Close call #1
Towing a glider in an Auster at Compton Abbas, bumpy day. In the mirror I could see that the glider was struggling to hold position. Get to 2000', feel the jerk of glider release. Look in the mirror - he's gone. Twist round in my seat to confirm. No glider. Close the throttle, drop the nose and bank left.
Another jerk! The glider's still attached! With the stick fully back I can't raise the nose so no point in throttling up - power will only accelerate us downwards. The combination sinks earthward while I think 'why doesn't he release?' I might have to release my end, but I'm reluctant to do that in case the cable wraps round the glider's controls or smashes its canopy. But now there's no other option. My hand starts to reach up to pull the release but then there's another jerk. He's away!
Later on I have a full and frank discussion with the glider instructor, who robustly questioned my competence and told me they couldn't release after I started my dive because of the tension in the cable. The second jerk was actually the cable breaking. My defence was that his station keeping was poor. We agreed to disagree about who was to blame.
Later the thought occurred to me - suppose I couldn't release my end and the cable didn't break . . .
Close call #2
VFR just below the base of the London TMA in a littl'n. Jetstream flashes past underneath right to left, not more than 50 feet below. Didn't see it until after it appeared left side. Comment from the missus in the RHS: 'Are they normally as close as that?'