AERO-TOWING

[Judge]

Not to be critical here, but you went about this in the most difficult manner possible.

TWO major errors:

1 - Towline attached to tail of tow plane. HUGE NO-NO. The towline MUST be at the top of the Fuse at the rear of the wing (trailing edge0. No argument about this. It just works best that way.

2 - NEVER-NEVER-NEVER try to tow a glider using a conventional fuse bottom mounted tow hook. The towline MUST be attached to the nose of the glider.

While amusing to watch your video is really a demonstration of how NOT to tow.

Attach the line properly to the tow plane and glider and towing is really a lot of fun and no big deal.

[teryn]

I never claimed that anything was done right there. That's why I refered to it as an "experiment". you can learn what not to do with it. Posting this video did exactly what it's intention was; to have people like you provide useful info that never would have been posted if I hadn't posted this video. Now this thread will become more useful. Amazing how that works.

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	Not to be critical here, but you went about this in the most difficult manner possible. While amusing to watch your video is really a demonstration of how NOT to tow.

[pitviper51]

im still half wa through the vid and i agree complete withthe tow attachments big errors,, gotta do more research,, i tryed that set up with a slow stick and slow stick glider, same result, but was hilarious..
mike

[pitviper51]

another note on the truck winch looks fun,,, would work alot smoother if you had a section of bungee on the line and a bit more line, that has potential, since hanggliders and paraglider can really do that thanks for shareing
mike

[teryn]

pitviper, thanks for your comments...

[pitviper51]

not trying to be to harse, it sure looked like you guy were haven a blast!!, are you still trying the aerotowing?
mike

[rede2fly]

ok we figured it out today. one of the guys had some pics of a towplane setup and guess what it was on a frigging extra. nice setup and he ordered 2 setups so i said i would be happy to put 1 in my funtana 100. its got a moki 1.35 and i know it will pull it. right behind the cockpit it was very neat to see this. but stupid me i didnt the photo to show. so i will get it next week, unless i can call him and get the site man i think of everything. so now i have a zenoah to sell.

[Highlights]

There was a show here in Canada where the plane of choice ( for towing) was of all planes the H9 TOC ultimate 10-300 46%.

Did it effortlessly. A little on the rich side, but it was just the cost of doing business I guess. It was sold at a bargain price when the show was over.

[pitviper51]

nice gotta get a video!, one thing id be watching for seeing that most aerobatic planes have counter balanced tail surfaces, id watch for the tow cord getign jamed between the stab and elevator or fin and rudder, i though maybe a wire with curved ends on the out side going in from of the surface might solve this, but i havent tryed,, when i did full scale cable break sim we always would sacirfice some and fly stiregh to let the cable fall away for the same reason good luck! cant wait to see pics or vid
mike

[rede2fly]

iam going to try it. no matter what happens it will be fun. we will take pics and i will post them. i know it will work. well i think it will. it should. yea it will. i really dont think the rudder will be a issue

[Judge]

The very first aerotow I ever saw was a guy back east using a 33% Carden ( I think) Extra to tow scale gliders at Elmira, NY in 1997. He had the tow line attached on the top of the turtle deck at the rear of the canopy and put some flying wires (stiff music wire) between the vertical fin and stab to keep the line from fouling in the tail feathers.

Worked great.

And a final word to all would be aerotow Dudes. Make certain that BOTH the tow plane AND glider can release the line. In the event that the world goes bad it may be the only way to save the planes.

[rede2fly]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	And a final word to all would be aerotow Dudes. Make certain that BOTH the tow plane AND glider can release the line. In the event that the world goes bad it may be the only way to save the planes.

true dat