Weak links

[Tad Eareckson]

Yeah, the harness boot that's kept open for when the Davis Link increases the safety of the towing operation ten feet off the deck and one needs to do a no stepper landing in a narrow dry riverbed with large rocks strewn all over the place rather than rolling in behind the tug on the Happy Acres putting green. Ain't it wonderful the results we get when all these safety components and procedures converge at takeoff!

07c

08c

10c

Tyson Taylor - 2016/10/31 06:34

He did the right thing and flew it all the way up to altitude...

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2467
weak links

Jim Rooney - 2007/08/01 19:49:30 UTC

It's more of this crappy argument that being on tow is somehow safer than being off tow.

Jeff Kannard - 2016/10/31 06:42

Good flying sir Richard!

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2467
weak links

Jim Rooney - 2007/08/01 13:47:23 UTC

Whatever's going on back there, I can fix it by giving you the rope.

Richard Thorp - 2016/10/31 07:06

If you are flying and climbing, continue - it gives thinking time and if needed parachute opening time.

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2467
weak links

Jim Rooney - 2007/07/22 22:30:28 UTC

I've heard it a million times before from comp pilots insisting on towing with even doubled up weaklinks (some want no weaklink). I tell them the same thing I'm telling you... suck it up. You're not the only one on the line. I didn't ask to be a test pilot. I can live with your inconvenience.

Richard Thorp - 2016/10/31 07:10

But I do want to say a heartfelt thank you to Tiki for the smoothest tow ever and giving that thinking time.

Dennis Pagen - 2005/01

However Neal kept me on line until I had enough ground clearance, and I believe he saved me from injury by doing so. I gave him a heart-felt thank you.

Towing Aloft - 1998/01

Pro Tip: Always thank the tug pilot for intentionally releasing you, even if you feel you could have ridden it out. He should be given a vote of confidence that he made a good decision in the interest of your safety.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks

Davis Straub - 2013/03/06 18:29:05 UTC

You know, after all this discussion I'm now convinced that it is a very good idea to treat the weaklink as a release, that that is exactly what we do when we have a weaklink on one side of a pro tow bridle. That that is exactly what has happened to me in a number of situations and that the whole business about a weaklink only for the glider not breaking isn't really the case nor a good idea for hang gliding.

I'm happy to have a relatively weak weaklink, and have never had a serious problem with the Greenspot 130, just an inconvenience now and then.

Rich Diamond - 2016/10/31 08:51

i am so glad cool head prevailed and you made a good decision to FLY the GLIDER...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Davis Straub - 2011/08/28 15:26:28 UTC

Then again, Russell Brown had us double up behind him after six breaks in a row at Zapata. We couldn't figure out why we had so many breaks so quickly. Maybe just coincidence.

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=31747
Lockout

Davis Straub - 2014/08/29 17:26:54 UTC

I thought that I had made it clear that I want weaklinks and I want weaklinks to break to save the pilot's bacon.

Tyler Lewis - 2016/10/31 13:44

Smart move waiting on altitude before cutting away.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Jim Rooney - 2011/08/26 02:44:10 UTC

The "purpose" of a weaklink is to increase the safety of the towing operation. PERIOD.

George Longshore - 2016/10/31 08:27

Good call Tiki!

http://ozreport.com/12.081
Weaklinks - the HGFA rules

Davis Straub - 2008/04/22 14:47:00 UTC

Here is the requirement from the 2007 Worlds local rules (which I wrote) for weaklinks:

Pilots must use weaklinks provided by the meet organizers and in a manner approved by the meet organizers. All weaklinks will be checked and use of inappropriate weaklinks will require the pilot to go to the end of the launch line to change the weaklink.

Weaklinks will consist of a single loop of Cortland 130 lb Greenspot braided Dacron Tolling line and should be placed at one end of a shoulder bridle.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34849
Aerotow mishap

Dave Pendzick - 2016/10/31 16:18:51 UTC

He is lucky that didn't throw off the CG & cause him to stall & spin in.

Tell me how thirty-five pounds of junk hanging from the HARNESS can throw off the CG?

10c


Here's the same junk with its continuous hold-down clamped the port end of the basetube by the instrument mount:

16-1903


Total fuckin' nonissue. (Gawd we got some nice crisp high resolution from the yesterday.)

Fucking Murphy is everywhere!

Bull fucking shit. Overdose of stupidity:
- Launching with an open pod 'cause our Davis Link might pop and we have to do a foot landing in response.
- The thought of launching off a cart with unsecured lines should scare Joe Glider Jockey so shitless that this should never happen to ANYBODY.
- Cart monkey... Now we have lotsa time to check and contemplate the glider's flight readiness.

Jim Gaar - 2016/10/31 16:52:02 UTC

What impresses me is the lifting power of a good wing...

Yeah. An extra 0.15 Gs. AMAZING!!!

Shithead.

Garrett Speeter - 2016/10/31 18:59:56 UTC

This is why I am more comfortable foot launching for AT.

I'm way more comfortable having someone too fuckin' stupid to be able to check for loose lines foot launching for AT too, Garrett. Keep It Simple Stupid. WAY safer.

Wonder if they will let me do that at quest.

I sincerely hope so.

I doubt it.

I'll put in a word for you if you promise to keep a camera running.

Dave Pendzick - 2016/10/31 19:29:15 UTC

Cmon man... If that strap...

WHAT "STRAP"?

...were lose & you stepped on it foot launching the causality would be the exact same.

- Yes. A totaled launch cart.
- Like all those slope launches we have with people stepping on their lose straps. Absolute carnage.

CHECK YOUR SHIT BEFORE YOU GO!

Great product you have over there, Jack. Really fun watching the sport death spiral under the weight of all that stupidity and corruption - and the two malignancies feeding off of each other.

[Tad Eareckson]

07c


Totally awesome smoking gun shot.
- pro toad
- release within easy reach
- 582 Dragonfly
- glider:
-- ten feet off the deck
-- to the left of tow
-- yawed way the hell to the left of tow
-- cart going airborne

Tug's doing fine, glider's...

08c


...coming back. Nobody's breathing a word about...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26134
Whipstall almost tumble

Mike Bomstad - 2011/12/26 08:33:15 UTC

Well, how about a weak link......

...a weak link of any description or anybody at either end doing anything with a release. Everybody's gushing with universal praise for both of these assholes maintaining the tow until they can get high enough for the cart to get to terminal velocity after they cut it loose.

And these:

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22660
What can be learned from this "scooter" towing accident?

Mitch Shipley - 2011/01/31 15:22:59 UTC

Enjoy your posts, as always, and find your comments solid, based on hundreds of hours / tows of experience and backed up by a keen intellect/knowledge of the issues when it comes to most things in general and hang gliding AT/Towing in particular. Wanted to go on record in case anyone reading wanted to know one persons comments they should give weight to.

two scumbags? Nowhere to be found.

Just think where we were with weak links well under four years ago.

[Tad Eareckson]

Kelle Jo Bohl - 2016/10/31 17:13

Does anyone know the name of the person who was towing my dad.

Yeah Kelle Jo, LOTSA these assholes do. Any thoughts on why he's never been publicly identified and has never made a public statement on that atrocity?

Bart Weghorst - 2016/10/31 17:52

Hi Kelle Jo! I just tried to call you. Give me a call back and we'll discuss it.

In private. After you sign a legal binding nondisclosure agreement. We certainly can't afford to have the name of the person who was towing your dad made public.

Also lets talk about lessons.

Fuck yeah! We'll give you WAY better instruction and fit you up with WAY better gear than your dad was using when he was instantly killed for no particular reason a bit over five months ago.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Bart Weghorst - 2011/08/28 20:29:27 UTC

Now I don't give a shit about breaking strength anymore. I really don't care what the numbers are. I just want my weaklink to break every once in a while.

Happy Halloween.
---
2018/08/22 19:30:00 UTC

April Mackin, Kelle Jo - and anybody else who wants to know.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34849
Aerotow mishap

Garrett Speeter - 2016/10/31 21:40:03 UTC

A lot more can go wrong with the cart IMO

Bullshit and fuck you and your OPINION.

It can all look perfect then you catch a wheel or something..has happened several times out...

Bullshit. Foot launch aero is statistically nonexistent. NOBODY ever opts for it at any mainstream operation. Hundreds of thousands of takeoffs with mind-numbingly boring regularity.

But different strokes.

...same one-size-fits-all weak link. Long track record. Proven system that works.

No matter.

Idiot.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50299
Aerotow mishap

Davis Straub - 2016/10/31 17:49:51 UTC

I pull the harness zipper line all the way down into the boot so that none is showing at the end of the line. There is just a big loop inside the boot. I also pull up the zipper so that the slider is about a foot up from the bottom. The right hand zipper line is still tight and there are no loose ends on it either as the bungee is holding it tight.

This makes it so it is much easier to pull the slider up the zipper later as there is no resistance from the zipper line being pulled through its sleeve.

I just launch zipped up.

JD Guillemette - 2016/11/01 00:47:08 UTC

Davis, thought about doing the same thing, but I'm afraid of two things.

1. If the loop of excess cord falls out of the boot, I would then have a long loop of cord to snag.
2. The loop of cord wrapping my foot when I zip up and then having to untangle my foot in the air to finish zipping up.

A couple weeks ago I was thinking about how to make some sort of bungee to take up the cord and keep it internal to the harness.

I just launch zipped up.

Idiots.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50299
Aerotow mishap

Davis Straub - 2016/11/01 05:00:19 UTC

Works for me.

As do easily reachable bent pin barrel releases, standard aerotow weak links, doubled standard aerotow weak links, slightly stronger weak links.

Been doing for over a year. Pulling up on the zipper to begin with about a foot or even more helps.

What's the point in the zipper pulling range at which helping stops? Show me a video or cite an incident in which a fully zipped pod was or would've been problematic.

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34849
Aerotow mishap

NMERider - 2016/10/31 17:27:35 UTC

Note to self: Be certain hook knife in harness is readily accessible and attached with ample length of tent pole shock cord.

I can think of several WAY less expensive solutions to this issue.

2016/11/02 03:29:57 UTC - Sink This! -- Comet

[Steve Davy]

Let's all gather around the campfire and sing the hook knife song.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34849
Aerotow mishap

Dave Gills - 2016/11/02 03:34:15 UTC

Good thing the tug pilot didn't give him the rope.

You mean the way Corey Burk gave Rob Richardson and his "student" the rope on 1999/02/27 at Dewey, Arizona after Rob had routed the bridle under the cart beam?

Bill Bryden - 1999/06

During the tug's roll-out for the second launch attempt, the tug pilot observed the glider clear the runway dust and then begin a left bank with no immediate correction. At that point he noticed that the launch cart was hanging below the glider and immediately released his end of the 240 ft. tow line. The tug never left the ground and tug pilot watched the glider continue a hard bank to the left achieving an altitude of approximately 25 feet. Impact was on the left wing and then the nose of the glider. Rob was killed immediately from severe neck and head trauma. Rob's body likely cushioned much of the student's impact. She was basically uninjured but suffered short term memory loss (not uncommon in hard crashes) and did not recall the events of the accident.

How can that POSSIBLY be considered a GOOD thing?

07c

Towing Aloft - 1998/01

Pro Tip: Always thank the tug pilot for intentionally releasing you, even if you feel you could have ridden it out. He should be given a vote of confidence that he made a good decision in the interest of your safety.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34849
Aerotow mishap

Ty Taylor - 2016/11/02 10:46:16 UTC
Houston

Once he got up to altitude, he used his hook knife to cut it away, then an uneventful flight and landing.

In sharp contrast to the launch dolly:

20
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5522/30388298480_9ea5cbfa9a_o.jpg


But I'll bet Richard and his cart monkey made goddam sure that he'd hooked his backup loop and locked his carabiner.

George Longshore - 2016/11/02 11:32:42 UTC
Tennessee

Alaskanewb, yes most places will let you foot launch if that is what you prefer. Call Spinner and ask.

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3600
Weak link question

Jim Rooney - 2008/11/24 05:18:15 UTC

Well, I'm assuming there was some guff about the tug pilot's right of refusal?
Gee, didn't think we'd have to delve into "pilot in command"... I figured that one's pretty well understood in a flying community.

It's quite simple.
The tug is a certified aircraft... the glider is an unpowered ultralight vehicle. The tug pilot is the pilot in command. You are a passenger. You have the same rights and responsibilities as a skydiver.
It's a bitter pill I'm sure, but there you have it.

BTW, if you think I'm just spouting theory here, I've personally refused to tow a flight park owner over this very issue. I didn't want to clash, but I wasn't towing him. Yup, he wanted to tow with a doubled up weaklink. He eventually towed (behind me) with a single and sorry to disappoint any drama mongers, we're still friends. And lone gun crazy Rooney? Ten other tow pilots turned him down that day for the same reason.

Have foot launched behind both trikes and dragonflies. Not much difference. Don't like the cart myself, but like foot launching behind a powered plane even less.

No shit.

Plenty of chances to trip up and prang in with foot launching on tow. Been there done that. Grass does not taste all that good.

But still, foot launching is so much safer due to its inherent simplicity.