Idea: re Cockpit towline release lever

[Don Grillo]

Good idea Denny, I did about 15 tows on Saturday and a few on Sunday and I set the trim at about 4° nose up and just left it there. I never had to touch the trim wheel So I never came close to releasing the rope in flight. That seemed to work well too. But I think something needs to be done as you mentioned.

— Don 

On Aug 13, 2018, at 16:08, Sky Soaring <webmaster@skysoaring.com> wrote:

[Dennis Burke]

thanks Don, a good alternate idea!
Not messing with it, & leaving trim alone, may be good practice.!

Of course, today 8-13 is International Lefthanders Day (is me) , so im just
natural RH clumsy, ha

DB

[Don Grillo]

Last week when we did the annual inspection on the tow plane, we added a link to the tow rope release handle so there is now a longer pull to release the tow hook.  We also added a bungee to the handle to make it a little harder to pull the release.  This should help stop the pre mature release and loss of the tow rope.

Denny wrote:
An idea concerning the c182’s towline release. During tow-pilot training 8-11-18, its noticed that the release lever will trigger at a very short pull from its forward stop.  With small effort, the hook opens.  (& Lever very close to elevator trim, and a wrist-hit might trigger after the glider has gone.)

Maybe a short rubber bungee ( similar to glider battery bungee) could be rigged to keep lever forward,  against the stop?

Yes, ….some added pressure needed for the emergency release.

Maybe a short rubber bungee ( similar to glider battery bungee) could be rigged to keep lever forward,  against the stop?

Yes, ….some added pressure needed for the emergency release.

[Author]

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