The BGA, who are extremely safety conscious and keep meticulous records of
safety incidents, have recently been concerned at tug upsets and discussed
the low tow option.
Mostly high or low tow doesn't matter but when launching on a day with very
strong thermals, being in low tow or should it be called line astern, gives
a higher safety margin for the tug when the tug leaves the thermal and the
glider is still in it. Can't think of any upsets causing the death of a
tuggie since the GFA started reccomending low tow under Australian
conditions. Let's hope we don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Harry Medlicott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Newton" <new...@atdot.dotat.org>
To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
<aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Where to sit on tow?
On 12/04/2011, at 6:43 PM, John Parncutt wrote:
The GFA has clearly prescribed that launching will be in low tow, this
decision was made more than twenty years ago following several fatal
accidents which occurred during the transition from low to high tow prior
to
release. All clubs should be training this.
Replace "will" with "should" and you'll be accurate.
All clubs should also be training high-tow, because that's in the
GFA syllabus too. If you haven't done one for a while, try it or
seek training, because competence in all the syllabus items is
required for continued solo flight.
There are some gliders which "prefer" high-tow. E.g., I'll always
take the high-tow position in a Pik 20D because it doesn't
have a nose hook, so the position of the rope is all wrong on
low-tow.
It's considered polite to inform the tuggie, although I'm yet
to meet one who appears to care.
Some years ago we discovered some pilots in our club had formed the
opinion
that it was safer for them to transition to high tow immediately after
takeoff especially with short strips in order to give them more options
in
the event of an early rope break.
The beginning of EVERY aerotow is in the high-tow position.
(think about it)
There's a transition to low-tow shortly after launch, once the
pilot determines that it's safe to do so.
I'd totally concur with a decision to maintain the high-tow position
for longer than usual if doing so would enhance safety -- such as when
assessing options when operating from a short strip.
This has particular hazards for the tow
pilot who now finds at low altitude he/she has to apply ever increasing
back
stick in order to compensate for the upward load on their tail.
Is that a "hazard" or a "difference"? Surely it's only a hazard
if the glider is far enough out of station to be approaching a
tug upset...?
As far as I know, the Australian gliding community remains the only
one in the world which prefers the low-tow position. The first time
I flew a glider in the USA the instructor in the back had never even
heard of low-tow.
- mark
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