Glider guys

They forgot to mention that the neither the glider pilot nor the tow pilot had filed a flight-plan.
 
i wonder who pulled the release, tow pilot or glider, and what the straight ahead options were.
 
I'm wondering why they couldn't make it back to the airport? At 150 - 200' they'd just about have to be still over the runway or just off the departure end. I had my latch fail in a Grob 103A at Minden at about 140' AGL releasing me from the tow plane. Taking off on the paved 30 and did the turn to land on 16. 200' AGL should be a yawner to make it back.
 
It doesn't say what was vibrating- glider or towplane. If there was something wrong with the glider, it could be hard to land it safely from any altitude.
If not, then yes, it seems odd that they didn't at least make a safer landing, even if they couldn't make it back "over the fence". :dunno:
 
PittsDriver said:
I'm wondering why they couldn't make it back to the airport? At 150 - 200' they'd just about have to be still over the runway or just off the departure end. I had my latch fail in a Grob 103A at Minden at about 140' AGL releasing me from the tow plane. Taking off on the paved 30 and did the turn to land on 16. 200' AGL should be a yawner to make it back.
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As I tell every student, 200 ft doesn't mean you can turn back to the airport, it means you are high enough to safely turn 180+ if needed to line up on a landing zone. If the towplane hadn't been producing full power or the glider had it's airbrakes out 200 feet could be a LONG way from the airport.
 
PittsDriver said:
I'm wondering why they couldn't make it back to the airport? At 150 - 200' they'd just about have to be still over the runway or just off the departure end. I had my latch fail in a Grob 103A at Minden at about 140' AGL releasing me from the tow plane. Taking off on the paved 30 and did the turn to land on 16. 200' AGL should be a yawner to make it back.
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Who lets them put up a pole that close to the airport.
Any bets if there was no pole he may have made it back?
 
No Good, I will be interested to find out more details and hopefully learn something in the process.
 
wby0nder said:
As I tell every student, 200 ft doesn't mean you can turn back to the airport, it means you are high enough to safely turn 180+ if needed to line up on a landing zone. If the towplane hadn't been producing full power or the glider had it's airbrakes out 200 feet could be a LONG way from the airport.
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Yes.. there is always the periodic Flight Review ride. The tow pilot is briefed by the CFIG to "wag the rudders" at 200ft AGL and sure enough, the glider pilot pulls the release and finds himself in a 180 turn back to the airport.

All he really had to do was check his own glider OUT LOUD so the CFI knows he saw the rudder wag and is checking things. Spoilers closed, Check, flight control wiggle, Check, doors, Check, we are climbing and about were we should be for our altitude.. Check... tow plane looks ok.. check.

I brief the tow pilot to give us a 200ft AGL Rudder Wag.. if the glider is still on tow at 500ft.. rock the wings.. and if the glider pilot does it all correctly, he gets a 500ft abbreviated traffic pattern. :yesnod:

If he gets off tow at 200ft.. :mad2: then we sit down and talk about it.. :nono: .. before completing the Flight Review.
 
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