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Wazzup my homeboyz! Even though I have no official capacity as a tow pilot or safety officer (you need to see Farris for that) - I thought I would speak a little to those of us on the pointy end of the tow rope. I got a surprise reaction the other day when I mentioned that during the take-off roll and up to about 500', my hand is on the release handle rather than the throttle. The reason should be pretty obvious. If something starts to go wrong, the tow ends very quickly, and I don't have to waste precious nano-seconds huntin' for the handle, especially in its current location down on the floor. The SSF's Tow Pilot Course doesn't expand much on the topic - they say to be "very alert." So, I thought I would provide my technique and hopefully generate some discussion. Reminds me of a similar situation back in the good ole days of driving Hogs. Typically, we'd take off with 6 Mk-82 bombs and a couple of AGM-65 missiles. The weight for that ordnance was about 5,000# and the total takeoff weight of the jet was about 43,000#. If you lost an engine just after takeoff and still relatively slow, the jet could get sideways in a heartbeat, and we've had a few fatalities due to "loss of control" in that scenario. So, to lighten the load and reduce drag, you simply had to reach up and punch the "Stores Jettison" button located right in front of you on the armament control panel. Some of us put our finger near that button every time we took off with a heavy load. We made sure we didn't mistakenly hit it. Wouldn't want to send several live bombs/missiles bouncing down the runway for no reason! Actually, a jettison releases the bombs un-armed, so the chances of an explosion underneath you are pretty small. Towing is one hell of a dangerous operation, especially that first minute. The time it takes for the glider to put your nose into the ground is very short, and I want my hand on the release handle. I don't get complacent just because the guy behind me is experienced. If his canopy suddenly pops off or pops open, he may momentarily lose control while instinctively grabbing for it. Whatever. If the glider pulls the tail up, he gets cut loose. This is one of those things that we don't train for, and you can lose a lot of precious time while your brain is trying to process the "WTF is going on?" factor. If you aren't ready for it and haven't thought it out, the first time it happens could very well kill you. How will I know the glider is getting to high? Do I see it in the mirror? Not likely. The only way I can tell is how far back the stick is in relation to normal position, or how quickly I'm having to add back pressure to the stick. For example, if I get past about 3/4 aft stick in order to hold the nose up (tail down), I'll release. Take note next time you tow where the stick is in relation to your thigh (or other body parts) and set your own limit. I also have limits for rudder travel, and I'll err on the side of my own pink body. So - what if I sneeze and punch some one off accidentally or pre-maturely? Yeah - so what? Ain't like there'll be bombs bouncing down the runway! The glider pilot pumps HIS release handle, then maneuvers for a landing. I'll buy him a beer. That's one of the things I like a lot about operating with the Pawnee out of SCD. Plenty of options on a rope break. And plenty of beer. Oh - and another thing. If I have a major problem - e.g. engine failure - below 1000' - don't expect a wing rock - I'll lose too much time waiting for the glider to release. When I drop the rope that's a good signal for the glider to avoid me, release the rope, and go home. Buster
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