Peter uses and recommends the "bike handle" (what he calls the "Lookout Mountain") release system.
Where to fuckin' begin?
- "Bike handle". What the fuck is a "bike handle"? If I go into a bike shop and ask for a "bike handle" what do I walk out with?
- Oh. What HE calls the "Lookout Mountain" "release" "system".
-- Lookout's never made anything that's designed to tow anything.
-- Lookout's 'specially's never made anything with a "bike handle". When they want something that'll work on their tandems three out of four times they order a "bike handle" "system" from Wallaby.
- Oh. Peter uses and recommends the "bike handle" release system but he puts his first time solo students up on something he doesn't use or recommend.
He certainly uses it on his tandem training Falcon...
You mean when HIS sleazy ass is on the line?
...but once we purchase our own release bridles some of us go for the cheaper and (arguably) more reliable string bridle...
"(Arguably)" "MORE" "reliable". Which is another way of saying both of those pieces of shit fail? Do you also chose between arguably more and less reliable cross spars? Can't an infrequently unreliable release kill you just as dead as an infrequently unreliable cross spar? And what's your totally moronic reason for not demanding a bulletproof system?
YOU'VE JUST SEEN A LOCKOUT with the (arguably) more reliable string "bridle" (ALL safe aerotow systems use "string bridles" by the way) and it TOTALLY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT *FAILED*. It can have a one hundred percent reliability rate in non emergency situations and a ZERO percent in emergency situations. This is, in fact, the case here. Tell how that makes it much better than a hook knife.
The purpose of a weak link is solely to prevent the tow force from increasing to a point that the glider can be stressed close to or beyond its structural limits.
Yeah, I've read that drivel before.
It's a load of shit.
Dynamic Flight website?
the only disadvantage being that you need to release the base bar with one hand to activate the release.
Big fuckin' deal. Who ever heard of anybody getting killed 'cause he needed to release the basebar with one hand to activate the release?
I certainly don't want to start the discussion on which is best.
- Of course not. Why bother having any discussions on critical safety issues on The Davis Show? Just wait until the next Rob Richardson, Mike Haas, Robin Strid, Roy Messing, Steve Elliot, Lois Preston gets killed and then have some huge moronic discussion for a month or so while everybody continues doing everything the same way and continues being surprised by identical results.
- THERE IS NO *BEST*. They BOTH TOTALLY SUCK.
They are both great systems as long as you are aware of each systems potential (but rare) issues.
They'll both kill you deader than a doornail in any emergency situation... But, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln...
Joe? What could possibly look more dangerous than that without actually slamming somebody in? Totally fuckin' out of control, zero ability to release, needs to hang on as best as he can and hope the tow rope breaks.
What about John Claytor getting his neck semi broken in a low level lockout on 2014/06/02 an hour or so after you slammed in just across the treeline? How come the sight of this dancing lanyard seems to scare you more than the actual inability to release in a lockout does?
Can you think of ANYTHING to do to make this shit LESS deadly? If you weighted the goddam lanyard with a goddam golf ball a couple of feet you could knock a third of the deadliness off of that crap. Fuckin' amazing that you evolved from primates who figured out that sticks could be used to hit stuff.
- It's called a "lanyard", Davis. Or, if it makes you happy, you can call it a "lanyaard".
- Any thoughts on why lockout guy didn't use his "release line" to "release"?
This is an Australian version of a tow bridle.
Yes, Davis. That's an AUSTRALIAN version of a "tow bridle". It's not like people all over the world have been using crap like that for over three decades.
Used originally for car, static line, towing.
Thank you so much, Mister Historian, for telling us what it was originally used for.
Didn't you wanna start a discussion on which is best? The Australian...
And aren't you the least bit interested in finding out what tow rope strength Peter uses so's you can recommend it to people as a good lockout protector?
I had this idea in my mind that I had heard others say that you don't lift the cart off the ground and figured I would ask my instructor.
Why?
- Did the assholes you were listening to have instructors different from the ones you're using?
- If so how do you know who's got the better instructors?
- If doing a wheelie is a great idea shouldn't it be specified in the SOPs?
See the front of the dolly coming up? He's DEFINITELY gonna have a serious airspeed problem in the near future but it won't be coming off the cart.
I am well aware of the critical importance of not coming off that cart until you are flying, though!
Super! That'll help compensate for the fact that you're never in a million years gonna have any awareness whatsoever of the critical importances of:
- not coming off the tow on the decision of some piece of fishing line some douchebag pulled out of his ass
- a bulletproof release system that allows you to blow tow in reflex time without compromising control of your glider
- being the Pilot In Command of your aircraft at all times
I have lifted off early in a sailplane before and come back into contact with the ground because I didn't have enough airspeed, and it puts a nasty load on the wheel. I can't imagine the horrific wreck I would have if I did that with a hang glider, even one with wheels.
- EVEN one with wheels? Did you ever fly a sailplane which required a whipstall to a dead stop to land it?
- How many horrific hang glider wrecks have you heard about resulting from people coming off carts with insufficient airspeed?
- Is there any reason you hafta shove these things into the air? You can't just ease them up and feel things out as you go?
Yup, there's just so much truth oozing all over The Davis Show that you practically choke on it.
However, the trouble with "lifting the cart" behind a 914 is that they accelerate significantly faster than a 582.
(Nearly twice the horsepower tends to have those sorts of effects)
- Throw a ten mile an hour headwind into the equation. Throw a thirty mile an hour headwind into the equation and you can tie your glider to a fence post and kick the ass of the fuckin' 914 in light stuff.
- Do you USE twice the horsepower on takeoff? I was under the impression that...
You will only ever need full throttle for the first fifty feet of a tandem tow. Don't ever pull a solo at full throttle... they will not be able to climb with you. You can tow them at 28 mph and you'll still leave them in the dust... they just won't be able to climb with you... weaklinks will go left and right.
...you had to back off a wee bit because the the fishing line you guys spent twenty years perfecting wasn't quite up to the task. I was under the impression that even at minimal power...
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.
...in light morning conditions the coincidence rate was a bit too high to get a competition off the ground. (By the way, Davis Dead-On Straub... How many of those guys were 582ers doing cart wheelies?)
The rest has to do with reaction timing.
See, everything's happening about twice the speed (in time)...
Lemme rephrase that for you so that it makes something resembling sense:
See, everything's happening in about half the time...
...behind a 914.
The TOTALLY AWESOME 914 - that I, TOTALLY AWESOME Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney, fly for a living.
So you're going to have to react about twice as fast for the same effect.
And if you don't have lightning fast reflexes, don't even bother showing up. Best stay home and play checkers with the other muppets.
You're going to achieve flying speed in a lot less distance.
See, in truck towing, a weaklink does next to nothing for you (unless the line snags).
This is because you're on a pressure regulated system... so the forces never get high enough to break the link.
This is not the case with an aerotow.
This is why the weaklink exists.
The forces of an aerotow can get high enough to tear the wings off the glider.
This is no exaggeration... it can be done.
You could have the wings torn off your glider!
Contrast this to a 582 groundroll where you are past the propwash before you leave the cart.
No! Let's talk more about the 914. Let's see some videos of this terrifying phenomenon and hear some quotes from the survivors - assuming there are any.
Watch some dirt field takeoffs and you'll see it a lot clearer.
Show us some videos - motherfucker. Let's see how it compares to some of those four to six man crew ramp launches I used to assist with and do at McConnellsburg.
Additionally, you're dropping a very heavy cart...
...which means you're drastically altering your wingloading...
DRASTICALLY.
Sport 2 155 - min/max hook-in - 150/250. Designed to be flown to three Gs, certified to hold to over twice that. Asshole.
...right at the time that you've left the ground with excessive airspeed...
How much "excessive airspeed" - motherfucker? The fuckin' tug hasn't left the ground yet and the VNE of the Sport 2 is 53. How much over 53 is one typically doing at liftoff?
...(which means you're going to be hauling that bar in)...
Assuming you're not a goddam pro toad and already...
...have the goddam bar stuffed as far back as you can reach.
...and have encountered turbulent air. It's not a good look.
Must be really horrible. That must be the reason they won't show us any of the videos, release any reports, give us the names of any of the victims.
I can pick out the 582 guys from miles away.
Of course you can. You've got an extremely keen intellect and supernatural powers of observation beyond the comprehension of any of us mere mortals. Real bummer, though, that you're not referring us to any actual videos.
Bullshit. You're not seeing any 582 muppets having their wings torn off because they're wheelieing the cart because nobody wheelies carts.
They always ask me if I can "tow them slower"... but 30mph is 30mph.
Well... On the 914 anyway. But the gliders on the other end of the string are coming off the cart with "excessive speed" - Mach 5 on occasion.
What's throwing them off is hanging onto the cart. They're having to haul that bar in to stay down as they exit and they equate this to me flying fast.
If they're carrying that very heavy cart the glider will fly FASTER so they don't need to pull the bar back as much. Understand the concept of BALLASTING - douchebag?
It's not... it's me accelerating fast.
AWESOMELY fast! Makes a carrier launch look like CHILD'S PLAY!
Zero to thirty in SIX SECONDS!!! Glider airframes are only good for about a hundred cycles before they need to be scrapped.
If you get the chance, check out some 582 ground rolls and compare them to a 914 ground roll. The difference is pretty obvious.
How obvious is it what Peter's Dragonfly is? Can't be very 'cause nobody's said anything one way or the other.
And something else is missing from you're expert analysis here. You haven't uttered a single syllable about what happens to 582 cart huggers when they're dealing with all that excessive power, acceleration, speed, weight, propwash. So what do they do? Pop up an extra five feet and pull back in?
Didn't anybody ever teach you what a really bad idea it is for excessively stupid people to put stuff in writing?
Words/Terms extremely, glaringly, conspicuously absent from this twelve post thread:
- lockout
- weak link
- tow rope break
- stall
Fuckin' amazing. Rack that up to the damage we were able to inflict over the course of the prior five and half weeks.
So are the tows in this video done with a 582? Prior to reading your post I was wondering why the heck they were in the dolly for so long before reaching flying speed.
These are first time solo aerotowers but obviously all experienced flyers. Every harness we see is a pod.
They've all just been told to bounce the dolly.
The wind is zilch.
We don't know the elevation or density altitude.
We only see eight separate cart rolls.
- Six of those we come in while the launch is in progress.
- In one of those - wheelie/lockout guy - the basetube is already off the brackets when we come in - zero seconds.
- The other five partials: 5, 5, 2, 4, 7 seconds.
- The two zero to leaving the brackets: 8 an 7 seconds.
Felix on the first and only launch I looked at - Ridgely, 914: 6 seconds.
Naw... You want me to make bold black and white statements so that you can have a go.
Unfortunately that's not what you're getting.
Some people listen with the intent of understanding.
Others do so with the intent of responding.
The miserable little pigfucker painted himself into a corner, as he has so many hundreds of times before, so he just blasted through a wall and left the conversation, as he has so many hundreds of times before. And useless fucking twits such as yourself always let him get away with it.
He knows better than to answer a question like that 'cause no matter what he says he can get pinned down.
Peter Holloway - 2013/03/15 23:40:54 UTC
Hi guys, we are indeed flying behind a 582 dragonfly.
Lucky for Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney, innit!
Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful comments Jim, cheers Peter H
So, Peter H... What are you gonna to start doing differently now that you've had benefit of his keen intellect and deep insights?
And any thoughts on his "thoughts" on the Zack Marzec fatality? We did everything right - best bridle/release system money can buy and an appropriate weak link to prevent lockouts, stalls, tow rope breaks - but still...
Paul Edwards - 2013/03/16 00:41:05 UTC
Thanks for making the video!
Real gem.
Good stuff.
EXCELLENT stuff. Sure convinced me to:
- focus on the Dragonfly and keep it on the horizon
- always lift the dolly enough to give it a good bounce after separation
- go up when I'm too low and the tuggie points up
- go down when I'm too high and the tuggie points down
- release when the tuggie signals to release
- not start towing when the tuggie signals that he can't start towing
- stop:
-- staying on tow when I'm not comfortable with a situation
-- landing without a dolly underneath me
-- shoving the bar out to get airborne
-- thinking of stalls as GOOD things
-- flying behind tugs with iffy engines and dangerously worn tow ropes
-- nosing Dragonflies back into the runway
-- watching Dragonflies blast way up above me
-- overcontrolling in roll and oscillating
-- undercontrolling in pitch
-- swinging to the outside in turns
-- worrying about:
--- taking a hand off the basetube to release
--- release lanyards dancing wildly in the airstream
--- bridle wraps, weak links, lockouts 'cause there are no such things
--- serious aerotow crashes 'cause no one's ever had one
--- equipment issues 'cause whatever my operation is using is perfectly OK
Did I miss anything? Is there one item mentioned or illustrated in - or very conspicuously omitted from - the video that I didn't pick up on and list in that summary?
The weak-link sleeping dog has been hashed out on other forums akin to whipping a dead horse. Some moderators have even lock down threads about weak-links rather than go stark raving mad.
Certainly not gonna have that problem in THIS discussion, are we?
I enjoyed watching it more than once.
I've enjoyed watching it hundreds of times. Every time I watch it I seem to pick up on something I haven't noticed before.
So why do you think Peter's saying absolutely nothing about the towing equipment when he's very obviously towing with two radically different flavors depicted? 'Specially after he's made the disclaimer that:
This film is not intended as an instructional film.
which, as we all bloody well know, means it bloody well IS intended as an instructional film.
When I got there her nose was lacerated and her lip was bleeding (yeah, she had a full face helmet) and the dolly's left wheel was missing.
The radiography showed acute multiple fractures around the top and head of the humerus. Her nose didn't break but she may have hairline fractures to the septum. She had a hard time remembering the date, day, names of her kids, number of kids, and other basic things...
The dolly had hit a huge hole and she went left shoulder into the ground at 25+ mph.
I almost got hurt. And I heard stories of people getting hurt at the same place for the same reason.
I was getting ready in the dolly and took a look ahead. I saw a bump in my runway but didn't care much about it. While my friend assisted me to get ready to launch, I asked him "Is that some taller grass in front of me or is it a bump?" He replied "It's a bump so grab yourself tight on the base bar".
I hit it with the left wheel and the rope in my left hand just snapped off from my fingers. It actually hurt.
Somehow I managed to control the glider and take off without hitting the ground with one of my wingtips.
After I landed, my friend told me the tip of my wing passed about five inches off the ground.
Scott C. Wise - 2008/09/30 23:29:30 UTC
I've still got a problem with that "bump".
This is an active flight park. Don't they do anything to maintain their grounds? I've been at any number of small airports with grass strips and they are flat and level with no holes and no bumps. Somebody actually spends time "grooming" the area - for obvious and serious safety reasons.
How the heck does an aerotow park get off NOT doing a similar or better job? !!!!!
Axel Banchero - 2008/10/01 04:04:47 UTC
Yes, this is the Florida Ridge. Where Doc's wife got hurt after hitting a bump or something like that. I also heard another story with broken bones at the same place in a situation pretty much like mine.
Jim Rooney - 2008/10/02 02:26:20 UTC
Wingspan... what's with the rant?
A) This way over the top stuff does no good
B) You're kinda off base anyway
You got a personal beef with the ridge or something? Cruz that's the vibe I'm getting here. I really can't fathom an other reason for the hyperbolic ravings.
Last year, at LMFP I saw an incident in aerotow that resulted in a very significant impact with the ground on the chest and face. Resulted in a jaw broken in several places and IIRC some tears in the shoulder.
I witnessed the one at Lookout. It was pretty ugly. Low angle of attack, too much speed and flew off the cart like a rocket until the weak link broke, she stalled and it turned back towards the ground.
Yes, go read that incident report.
Please note that the weaklink *saved* her ass. She still piled into the earth despite the weaklink helping her... for the same reason it had to help... lack of towing ability. She sat on the cart, like so many people insist on doing, and took to the air at Mach 5.
That never goes well.
Yet people insist on doing it.
Davis Straub - 2011/09/03 01:39:55 UTC
I think that I know the one that is being referred to.
The problem was an inexperienced female student put on a cart that had the keel cradle way too high, so she was pinned to the cart. The folks working at Lookout who helped her were incompetent.
Jim Rooney - 2011/09/02 19:41:27 UTC
Your tandem incident was some guy trying to drag himself out of a low lockout instead of accepting the fact that he was too far out of position and hitting the damn release, pulling the nose in and flying away.
Those "other factors" just happen to be *the* factors.
You can't look *for* facts to backup your opinion.
That's just bs arguing.
You have to look at facts and find what they tell you.
It doesn't work the other way around.
The USHPA brings the hammer down on a flight park that wasn't playing by the rules and was jeopardizing our FAA tandem and towing exemptions.
Under its previous owner, Arlan Birkett, Hang Glide Chicago had three fatal accidents over the last two years, including Arlan and his student's death while being towed up tandem behind an inexperienced and unrated tug pilot. The previous death occurred on tow on June 26th, 2004 . The experienced pilot was flying a glider new to him, a Moyes Litesport, in the middle of the day, without a fin. The pilot "locked out," and dove into the ground.
Hang Glide Chicago's instructors as of last week were not USHPA certified for tandem (one is a T-1 and the other has no tandem rating) or instruction (as a review of the USHPA database can quickly tell you), contrary to the above statements from Hang Glide Chicago's web site and in violation of the USHPA's exemption from the FAA. In addition, their tug pilot was not USHPA ATP-rated as required by our FAA exemption. This situation obviously jeopardized the USHPA's relationship with the FAA. In addition, it raises concerns about the level of safety practiced at Hang Glide Chicago, given its history. You've also got to wonder how its students get USHPA rated.
After several dysfunctions encountered by tandem, using a V-bridle and a 145 kg weak link on the apex, so a maximum load of 83 kg on this primary release, I sent three times this email to fly@hanglide.com (LMFP contact) without any answer !!! :
Hello
I recently purchased one of your Aerotow Primary Releases for use in aerotowing tandem gliders. We conduct a tandem aerotowing operation just south of Paris, France.
We have been having considerable trouble releasing when the line is under high tension. It takes considerable effort to pull the Rope-Loop release, often requiring two or three violent tugs on the loop. Obviously, this is a considerable safety concern.
One possible reason for the difficulty is the fact that there is some play in the barrel, which does not fit 100% snugly against the main block. When there is tension on the line, the release catch tilts the barrel very slightly, which may have the effect of increasing friction and causing the barrel to catch (there is very slight burring on the main release block as a result of this tendency).
I would appreciate any feedback you may have on this problem. If this is not an isolated case, and is in fact a design flaw that you have rectified in subsequent models, I would like to know the procedure for acquiring the updated model. If it is simply a problem with this particular item then I would like to have it replaced.
I look forward to your reply.
Regards
I bought with a friend two of them. He received them and never sent me this you can't consult before to have paid:
GT Manufacturing Inc. (GT) and Lookout Mountain Flight Park Inc. (LMFP) make no claim of serviceability of this tow equipment. There is no product liability insurance covering this gear and we do not warrant this gear as suitable for towing anything. We make no claim of serviceability in any way and recommend that you do not use this aerotow gear if you are not absolutely sure how to use it and or if you are unwilling to assume the risk. Towing and flying hang gliders is inherently dangerous.
If properly used, there is a minimum of three ways to release from the towline. Do not depend on any of these ways by themselves and fly with a back up. The first release is the primary release which under certain situations may fail, second, is the secondary release that works most of the time, if all is set up correctly, and third, the weak link which will break under the right load. You should also fly with a hook knife that will allow you to cut the line if need be.
GT and LMFP Inc. assume no liability for the function and serviceability of this equipment. If you are uncomfortable with the risk of using this tow gear you will need to get gear that you are comfortable with or do not tow. There is an inherent risk in towing hang gliders that you must assume if you want to use this gear and you want to tow. Learn and understand the risk and the use of this gear. Your safety depends on it.
The new GT aerotow release, new as of July 11th 2009, is designed to be used with a V bridle and a 130-pound green stripe Dacron tournament fishing line weak link. At this time it is not recommended to use this release with a higher value weak link. We are confident that with an ultimate load of 130 pounds at the release point, the new GT aerotow release works better than all cable releases that we have experience with.
Incredible ! That's for sure not the definition of a suitable and reliable release !!
In France, this type of warning is worthless in terms of justice.
From here we have the image of a U.S. court where the issue of money is fundamental and can ruin your life.
The way to do of LMFP is totally unreasonable not to mention the fact that they did a version 2.0 and work on a v3.0 without making any safety advert for their customers !
From where I live, I already know two other US pilots who had trouble !!
Stop !
"But I love my mouth release! It's super-delux-safe"... that's great, but guess what?
I've towed at places that use different weak links than greenspot. They're usually some other form of fishing line. Up in Nelson (New Zealand), they don't have greenspot, so they found a similar weight fishing line. They replace their link every single tow btw... every one, without question or exception... that's just what the owner wants and demands. Fine by me. If it wasn't, then I wouldn't tow for them and I wouldn't be towed by them. That's his place and he gets to make that call. Pretty simple.
Up at Morningside, they're using that new orange weaklink. It's a bit stronger and it has to be sewn or glued so it doesn't slip when unloaded.
If you're within the FAA specs and you're using something manufactured, then you're going to have a far better time convincing me to tow you.
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.
BTW, you have no need or use of reminding me of the other tug pilot that we lost.
She was a friend of mine and an exceptionally close friend of my mates.
You will likewise not be able to inform me of anything regarding her accident.
Allow me to inform you.
She was a rookie and it was a rookie mistake made under duress and extremely low.
Weak links are there to protect the equipment not the glider pilot. Anyone who believes otherwise is setting them selves up for disaster.
...
Weak links do NOT prevent lockouts and no amount of weak link rules will prevent lock outs
In the event of a lock out releases are there to save the pilot
Jim Rooney - 2011/08/25 04:55:25 UTC
I mean seriously... ridgerodent's going to inform me as to what Kroop has to say on this? Seriously? Steve's a good friend of mine. I've worked at Quest with him. We've had this discussion ... IN PERSON. And many other ones that get misunderstood by the general public. It's laughable.
The purpose of a weak link is solely to prevent the tow force from increasing to a point that the glider can be stressed close to or beyond its structural limits.
Jim Rooney - 2011/08/28 08:34:12 UTC
Yeah, I've read that drivel before.
It's a load of shit.
Weak links don't always break in lockout situations... so lets make them stronger? Are you nuts?
I don't care if they're "Meant" to break in lockout. How the hell is it a bad thing if they do?
You're advocating making tow systems more dangerous for the sake of definitions. Here in reality, weak links work. They may not suit your definitions, but you're on crack if you think they're not doing people good.
And yes, get behind me with a "strong link" and I will not tow you.
I would much rather be off tow when I want to be on than on tow when I want/need to be off.
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.
The accepted standards and practices changed.
Morningside decided that they were happy with 200lb weaklink.
You just check to see which way the prevailing wind has been blowing for the previous month or two then start sucking dicks accordingly. You've never had the slightest fuckin' clue about anything you've talked about or taken a principled stand on ANYTHING. Where do you find the time to fly tugs, eat, sleep, breathe between all the cock sucking and brown nosing? What's it like to be you? What's it like to have no shread of competence or integrity of your own and be a raging cancer on everyone else's?
That could be a really major contribution to the sport, ya know. Explaining to us what it is makes sleazebags like you, Ryan, Davis, Jack, Trisa, Bob tick.
I'm still confused. Why not? You seem to be every bit as incapable of telling us why wheelieing the dolly behind a 914 works so poorly as you are of telling us what a Rooney Link does to work so well.
But yeah, behind 582s, go for it.
So you're saying that 'cause it's safer/better, right? (And not just 'cause it feels so good to nestle your nose way up Peter's ass.)
So why not just use 582s for towing hang gliders? That allows them to wheelie the cart and wheelieing the cart makes for safer takeoffs and Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney's middle name is Safety, right?
Oh, wait... 582s suck at pulling tandem thrill rides and...
It was pretty quiet at Ridgely when we arrived at noon. Brian VH and Felix were there-- and Sammy (sp) and Bertrand... and Soraya Rios from the ECC. She was not flying.
Felix test flew Bertrand's T2C for about an hour and loved it. Brian had a short flight on a Falcon. I got on the flight line at a little after 1pm behind Sammi. She had a sledder. Then the tandem glider called rank and went ahead of me. The tandem broke a weak link and it took a while to sort out a new weak link. I finally towed around 1:30 and also broke a link at 450'. Back to the end of the line. Actually, my wife Karen let my cut in front of her. Bertrand and Sammi towed again. Each having sledder. The cirrus had moved in and things did not look good. Again I arrived at the front of the line only to have the tandem call dibs. And then the tug needed gas. I thought I would never get into the air...
...pulling tandem thrill rides is what Flight Park Mafia franchises are really all about.
Plan B. A 914 at a quarter power is only half as powerful a tug as a 582, right? So you can dial the 914's throttle to make it EXACTLY a 582, right? So why don't you? 'Cause anybody with a quarter brain or better wants all the reliable...
Wills Wing / Blue Sky / Steve Wendt / Ryan Voight Productions - 2007/03
NEVER CUT THE POWER...
Reduce Gradually
Increase Gradually
...power he can get on takeoff - no matter what he's flying?
You will only ever need full throttle for the first fifty feet of a tandem tow. Don't ever pull a solo at full throttle... they will not be able to climb with you. You can tow them at 28 mph and you'll still leave them in the dust... they just won't be able to climb with you... weaklinks will go left and right.
...how you actually give a flying fuck about the safety of anybody other than yourself.
Jackie... one thing to note, and it's a bit of a nit picky thing so don't pay it too much mind cuz this guy is spot on!
The "lift the cart into the air" is a 582 tug thing. It doesn't work so well behind 914s. But yeah, behind 582s, go for it.
What you're writing about and what your seeing are two very different things.
Your theories are what are doing you in.
What you're talking about is coming out of the cart too early and not having enough flying speed.
What you're watching is Davis coming out of the cart at Mach5.
He is absolutely no where near coming out too slow!
I've said it before, I'll say it a million times... a 582 tug is NOT the same thing as a 914.
Using 582 techniques on a 914 will put you in the shit
All this "hang onto the cart till it's flying" stuff is fine for 582s. It is NOT for 914s.
Why?
In a word... propwash.
I'm not kidding.
It amazes me how people underappreciate the propwash. It's an afterthough... a footnote.
Let me tell ya guys... on a 914, it's the #1 factor when you leave that damn cart.
You SLAM into that propwash.
Let me expand on what you should be doing rather than just saying "Stop carrying the carts into the air".
Which, BTW... STOP CARRYING THE DAMN CARTS INTO THE AIR!
(You're making your lives hell)
