Weak links

[<BS>]

These things can be difficult to figure out.

Zack, let me see if I understand your logic.

You had a thing and it broke needlessly.
You didn't want the thing to break needlessly.
You replaced the thing with a stronger thing.
Now the thing doesn't break needlessly.

[Steve Davy]

These things can be difficult to figure out.

This thread is worth a review:

Broken arm Saturday for discussion
http://www.kitestrings.org/topic42.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYe3YmdIQTM

[<BS>]

http://www.kitestrings.org/post163.html#p163

And we still have assholes deliberately releasing from the bottom first so the bridle will stream out of their way from the keel and they won't have to stow it.

http://flyhighhg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/G0017000f.jpg

[Steve Davy]

http://www.ushpa.org/legacy/documents/sop/sop-12-10.pdf
Towing Administration
Standard Operating Procedure 12-10
Last Amended March, 2016

12-10.03 Weak Links

A. A Weak Link is a breakaway point between the towing device and the towed aircraft. The purpose of the weak link is to protect against structural damage and might not prevent lockouts or other abnormal flight conditions. Pilot’s under tow need to be prepared for all emergency situations due to, but not limited to, the early breakaway or non-breakaway of the weak link.

PS - Note the apostrophe in the quote.

[Steve Davy]

Towing Administration
Standard Operating Procedure 12-10
Last Amended October, 2015

12-10.03 Aerotow Pilot Appointment (ATP)

B. USHPA Aerotow Equipment Guidelines

6. The purpose of the weak link is to protect the tow equipment, and may not prevent lockouts or other abnormal flight conditions.

[Tad Eareckson]

And...

- "Weak Link" capitalized in the first reference but not in subsequent ones.

- Yes:

-- "A" Weak Link is "a" breakaway point between the towing device and the towed aircraft. No telling what else may break between the towing device and the towed aircraft and maybe fatally inconvenience the latter and maybe fatally upset the balance of the former.

-- It MIGHT not prevent lockouts or other abnormal flight conditions. But chances are pretty good that it WILL so it's always best to stack the deck in your favour by using the safest weak link possible.

- Pilot's under tow need to be prepared for all emergency situation's due to, but not limited to, the early breakaway or non-breakaway of the weak link. So always:

-- make sure that you'll be able to stop flying the glider for a bit while you effect the easy reach to your Industry Standard release or use your razor-sharp cutting tool to slash through your lines in an instant

-- be ready to quickly stuff the bar in order to be able to handle the whip inconvenience resulting from a standard aerotow weak link increase the safety of the towing operation - the way Zack Marzec wasn't

- Note that we can't say "...due but not limited to...". Using lotsa words always makes one appear more intelligent.

- I wonder why the Voight Twins haven't produced a video illustrating these scenarios which kill muppets like Zack Marzec and Jeff Bohl at Quest and demonstrating the response techniques they...

14-3616
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14269186625_c8b3fec256_o.png


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/14082586920_34b189f5c2_o.png
20-4106

...SHOULD have employed.

Oh, its purpose is to protect the tow equipment...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=21033
barrels release without any tension except weight of rope..

Bart Weghorst - 2011/02/25 19:06:26 UTC

But I've had it once where the pin had bent inside the barrel from excessive tow force. My weaklink was still intact. The tug pilot's weaklink broke so I had the rope. I had to use two hands to get the pin out of the barrel.
No stress because I was high.

Doesn't seem to be doing its job very well. I wonder what test values and equations were used to determine...

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.

...what we should be using.

[<BS>]

PS - Note the apostrophe in the quote.

They needn't be concerned with the preparation of MY under tow.

[Steve Davy]

Their concern is to keep the boat afloat. I suspect that they will be able to do that for another year or two.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51281
CIVL agenda for the Plenary

Davis Straub - 2017/01/26 18:04:06 UTC

Stephane Malbos

Low Lockouts: After a fatal accident resulting from a low lockout at a Category 2 competition in the US, the CIVL safety director opened the discussion of improved aerotow release systems in competition. Although there was a lot of good discussion surrounding safety, in the end it was agreed that there were no new rule changes needed at this time.

Nah. The time they were needed was 2016/05/21 ~13:55 EST. After that there really wasn't much point.

This refers to the 2016 Quest Air Open (Part 2) and Jeff Bohl's death.

Industry Standard bent pin placebo release suicide.

As the release system had nothing to do with the incident...

Nothing whatsoever. The problem was that Jeff hadn't been made aware of Davis's Risk Mitigation Plan for the Quest Air Open. He didn't understand that if he simply actuated his easily reachable release he'd get to cut back in at the head of the launch line and therefore continued attempting to fix a bad thing until it was too late.

...one wonders what they discussed.

The best weak link strength to use for lockout prevention without having the inconvenience issue manifesting itself six times in a row in light morning conditions.

I am assuming that they were aware of the cause of this incident.

A bunch of Davis caliber douchebags controlling the sport with a bunch of scummy little cocksucker participants letting them get away with mass murder.

Brian Scharp - 2017/01/26 21:40:38 UTC

As the release system had nothing to do with the incident...

When you have to choose between glider control and releasing, it definitely makes that release system suspect.

Since when did control become an issue in hang gliding safety?

http://ozreport.com/13.083
Combined release and bridle

Davis Straub - 2009/04/24 12:23:40 UTC

This setup allows the pilot to release from the aerotow line by simply opening her mouth and she doesn't have to take her hand off the base tube to pull the barrel release. This comes in handy in the first few seconds of the tow when rolling on the cart, and if there is a "lock out" down low.

Also for two stage.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43636
Two stage mouth/barrel release

Or this one. Any of them would allow releasing without compromising control.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3-uZptNw0

Nah. Let them keep using the tried and true crap and killing themselves off. The sooner this total sewer of a sport and its culture go extinct the happier I'll be.

[<BS>]

I am assuming that they were aware of the cause of this incident.

A bunch of Davis caliber douchebags controlling the sport with a bunch of scummy little cocksucker participants letting them get away with mass murder.

He probably means more specifically the timely camera reach speculation revelation.
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48425

I am thinking that perhaps the conditions had little to nothing to do with this accident. I'm thinking that the pilot made a mistake, letting go of the bar with one hand. and the pitch became far too great far too fast.

This comes from what Russell told me, what April told me and what the first responders told Belinda. Why did he let go?...EMT speculated that he was reaching for his camera as it slipped out of a pocket.