I think it depends on both pilots. Due to the belly hook location on the Diamant, in low tow the rope actually comes up along the fuselage. Because of this, I always switch to high tow as soon as possible (low tow close to the ground because it's easier to control in low tow, weird glider that one).
All the regular tug pilots at our club know this, and while I used to inform/remind them every time, I don't really bother nowadays. Dion P.S. I do prefer high tow in any glider as well, but often do low just to keep with the times (: On 12 April 2011 22:35, Stuart & Kerri FERGUSON <[email protected]> wrote: > Mark Newton wrote > > *****It's considered polite to inform the tuggie, although I'm yet to meet > one who appears to care.* > > Mark – I for one do appreciate being advised if the glider pilot will be > using a non standard > > High Tow, and most who prefer High Tow do J > > SDF > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [ > mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > On Behalf Of Mark Newton > Sent: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 8:35 PM > To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Where to sit on tow? > > On 12/04/2011, at 6:43 PM, John Parncutt wrote: > > > The GFA has clearly prescribed that launching will be in low tow, this > > > decision was made more than twenty years ago following several fatal > > > accidents which occurred during the transition from low to high tow prior > to > > > release. All clubs should be training this. > > Replace "will" with "should" and you'll be accurate. > > All clubs should also be training high-tow, because that's in the > > GFA syllabus too. If you haven't done one for a while, try it or > > seek training, because competence in all the syllabus items is > > required for continued solo flight. > > There are some gliders which "prefer" high-tow. E.g., I'll always > > take the high-tow position in a Pik 20D because it doesn't > > have a nose hook, so the position of the rope is all wrong on > > low-tow. > > It's considered polite to inform the tuggie, although I'm yet > > to meet one who appears to care. > > > Some years ago we discovered some pilots in our club had formed the > opinion > > > that it was safer for them to transition to high tow immediately after > > > takeoff especially with short strips in order to give them more options > in > > > the event of an early rope break. > > The beginning of EVERY aerotow is in the high-tow position. > > (think about it) > > There's a transition to low-tow shortly after launch, once the > > pilot determines that it's safe to do so. > > I'd totally concur with a decision to maintain the high-tow position > > for longer than usual if doing so would enhance safety -- such as when > > assessing options when operating from a short strip. > > > This has particular hazards for the tow > > > pilot who now finds at low altitude he/she has to apply ever increasing > back > > > stick in order to compensate for the upward load on their tail. > > Is that a "hazard" or a "difference"? Surely it's only a hazard > > if the glider is far enough out of station to be approaching a > > tug upset...? > > As far as I know, the Australian gliding community remains the only > > one in the world which prefers the low-tow position. The first time > > I flew a glider in the USA the instructor in the back had never even > > heard of low-tow. > > - mark > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > I tried an internal modem, [email protected] > > but it hurt when I walked. Mark Newton > > ----- Voice: +61-4-1620-2223 ------------- Fax: +61-8-82231777 ----- > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Aus-soaring mailing list > > [email protected] > > To check or change subscription details, visit: > > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > -- <Peppery> i did get started on that xml thing <Peppery> then got bored and wrote a program that prints random strings and makes my terminal look like the matrix
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