the threshold (Drop from about 75 feet) so the rope lands about where we are going to position the glider. We then push the glider into position hook up the rope to the glider as the towplane taxies back, towplane usually gets back about the same time the glider is ready.

Brian