Getting Back Into It

[nathan_c]

Wooo.

 

After an extended money lacking break, I am finally getting back into gliding. I have moved to flying with Boonah Gliding Club, and in the last few weeks have flown both the ASK21 and ASK 13, and also experienced a cable break this morning on my very first ever auto tow take off.

 

Hows that for getting back into it?

 

Cheers,

 

Nathan

 

 

[Guest Decca]

Hi Nathan. welcome to the forums.

 

Nothing like being prepared, huh?

 

Regards, Decca.

 

 

[nathan_c]

Haha yeah. Im not new btw, just havnt posted in a while

 

 

[Guest Decca]

I should have noticed. In fact the name looked familiar. Thanks for picking me up Nathan.

 

Decca.

 

 

[Tomo]

Onya mate! Great work... EFATO (basically) on your first one is definitely getting back into it:thumb_up:

 

 

[nathan_c]

Yeah it was awesome haha. While I technically wasnt in control (i was passenger), I was on the controls feeling what was done (being my first type of this tow of course), I got to keep the snapped piece of rope aswell =]

 

 

[Exadios]

Wooo. After an extended money lacking break, I am finally getting back into gliding. I have moved to flying with Boonah Gliding Club, and in the last few weeks have flown both the ASK21 and ASK 13, and also experienced a cable break this morning on my very first ever auto tow take off.

 

Hows that for getting back into it?

 

Cheers,

 

Nathan

So, what do you think of auto tow? I have never tried it.

 

 

[nathan_c]

Sorry for the late reply,

 

I thought the auto tow was amazing Exadios, at least for the 10 seconds that I got to experience it :P The climb angle while still keeping 65 knots was insane. Much much more exhilarating then aerotow.

 

 

[GaryH]

Reflex Launch - Auto Tow

 

After lots of Auto tow launches at RAAF Pearce, I had a Reflex Launch at Benalla. In this you sit in the glider, hook on, and smile at the launch car driver who sits 2 metres off your wing tip. The rope is laid out in front of you and loops back to the car. The car starts off accelerating to the appointed speed while you sit still and consider that this immobile state can not last forever. The rope is selected for its elasticity and breaking strain. As the slack is removed the car is doing its set launch speed, the rope is stretching, and still you sit immobile considering that this may not last forever. At the appointed elasticity/stretch combination the glider commences the most gentle movement quickly leading to rapid smooth acceleration and full flight in the shortest time for any launch I have ever had. Normal auto tow/winch launch consideration then prevail. On the whole it was the smoothest rapid curious flight launch experience I have had.

 

On the subject of Auto Tow/Winch training, I had an opportunity to prove how comprehensive it had been in my case. I was flying a Libelle on which, fat and happy in full climb at 300', when the wire broke. The training kicked in so comprehesively that my reaction of stick full forward to regain flying speed was so effective as to cause my two legs to rise up and smite the instrument panel much to their chagrin. :black_eye: