Total BS. No one does it in civilized countries (Europe), and it is potentially dangerous (and what is showed in the video, is VERY DANGEROUS, with the tow plane way below the acceptable position), because you have to take high position where you might pull the tail of the tow plane, and the benefits are nil. In fact, if you get into position as shown in the video, you would flunk your SPL test, and all normal instructors would immediately perform a release...
The portion you cite is in the errors section for a reason. “Pulling the tail off the towplane” is not a threat, though jeopardizing the tow pilot’s pitch authority is.
@@BillPalmer I never meant that you would physically pull out the tail. By pulling on the tail, you would point the nose of the tow plane towards the ground, and the tow pilot will not have enough authority to correct it, that would create more tension on the tow rope to a point where it may not be possible to release due to extreme forces needed. Basically, the tow plane goes down, the glider continues forward, most probably the rope will pull out the release mechanism "with meat" from the glider (unless there is weak link in the rope, a special device limiting maximum tension, after which it should break), and if there is not enough altitude (at least 200-250 meters), the tow plane will crash and pilot will get killed.
@@BillPalmer This not to be alarmist, but it happened before. In our club in France, it happened to our glider, where release mechanism was torn out. And there were cases where tow pilots got killed.. Any position of the tow plane below horizon "by two tails" (where you can not see it from the glider) requires IMMEDIATE release. What I see at 1:32 is hairraising - the glider pilot can not see the tow plane which is some 25 meters below. What you presented in your video indeed may result in slightly lower tension at the moment of release. However, it is extremely unsafe practice because you have intentionally to put the glider in a high position way beyond safe position. I am sorry but I insist that this is very misleading idea. A small detail, the tow planes in the video are rather heavy agricultural sprayers which can tolerate some abuse on the tail, but you do this with a smaller plane, like DR400 and you definitively will have a major situation.
@@michailbelov6703 please refer to the three examples of the proper way to perform the soft release - where the glider is only slightly high on tow. . The high position example was clearly presented as what to NOT do (nor was it intentional at the time), and agree that anytime sight of the towplane is lost an immediate release is essential. The soft release is obviously not a low altitude technique.
Interesting technique. I have never seen that
Bonus is ,you get a bit higher of a tow that you don't get charged for !😏
At 3 cents per foot that could really add up
@@BillPalmer That's 4 cents Canadian.!
Total BS. No one does it in civilized countries (Europe), and it is potentially dangerous (and what is showed in the video, is VERY DANGEROUS, with the tow plane way below the acceptable position), because you have to take high position where you might pull the tail of the tow plane, and the benefits are nil. In fact, if you get into position as shown in the video, you would flunk your SPL test, and all normal instructors would immediately perform a release...
The portion you cite is in the errors section for a reason.
“Pulling the tail off the towplane” is not a threat, though jeopardizing the tow pilot’s pitch authority is.
@@BillPalmer I never meant that you would physically pull out the tail. By pulling on the tail, you would point the nose of the tow plane towards the ground, and the tow pilot will not have enough authority to correct it, that would create more tension on the tow rope to a point where it may not be possible to release due to extreme forces needed. Basically, the tow plane goes down, the glider continues forward, most probably the rope will pull out the release mechanism "with meat" from the glider (unless there is weak link in the rope, a special device limiting maximum tension, after which it should break), and if there is not enough altitude (at least 200-250 meters), the tow plane will crash and pilot will get killed.
@@BillPalmer This not to be alarmist, but it happened before. In our club in France, it happened to our glider, where release mechanism was torn out. And there were cases where tow pilots got killed.. Any position of the tow plane below horizon "by two tails" (where you can not see it from the glider) requires IMMEDIATE release. What I see at 1:32 is hairraising - the glider pilot can not see the tow plane which is some 25 meters below. What you presented in your video indeed may result in slightly lower tension at the moment of release. However, it is extremely unsafe practice because you have intentionally to put the glider in a high position way beyond safe position. I am sorry but I insist that this is very misleading idea. A small detail, the tow planes in the video are rather heavy agricultural sprayers which can tolerate some abuse on the tail, but you do this with a smaller plane, like DR400 and you definitively will have a major situation.
@@michailbelov6703 please refer to the three examples of the proper way to perform the soft release - where the glider is only slightly high on tow. . The high position example was clearly presented as what to NOT do (nor was it intentional at the time), and agree that anytime sight of the towplane is lost an immediate release is essential.
The soft release is obviously not a low altitude technique.