40 lb Sailplane towed up by Electric tug..!

[retiredVTT]

This is a 7meter wingspan Sailplane being towed up by a strong Electric tug..!

(This is a GOOD day..!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqIirv-w ... r_embedded

Impressive..!

Bill

[retiredVTT]

(This is a BAD day..!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sf6VZ6c ... re=related

Bill

[retiredVTT]

Lots of success here..!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbh2qDW1 ... re=related


..this is truly an art in working together..!

Bill

[JohnOSullivan]

the second video is an excellent example of crappy tow plane flying. As I mentioned previously, the tug HAS to make wide slow turns, otherwise the line will slacken and will whip strongly on taking up slack and overstress the glider.
There is nothing scary about Towing as long as it is taken with slow wide turns.
John

[retiredVTT]

From what I could gather with some notes on that video..the tow plane crashed as well..!

I replayed it a few times and you see the tow plane come right around (270*) and exit stage right...but the cameraperson stays with the sailplane. Makes you wonder if the tug was having problems and was trying to get down. They did get the release done...but the sailplane did not get around....damm those trees!

What happened with the first crash..?

Bill