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Old 14th Dec 2016, 05:02
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India Four Two
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saigon SGN/VVTS
Posts: 6,625
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The article quotes the cause as a rope break, but to me it looks more like an upset (where the towed hang glider gets too high and pulls the tail of the tug up).

The pilot pulls back with both hands on the stick (1:30) shortly before the pitch down and then he pulls the release handle (1:33).

When I'm towing, my hand is on the release during the take-off roll and for the first few hundred feet, so I can react immediately. An upset can happen very quickly.

In a Scout, I let the throttle-friction take care of the throttle position, so that I can hold the release. In our 182, the release is a pull-handle, just above the throttle, so I keep my fingers on the release handle and my thumb on the end of the throttle.

In our club, the only time that two people are in a tow-plane is during check-outs.
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