I received this email from a friend in West Texas.
Doesn't it sound like fun?
"Out here in the Great West Texas our climate is
bigger and better than other places. Consequently
during WW2 (The Roosevelt War) big training airbases
were built every 30 miles or so. A few were for the B-29
and had big long runways extending 1.5 mile long such
as Rattlesnake airbase @ Pyote Tex pop 35; Old Marfa
AFB is now almost deserted. So one gets a 1200 ft
slick line (just like an old clothes line) and heads out
with the glider towed behind the station-wagon,
(dissembled of course but many have speculated that
this being Texas why bother) the wagon being filled
with wife, 4 kids, Dog, tent, and camp out for the week
end soaring and cooking and looking at stars at nite.
Auto tow is far superior to winch tow for it is cheaper
and one can drop the little chute on top of the auto at
release altitude of 1200 ft. which is also the length of
the tow wire. Seems impossible but its so because the
sailplane, at take-off, is traveling at the auto speed
(along the 1200 ft radius of a circle while moving along
the 6500 ft less 1200 ft) and after takeoff and rotation,
the sailplane is now traveling about the circumference
rather that the dia which is pi X Dia. So the auto merely
has to attain an initial speed of about 45-55 mph less
the velocity of the wind, then after TO auto can slow
down to perhaps 25-30 mph while the sailplane is
traveling perhaps 60-70 mph air speed. We average
getting to cloud base (we sometime have "dry
thermels" with no clouds formed) every other tow and
by watching the dust-devils one can do it every time.
Gaining 1500 ft/min is not unusual, 700-1,000 ft per
circle is ave day. I have seen sailplanes get away using
a 500 ft line but thats a rare shoe-off pilot. War surplus
LK-10A still flying in Alabama after 60 years of fun
flying. 28:1 ratio. "
Hold the bus......
michael
(michael cole)
flying. 28:1 ratio.
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