" Terry, I have no idea why anybody thought you referred to other than an aerotow launch, nor why they could not understand that a single turn (180 degrees?) gets you parallel to, not in line with, the runway for a downwind landing.


Thank you for that condescending comment.It has a certain resonance that reminds me of the author of an accident report which began "during a low final turn, my left wing clipped standing corn".

Lets see then. Rope breaks around 200ft, you pull the cable release to jettison the attached rope, whilst recovering attitude and airspeed.

Assuming you are being towed straight ahead from the airfield, then a 180 (in the purest sense ) will result in you lining up parallel to the runway. However, during this "180" you will clearly see the runway thus you adjust the turn to line up with your intended landing area


The "180" is a metaphorical statement therefore as you state below.

Unless there is a cross wind which drifts you back in line , of course you need more than 180 degrees first, then an opposite turn to straighten up in line. What you wrote made perfect sense, as you said.

Is was the bit about a 180 "into wind" that confused my simple mind. This on the basis I have always launched into wind or a cross wind as the case may be.

Thank you, Terry, for your own reply though.:ok: