rope break
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December 31, 2020
You wouldn't believe it, but they can happen to you too! Occasionally I find myself too relaxed during my pre-takeoff checks, often because I have hundreds of hours under my belt in any given 12 month period, other times too because people are talking to me right up to hooking on the rope - this is not the time to be complacent! One needs to be positive & focused, if people are talking nearby you,
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June 13, 2019
Happy Fathers Day.
To celebrate Fathers Day, I want to share what I learned from my Father. He soloed in gliders at 15 and has accumulated a lot of hours since then. I bounced around with instructors before I soloed at 14, but I did my most of my power instructing with him in the family Cessna 180, and later in my Cessna 140 I rebuilt.
Smooth
Being smooth on the controls.
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March 02, 2017
You want to be surprised when the rope doesn't break. I use this same pessimistic attitude while slope soaring. Be surprised when things go your way. But this should be applied to the entire tow too. When you do your takeoff checklist you really want to be ready for it. Not just giving the checklist lip service. Be ready when it breaks and have a plan. Know where you are and where
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September 08, 2016
In a stressful or out of the ordinary situation you are going to do what you have been practicing and will probably use muscle memory. I will highlight a few of my pet peeves.
Get out of the glider in the order you bailout. Have you watched some pilots practice each time they climb out? They open the canopy, undo their belts, climb out and reach for the D ring. These pilots are serious about
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February 18, 2016
In the USA we have a tradition to use a weaker rope to meet FAR 91.309. Polypropylene is probably the most common. However in Europe a heavier duty rope is more common.
At the JWGC 2005 I borrowed a rope from the glider owner (each pilot was required to bring their own rope), it had to be close to a 1 inch diameter and about 110 ft long. We tied small streamers to it so it could be found