During my initial powered training in 1973, (I'd already soloed in a glider by then), the airfield had gliders and SEP operating together. Both landed on the same runway. Left of the centreline was for powered aircraft, the right side was for gliders.
The only incident I recall was when the "non-radio" tug pilot (a known ageing cowboy who limped badly, walked with a stick and wore bottle bottom glasses), "joined" the powered circuit unannounced by converging with the downwind leg , complete with tow cable and cut right in front of myself and my instructor. The end of the cable passed a few metres ahead of our prop.
My instructor got out after we landed. I was sent off for some solo circuits. As I took off, my instructor marched across to the tug pilot and apparently had him by his lapels!
I've just realised that was 38 years ago. The airfield is no more and is now just another housing estate. The aircraft was deregistered over two decades ago and the instructor took his final flight from earth even before that.
