Soaring the Tetons

[denverpilot]

Thought of Tony and the soaring folks here when I saw this video...

Looks like a great time.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

OK, let me get this straight.

So, like, the tow plane guy tows the glider over some really nasty stuff - where I would be, like, sweating bullets worrying about the engine because if it quits you are, like, totally hosed in a place like that. And, then, when they get over the REALLY nasty ****, the glider guy pulls the release.

Did I get that right?

 

[Jim Logajan]

OK, let me get this straight.

So, like, the tow plane guy tows the glider over some really nasty stuff - where I would be, like, sweating bullets worrying about the engine because if it quits you are, like, totally hosed in a place like that. And, then, when they get over the REALLY nasty ****, the glider guy pulls the release.

Did I get that right?

Then there is this:

 

[brcase]

OK, let me get this straight.

So, like, the tow plane guy tows the glider over some really nasty stuff - where I would be, like, sweating bullets worrying about the engine because if it quits you are, like, totally hosed in a place like that. And, then, when they get over the REALLY nasty ****, the glider guy pulls the release.

Did I get that right?

Not really, it looks like mile high tow to me. Even the towplane probably had a good chance of gliding back to the airport, at least to the farmland in the valley. I has been almost 18 years since I have flown there.
The glider would have no problem gliding back to the airport.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

 

[BillTIZ]

Not really, it looks like mile high tow to me. Even the towplane probably had a good chance of gliding back to the airport, at least to the farmland in the valley. I has been almost 18 years since I have flown there.
The glider would have no problem gliding back to the airport.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

Agreed, that was a huge tow.

 

[denverpilot]

The glider would have no problem gliding back to the airport.

Without downdrafts... which you would evaluate while on that long tow.

Seemed perfectly reasonable to me. Looked like he was looking for a little ridge lift on the first low ridge there. Can't see the VSI to tell if he found it or not.

 

[tonycondon]

i was wondering if it should've been named "towing in the tetons" nice view though.

 

[rottydaddy]

OK, let me get this straight.

So, like, the tow plane guy tows the glider over some really nasty stuff - where I would be, like, sweating bullets worrying about the engine because if it quits you are, like, totally hosed in a place like that. And, then, when they get over the REALLY nasty ****, the glider guy pulls the release.

Did I get that right?

Sort of... but it looks to me like all the way to release, the glider pilot could turn around and head towards lower terrain. After all, it's very likely that the plan was to return to that lower-lying airport in the first place. :wink2:

And it's a glider, optimized for... um... gliding. Not sure of the make/model, but I'm guessing the ratio at best lift/drag speed ("Vbg" for power pilots) is better than 35:1. The woefully-outdated 1-26 I fly (state of the art in the days before fiberglass) has a measly 24:1 or so, and that's still way better than any light single. Sometimes it's hard to get it to come down, if there's lift in the pattern. Even the truck-like 2-33 trainer with two adults aboard, in the right hands, can stay aloft for over a minute from only 200AGL! Over a minute! That's at minimum-sink speed, which yields less distance per foot of altitude than best l/d, but you get the idea. At best l/d speed, a 2-33 at any weight will give you just over 22:1, so if distance is critical, you can take comfort in knowing that you can go about 5 sm from 1000 AGL (assuming no headwind component, of course). Even a draggy old hoss like a 2-33 glides quite well compared to any light single.

But this pilot was not low over those peaks, and if he was, all it takes is a little wind from the right direction, and you can stay aloft a long time on the wave produced by air flowing over the terrain. And with luck, you can use that time to travel to someplace where you can land safely... or someplace where you can get more lift, and thus more altitude.

 

[denverpilot]

Now, now... no pickin' on the venerable old 2-33.

I smoked a guy in a tiny thermal near Boulder during my training years ago while solo because I could fly slower and stay in a tiny little thermal, while he couldn't get his $100K glass ship slow enough to not fly out of the thermal and get out into the no-lift outside it for about half of every revolution.

I had to learn how to safely pass in a thermal that day. Going around on opposite sides is wicked cool. Waved and on up I went.

He never caught up until I bailed and headed back to the airport.

I liked that "truck". Very forgiving trainer. Wasn't worried (too much) about dragging a wingtip in a crosswind, flew well, wasn't wedged in with no room to move.

A truck perhaps, but an honest bird!

 

[rottydaddy]

Now, now... no pickin' on the venerable old 2-33.

I smoked a guy in a tiny thermal near Boulder during my training years ago while solo because I could fly slower and stay in a tiny little thermal, while he couldn't get his $100K glass ship slow enough to not fly out of the thermal and get out into the no-lift outside it for about half of every revolution.

I had to learn how to safely pass in a thermal that day. Going around on opposite sides is wicked cool. Waved and on up I went.

He never caught up until I bailed and headed back to the airport.

I liked that "truck". Very forgiving trainer. Wasn't worried (too much) about dragging a wingtip in a crosswind, flew well, wasn't wedged in with no room to move.

A truck perhaps, but an honest bird!

I meant no offense... it's an excellent trainer, and an experienced hand can do remarkable things with it. I love our old 2-33.