Yeah, almost certainly.
- You can see the retrieval chute pulling away.
- His hands don't move on or from the downtubes.
- He'd have had to have been out of his mind to have deliberately released when he was pitched up and climbing like that.
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2467
weak links
Jim Rooney - 2007/08/01
Whatever's going on back there, I can fix it by giving you the rope.
It's more of this crappy argument that being on tow is somehow safer than being off tow.
Good thing the weak link blew and eliminated any possibility of a lockout.
That guy WAS screwing the pooch a bit and was in over his head but the weak link was dangerously understrength.
And the clip also makes another good case for using a launch dolly and flying prone.
...
Donnell Hewett - 1981/04
WEAK LINK
Every tension limiting device discussed up to now consists of mechanical components, has a limited range, or relies upon human operation. Every one of these tension limiting devices is subject to failure. Please correct me if I am wrong, but it is also my understanding that there are a large number of tow pilots today who are depending upon smooth air, rope stretch, boat speed, mechanical devices, and ground crews to provide the tension limitation control for their flights. Well, in the author's opinion that is just not good enough. Skyting requires the use of an infallible weak link to place an absolute upper limit to the towline tension in the unlikely event that everything else fails.
Now I've heard the argument that "Weak links always break at the worst possible time, when the glider is climbing hard in a near stall situation," and that "More people have been injured because of a weak link than saved by one." Well, I for one have been saved by a weak link and would not even consider towing without one. I want to know without a doubt (1) when I am pushing too hard, and (2) what will break when I push too hard, and (3) that no other damage need result because I push too hard.
Furthermore, I will not use a mechanical weak link no matter how elaborate or expensive because there is always the possibility that it may fail to operate properly. In skyting we use a simple and inexpensive strand of nylon fishing line which breaks at the desired tension limit. There is no possible way for it to jam and fail to release when the maximum tension is exceeded. Sure, it may get weaker through aging or wear and break too soon, but it cannot get stronger and fail to break. If it does break too soon, so what? We simply replace it with a fresh one.
A properly designed weak link must be strong enough to permit a good rate of climb without breaking, and it must be weak enough to break before the glider gets out of control, stalls, or collapses. Since our glider flies level with a 50 pound pull, climbs at about 500 fpm with a 130 pound pull, and retains sufficient control to prevent stalling if a weak link breaks at 200 pounds pull, we selected that value. Of course, a pilot could deliberately produce a stalled break at 200 lbs, just as he can stall a glider in free flight. But if he is trying to limit his climb rate and the forces exceed the break limit, the glider simply drops its nose to the free flight attitude and continues flying. If the weak link breaks (or should the towline break) at less than the 200 pound value, the effect is even less dramatic and controlled flight is still present.
Yeah Donnell, use a little piece of fishing line to make the decision for the pilot and driver.
Make it weak enough to break before the glider gets out of control. It did that JUST FINE.
And the glider DID drop its nose to free flight attitude. And it WOULD HAVE continued flying - IF it had been high enough.
So just ignore the ARGUMENTS that "Weak links always break at the worst possible time, when the glider is climbing hard in a near stall situation," and that "More people have been injured because of a weak link than saved by one."
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?
Jim Rooney - 2011/08/25 04:55:25 UTC
So, argue all you like.
I don't care.
I've been through all these arguments a million times... this is my job.
I could be more political about it, but screw it... I'm not in the mood to put up with tender sensibilities... Some weekend warrior isn't about to inform me about jack sh*t when it comes to towing.
There just ARGUMENTS from people reporting on what's happening. And we wouldn't want any inconvenient evidence, facts, data, logic to get in the way of...
Well, in the author's opinion...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?
Jim Rooney - 2011/08/31 09:25:57 UTC
I'll take our opinion over yours any day of the week.
...the author's OPINION.
No, Donnell, he DIDN'T do a good job of limiting his climb rate. But sometimes people DON'T and sometimes people CAN'T. And the weak link DID break at the worst possible time, when the glider was climbing hard in a near stall situation. So that's why you use a release to get you off tow on YOUR DECISION and a weak link ONLY to protect from overload - just like in REAL aviation.
...
Nice find. I'll treasure it.
