Oh well...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TDHqsXRtl0
Aerotowing Weaklinks
David Glover - 2008/08/04
First we start off with Cortland Line Company Greenspot. This is what we use.
David Glover - 2008/08/04
First we start off with Cortland Line Company Greenspot. This is what we use.
Stuart Caruk
Most reliable sources believe that a weaklink should be sized so that it breaks at 75% to 100% of the inflight load.
Paul Tjaden - 2011/07/30 15:33:54 UTC
Quest Air has been involved in perfecting aerotowing for nearly twenty years.
Davis Straub - 2011/07/30 19:51:54 UTC
I'm very happy with the way Quest Air (Bobby Bailey designed) does it now.
make every flight a practice for that emergency landing out that you will one day need.
(in reference to this incident)I've never had a problem controling the glider from the uprights. You don't have less control, just more bar pressure.
Perhaps an agressive flair, instead of a half-hearted one would have slowed Zack's glider down enough that the downtube wouldn't have been damaged.
I believe the majority of pilots would the majority of pilots would prefer to foot land as their first option as foot landing and launching are the two main critical skills learned and expected for hand gliding.
The drogue chute will slow the rounding out and float speed by 1/2. By the laws of physics, in case of an accident, this results in 1/4 of the damage.
Another way of looking at all this is that you have to pull in more (for a larger [drogue] chute) so the chute won't make you stall...A smaller chute would allow you to continue flying without having to pull in to prevent a stall, but the glide angle wouldn't be as steep.
Another example of this is a truck towed glider is climbing. The relative air is from above the nose, slanting toward the ground.
Jason Warner - 2012/04/29
HPAC Accident Review and Safety Committee Chairman
In terms of safety, we're going to be looking at all the standards of practices of the pilots. We're in the midst of making a standardized safety practice that everybody will agree on - now that it's been pushed to the forefront.
Rob Kells - 2005/12
Each of us agrees that it is not a particular method, but rather the fear of launching unhooked that makes us diligent to be sure we are hooked in every time before starting the launch run.
Quinn Cornwell - 2009/01/24 19:57:03 UTC
HPAC Accident Review and Safety Committee Chairman
No, don't think about the jagged boulders. That'll mess with your head. Don't ever tell pilots to think about "Oh, if you screw this up, you'll crash and burn into those jagged rocks down there, so make sure you don't screw this up." This sort of psychology is detrimental. It's good to be conscience of the dangers in hang gliding, pointing this out right before you start running is just plain stupid.
Davis Straub - 2012/05/04 12:59:37 UTC
Safety is a major concern in my efforts as pilot, meet director, weather man, task committee convener.