Baby Bear, how close to the threshold can one be when turning final and still have plenty of time to put it down safely?
Answer: abeam the threshold! - but then that's flying a glider tug....
I thought I was pretty slick flying my Supercub at Weston on the Green for a Junior Nationals Gliding Competition, but those RAF chaps in their Supermonks kept cutting in front of me@£$%^^! !
Most fun of all - was a Junior Nationals again, this time at Bidford, which is VERY SMALL - with double decker busses crossing the approach line on the county road, to say nothing of telephone wires - and on climbout, a hill, complete with trees, and a farmer who actually threatened to use his shotgun on low flying aircraft....
The tugs included the following: Pawnee 235, Two 180 hp Robins, a 180 hp Super Cub, my 150 Super Cub, and a TIGER MOTH! We took off in order of performance, and by the time we were downwind again for the next glider, it was a proper scrum. But the Tugmaster on the radio kept us in order, it wasn't nearly as hairy as dodging Chippies at Weston.
Foxmoth, me old son, (I'm probably old enuf to be your Granny), not every ex military instructor is as kind and sweet as I am sure you are! The few I have flown with in the States tended to be a bit rigid....