http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63574
VG Undone
Oliver Moffatt - 2020/09/22 04:23:59 UTC
I had a useful lesson on Saturday. Coming off the trolley, I immediately climbed above the tug, and continued to climb until the weak link broke when I was about to release.
No amount of bring in the bar-to-the-knees while on tow made any difference, and I had no idea what was wrong.
Flying back to land I found that the VG was fully slack. Viewing the video later it showed that the rope had bounced out of the cleat less than five seconds after I started rolling.
I had previously understood that aerotowing with a slack VG would simply make it very hard to pull in to increase my speed. In fact, pulling in wasn't difficult. The problem was that even at full speed I was still climbing much faster than the tug.
Lesson learned, and I spent an hour on Sunday reaming out the hole in my wheel hub as the small hole was not well aligned with the VG jamming cleat, so that the cleat did not have a firm grip on the VG rope.
I had a useful lesson on Saturday.
As opposed to the pure unadulterated total crap you had for lessons with the UK branch of the Flight Park Mafia.
Coming off the trolley, I immediately climbed above the tug...
Coming off the trolley...
05-2029
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50376675138_2b0c29e224_o.png
..., you IMMEDIATELY had to...
08-2114
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50376675018_72c19bc639_o.png
...near fully stuff the bar...
09-2122
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50376674978_f28cf1f38a_o.png
...just to stay down a bit above the tug well before it had developed enough speed to get safely airborne.
...and continued to climb...
10-2608
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50377546012_9e0afe4465_o.png
12-2801
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50377372436_5b72575204_o.png
15-2928
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50376674553_0a1d9b538c_o.png
17-3120
http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50377372146_206019561f_o.png
...until the weak link broke when I was about to release.
Wow! That's a really good weak link you BHPA guys are using over there!
http://www.wallaby.com/aerotow_primer.php
Aerotow Primer for Experienced Pilots
The Wallaby Ranch Aerotowing Primer for Experienced Pilots - 2020/09/24
A weak link connects the V-pull to the release, providing a safe limit on the tow force. If you fail to maintain the correct tow position (centered, with the wheels of the tug on the horizon), the weak link will break before you can get into too much trouble.
You failed to maintain the correct tow position (centered, with the wheels of the tug on the horizon) and the weak link broke before you'd gotten into too much trouble. You and your weak link were within 1.5 seconds of being on exactly the same page. And this way you didn't even have to go to the minimal trouble of making the easy reach to your Koch release.
No amount of bring in the bar-to-the-knees while on tow made any difference...
It's not making any difference here:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lk6hbjuJ-c/Ujh-ENPLQrI/AAAAAAAA3IQ/vh46chqQX4M/s1600/JRS_0542.JPG
Steve has the bar fully stuffed immediately coming off the cart and before the Dragonfly's gotten airborne and he's not coming down. If the tug speeds up more than a bit or if he gets lift the tug doesn't the only directions he'll be able to go are up and/or sideways... What were you expecting?
...and I had no idea what was wrong.
I'm thinking is a control linkage issue. Bring the glider in to your dealer and have him check it out. Might hafta leave it overnight so best to wait until you have a couple days of crappy nonflying weather.
Flying back to land I found that the VG was fully slack.
OH! That'll do it every time. 'Specially in situations in which your upper bridle connection has come loose too.
Viewing the video later it showed that the rope had bounced out of the cleat less than five seconds after I started rolling.
Yep. Mystery solved.
I had previously understood that aerotowing with a slack VG would simply make it very hard to pull in to increase my speed.
What did these stupid pigfuckers tell you about using a two point bridle to make it "easier" (POSSIBLE) to increase your speed?
In fact, pulling in wasn't difficult. The problem was that even at full speed I was still climbing much faster than the tug.
Maybe growing longer arms would help a bit.
Lesson learned...
Fuck yeah...
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ek9_lFeSII/UZ4KuB0MUSI/AAAAAAAAGyU/eWfhGo4QeqY/s1024/GOPR5278.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh_NfnOcUns/UZ4Lm0HvXnI/AAAAAAAAGyk/0PlgrHfc__M/s1024/GOPR5279.JPG
...and I spent an hour on Sunday reaming out the hole in my wheel hub as the small hole was not well aligned with the VG jamming cleat, so that the cleat did not have a firm grip on the VG rope.
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Jim Rooney - 2013/02/16 05:05:41 UTC
My general rule is "no funky shit". I don't like people reinventing the wheel and I don't like test pilots. Have I towed a few test pilots? Yup. Have I towed them in anything but very controlled conditions? Nope. It's a damn high bar. I've told more to piss off than I've told yes. I'll give you an example... I towed a guy with the early version of the new Lookout release. But the Tad-o-link? Nope.
The weak link's still intact as this clip fades out. There's no jolt.
As I'm posting this there have been ten responses from seven individuals (including Oliver - appearing as "Scandalxk") in two Davis Show topics and not a single hint of a mention of a two point bridle.
Well, maybe there have been... This is the sorta stuff that Davis will delete inside of a New York minute.
