Towplane Waves Glider Off Tow - Towplane Emergency

Рет қаралды 32,353

10 ай бұрын

Towplane had an engine problem and waved me off tow. Altitude was 2500ft AGL (safe).
glider gliding sailplane tow plane towplane airport soaring aerotow cockpit glider cockpit gliding emergency aerotow emergency wave-off glider gliding soaring aerotow take off take-off

Пікірлер: 67

@francostoppini1573 9 ай бұрын

I am both a tow pilot and a glider pilot. In my club we prefer a tow circuit that does not travel so far from the airport in the initial phase, to make it easier to return in case of problems, especially with the tow plane.

@301stSpartan1 9 ай бұрын

Actually we circuited the airfield as is customary practice of our tow pilots. Thanks for your comment.

@12345fowler 9 ай бұрын

Interesting, what was the signal for glider release ? Wing rocking ? I noticed he went nose down just before so assuming he got loss of power and waved you off. @@301stSpartan1

@Trevor_Austin 9 ай бұрын

⁠I also used to be a tug and glider pilot. I had shares in a few gliders including an ASW20BL, ASW22 and Caproni A21. Our club’s tugs were Robin DR400’s with four blade props and 180 HP Super Cubs. Even with a straight out tow the glider would always be capable of gliding back. That is the case for most gliders. When towing training gliders (ASK 21 or ASK 13) though, you don’t want to spend your lesson gliding back so they would be given a close in climb. As always, it is the tug pilot’s responsibility to try and avoid unlandable areas - you don’t always have to land back with a sickly tug.

@randytolle6706 8 ай бұрын

Yes a lap around the field is nice before heading away.

@dja1353 3 күн бұрын

I had one wave off in my 19 years as a glider pilot. It turned out it was a bad magneto. One is a bit different than the other. At initial crank it’s designed to spin faster than crank speed for a brief burst in order to provide a stronger spark. This mechanism got stuck and caused the mag to be not timed correctly. So, with one mag firing at the wrong time the engine won’t develop full power. The takeoff seemed normal to me until he rocked the wings at 200 feet. I didn’t get off until he did it again at 300. We both landed fine. He was ok with me not getting off right away. He said he could have got me up higher, if I stayed on. He did not attempt to change mags at low altitude especially with me on. It was developing enough power to be safe. Messing with it could have made it worse. He did not switch mags after I got off. He was able to land, then he discovered it was a bad magneto. The bit about the mechanism was discovered by the mechanic. It was a 180 Super Cub. I was in a Ka6.

@tonyverhulst9948 7 ай бұрын

A tow pilot once told me that the first sign of his tow plane emergency is 200 feet of rope coming back at me. 🙂In a real emergency, I don't have the time to rock my wings.

@DJClintB Ай бұрын

Sitting on the top of the vertical stabiliser like that for the whole tow is why you kept slacking the rope. Sit just below the tow that way you have some margin to pull up to unslacken the rope now and then without getting too high. Over controlling and not straightening that yaw string. Looks like you are connected using belly hook as opposed to nose hook, set more down trim before take off to reduce the inclination to kite.

@honeycomb8753 9 ай бұрын

First, and maybe it's the camera angle, but 1) you should do better on your crosswind takeoffs to keep you nose on centerline while the towplane is still on the ground and 2) it appears you get high on tow way to frequently. Both should be intolerable to you even if you aren't perfect at your execution. Just to clarify, don't start your drift downwind until the towplane lifts off and be mindful of your kiting. Those are my thoughts for improvement. Second, slack in the line should be handle better. You are an experienced pilot. You have many tools to do that better. If you need ideas talk to your buddies. Third, glad you got off as quick as you did after the signal. All of us CFIG's and Tow Pilots appreciate that the most.

@MrSimonurry 9 ай бұрын

I am a tug pilot and a gliderpilot. In both cases if there is not enough altitude to make a turn back (EFATO - Engine Failure After Take Off) you will be landing ahead or no more than 30 degrees either side of your center line. Making a turn back to the airfield at low altitude doesn't usually end well !

@honeycomb8753 9 ай бұрын

I'm confused. I don't recall mentioning that. But, I've watched that very thing with Tom Knauf's Tow Plane (in Pa; re Tow Plane Loss of Thrust on Take-Off) a number of years ago. So, yes that is a bad day; mostly straight ahead. @@MrSimonurry

@robbopilot 8 ай бұрын

The yaw string didn't spend too much time centred

@dperreno 8 ай бұрын

There's an expression for this. It's called "back seat driving."

@jamesa5720 7 ай бұрын

I have an idea Mr. Perfect; post a video of you doing it perfectly.

@gliding_soaring 8 ай бұрын

I would say a very nervous flight. Too much stick input. I think you were not trimmed correctly. I did not see any emergency here.

@manfredseidler1531 8 ай бұрын

I was wondering if there were alternative out landing sites off camera... the tow plane seemed to take you straight out (away) from possibly returning to the airport in case of an aborted takeoff.

@301stSpartan1 8 ай бұрын

Although it is difficult to see from the camera, the towplane's circuit is around the airfield, with circles (or ovals) getting larger as the altitude increases.

@XB10001 8 ай бұрын

At moments, you were too high during tow. 😬

@TheCSRTech 9 ай бұрын

That was it?

@BillPalmer 9 ай бұрын

Yes, the signal at 4:32. Every glider pilot needs to be aware of that signal, which can be subtle. It indicates that the tow pilot is having an emergency (e.g., engine trouble ) and needs the glider to get off. Alternatively the tow plane could cut the glider loose, but then the tow rope (and its pricey connections) would be lost to the ground below.

@NobleWizard 7 ай бұрын

Looks like a standard tow to the height possibly agreed on for the day to make sure everyone gets up. The real emergency is the un-coordinated flying on tow.

@garrykennedy5484 9 ай бұрын

I do hang glider tow being the towed pilot. I was wondering what your signal would be if any different. Our tug pilot will wave his arm when you should release. AND if he throws ME the line, I need to decide if I have enough altitude to drop the line over the field or release it then and there. A wing wag could just mean he hit a thermal with one wing only and then corrected. I am assuming that a thermal does not affect the tow plane in sailplane towing as severely?

@301stSpartan1 8 ай бұрын

Yes, towplane and glider have much more momentum than a hang glider, so a dramatic wing wag (in both directions) is a pretty good signal for a wave off.

@philippelambert329 5 ай бұрын

@@301stSpartan1 moreover, if the ailerons on the tug are moving, then you know it's not the turbulence that is rocking its wings: I always tell mystudents to check the ailerons if the tug's wings wag lower than the agreed altitude.

@poly_hexamethyl 8 ай бұрын

2:49 How come the little bit of string attached to your windscreen is horizontal most of the time? Is the tow plane pulling you sideways?

@301stSpartan1 8 ай бұрын

Great observation, thanks. The answer is: prop wash (the towplane's propeller wake).

@MichelWerner 4 ай бұрын

looks like a very heavy left foot to me

@DavidFerree54 7 ай бұрын

Stepping on that string might help reduce drag. You think?

@TheTransporter007 9 ай бұрын

High slacking the tow line. Yikes.

@jamesordwayultralightpilot 9 ай бұрын

But Dan says that plane is perfectly fine. LoL

@markpijnappels6796 2 ай бұрын

Where is the towplane emergency?

@chuckewe 8 ай бұрын

Your windscreen tell-tale is instructive I think. Engine problem or not, that pilot is dragging you through the air in uncoordinated flight most of the time.

@markdaniel8740 8 ай бұрын

The tow plane cannot keep the towed plane coordinated.

@DavidFerree54 7 ай бұрын

🤦🏻‍♂️ The glider has pedals that the pilot can push on. They operate this thing that sticks up in the back called a rudder.

@tungstenkid2271 8 ай бұрын

How did he "wave off" the glider, by radio or what?

@maxflight777 8 ай бұрын

Wing waggle !

@tungstenkid2271 8 ай бұрын

@@maxflight777 Thanks, and as a matter of interest can the tow pilot release the tow cable any time he likes?

@davidkavanagh189 8 ай бұрын

@@tungstenkid2271 Yes, it can be released from both ends. The tow pilot will do that if the glider doesn't get off pronto. It's less desirable for the tug pilot to do it due to risk of entanglement on the glider and possible loss of rope/dropping it on people.

@tungstenkid2271 8 ай бұрын

@@davidkavanagh189 Thanks, and if the tow pilot releases the cable first, will the weight of it cause the gliders nose to pitch down until the glider pilot releases it? I think that caused an accident several years ago when the tow pilot released it a few seconds after takeoff causing the glider to pitch down and hit the ground before the glider pilot could release it from his end, killing the pilot and passenger.

@davidkavanagh189 8 ай бұрын

@@tungstenkid2271 The rope is only about 10kg so no weight risk really but there is the risk it can catch on something or wrap around the glider. I've seen one case where either the cable broke, at the tug end or the tug released it and the glider simply flew over the airfield and dropped it so it could be used again and not fall on anyone.

@heartland96a 9 ай бұрын

Not looking like very friendly terrain to have to land in if you don’t have enough altitude to find a suitable spot or be able to get back to the airport

@joewoodchuck3824 9 ай бұрын

He stated he was at a safe altitude. Presumably enough to get back to the field.

@heartland96a 9 ай бұрын

@@joewoodchuck3824 yes he made it , was referring to if some one were cut loose lower that it might not have gone as well , yes there are gliders with either tuck away engines or folding props but generally not much choice if you can’t stretch to glide

@PaulJakma 8 ай бұрын

@@joewoodchuck3824 Other than the initial climb out, they're circling within gliding distance of the field at all times. You can see the field several times as they turn. Presumably they have a plan for a suitable landing spot ahead if there is a problem on initial climb out (though, hard to see many as you allude to!).

@301stSpartan1 8 ай бұрын

Exactly right, thank you! The camera makes it difficult to see but, particularly during the early part of the tow, the towplane and glider stay within easy gliding distance to the field. The call out "200" by the glider pilot is when 200 feet above the field have been reached. From this (minimum) altitude a quick-reacting pilot can return to the field.@@PaulJakma

@RealBelisariusCawl 10 ай бұрын

It’s weird, I’m not a pilot (unless you count simming which I definitely don’t) but even without looking at the time left in the video I knew something was off. Looked into things a bit more after watching this and learned about “waving off” and then rewatched it. It was a fun watch. How does a glider pilot deal with a problem like this if you’ve not got enough altitude to make it back to the airfield? Pray?

@SirLuke226 10 ай бұрын

A standard trainer, like a Cessna 172, has a typical glide ratio of 9:1, so for every 1000 foot of altitude it can cross about 9000 feet on the ground. A glider like this would have around a 23:1, so for every 1000 foot of altitude, it can go 23000 across the ground. That's a little over 4 miles. From the looks of it, I'm guessing about 1500 feet in altitude here, and by pattern of flying he's definitely close enough to the airfield to make it back, he's got almost 7 miles to play with. Then you add factors like thermal updrafts, I would say he's in pretty good shape! I'm more worried about the tow plane on this one! EDIT: Reread description - at 2500 feet he's very safe

@RealBelisariusCawl 10 ай бұрын

@@SirLuke226 I figured it worked out, I was more curious about the hypothetical.

@nickbarsby3378 10 ай бұрын

It's not uncommon for a glider to have to put down in a field if failing to find lift on a cross country flight or in an emergency. It's something pilots train for.

@RealBelisariusCawl 10 ай бұрын

@@nickbarsby3378 Fair enough. Appreciate the input.

@martinsaunders7925 9 ай бұрын

@nickbarsby. Very few gliders can do a go round and every landing is a crash landing. Sailplanes,with glide ratios of 50 to 1 or so can trade speed for height and dump ballast and can do a circuit. Bear in mind that ground effect doubles distance so even with air brakes it's hard to land at speed. This pilot seems to be tail high and causing the tug to fly level,not climbing.

@RustyorBroken 10 ай бұрын

Caution, wake turbulence.

@rogeratygc7895 9 ай бұрын

Turbulence perhaps, but the glider is well above the tug's wake. It is however downwind of a ridge which will produce marked turbulence if the wind is blowing on it.