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All things flight-related for Hang Glider and Paraglider pilots: flying plans, site info, weather, flight reports, etc. Newcomers always welcome!

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Tad Eareckson
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 8:50 am

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Post by Tad Eareckson »

So when you're locking out you just yell "Oh shit!" (which you'd be doing
anyway). Steve, you're a genius!
stevek
Posts: 450
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:01 am

Post by stevek »

glad to finally get the recognition I deserve.

Not sure where I am going with it -- stuff like this seems to me to be a solution in search of a problem. I aerotow a lot and have never had a bad experience (defined as an "I'm toast" experience). I guess I don't get it. Every time I end up more than a little out of whack -- "pop" and I am off. Not a question of releasing. I have thought "uh oh better release" only to feel the pressure building so rapidly that the next thought was "why bother". I understand that this is not everyone's experience but I can only conclude that they are using inappropriately heftly weak links. I also understand the reason why some comp pilots would choose to fly w/o a weak link. I have been in situations where I am thinking "please don't break, please". The gliders coming back, things are under control and "pop". #$%^$.
Paul Tjaden
Posts: 398
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:28 pm

Post by Paul Tjaden »

Interesting. I know that I am using the same weak link material as you and yet in the few times I thought it was REALLY getting out of hand, I have released before the weak link broke.

Maybe I'm just a bigger wimp and it takes less to scare me!

Paul
stevek
Posts: 450
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:01 am

Post by stevek »

That is very strange. You are about the same size as Tom McG and fly a pigspeed and I know (well, pretty sure) that Tom had to go to a heavier string because he couldn't get more than half way down the runway at Highland. And it wasn't because he was way out of line -- it would just break at the first big bump.

I have no explanation for these differences in experience. I doubt it has to do with wimpdom or perception. I think there is something here that we don't understand.



Paul Tjaden wrote:Interesting. I know that I am using the same weak link material as you and yet in the few times I thought it was REALLY getting out of hand, I have released before the weak link broke.

Maybe I'm just a bigger wimp and it takes less to scare me!

Paul
Paul Tjaden
Posts: 398
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:28 pm

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Post by Paul Tjaden »

Yeh, Your probably right. I bet it's just my incredibly smooth flying skills!!!
?
Actually, when I first started towing from the shoulders, I seemed to have several breaks that I attributed to the weak link being cut by the rather sharp internal part of the barrel release. I complained to Sunny about this and he told me he had?NOT had a similar problem. After that, I tried to seat the weak link really deeply so that it was almost down on the nylon part and that helped.
?
Since moving to FL I have gotten away from using two barrel releases. I tie the weak link directly to my short bridle and then loop[ it through the nylon attachment on my harness. Seems to be an area of disagreement between Quest and Highlands. Bob Lane says there is no way that the link won't break if you release, get a twist and need it to let go because you have doubled the pull on it. Sunny and Adam just say you ALWAYS need a secondary. I suspect Highlands method is ultimately safer but unintended low level releases aren't much fun either.
?
I noticed that Jim Lamb uses two barrel releases and NO weak link. He flies rigids and perhaps he feels that during a lock out situation the glider is still controllable with one hand so he could always release. Or perhaps he just never locks out?
?
Paul T.
brianvh
Posts: 1437
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 2:32 pm
Location: manhattan, New York

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Post by brianvh »

it could be the smoothness of corrections. Some people may move so
quickly to correct situations that the accelerations pop the link. Some
gliders are so skittish on tow that perhaps you have to react quicker and
hence jerk the link more.

Brian Vant-Hull
301-646-1149

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005, stevek wrote:

> That is very strange. You are about the same size as Tom McG and fly a pigspeed and I know (well, pretty sure) that Tom had to go to a heavier string because he couldn't get more than half way down the runway at Highland. And it wasn't because he was way out of line -- it would just break at the first big bump.
>
> I have no explanation for these differences in experience. I doubt it has to do with wimpdom or perception. I think there is something here that we don't understand.
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul Tjaden wrote:
> Interesting. I know that I am using the same weak link material as you and yet in the few times I thought it was REALLY getting out of hand, I have released before the weak link broke.
>
> Maybe I'm just a bigger wimp and it takes less to scare me!
>
> Paul
> (end of quote)
>
mcgowantk
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:30 pm

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Post by mcgowantk »

Yes, I do use a slightly heavier weaklink.? For me, it seems to work.? It still breaks when I needed it, but holds up as long as I don't get out of whack.? I tested it a number of times against the 135 pound stuff the flight parks use.? It it is at most 20% stronger in my estimation.
?
Tom

stevek <steven_kinsley@yahoo.com> wrote:
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That is very strange. You are about the same size as Tom McG and fly a pigspeed and I know (well, pretty sure) that Tom had to go to a heavier string because he couldn't get more than half way down the runway at Highland. And it wasn't because he was way out of line -- it would just break at the first big bump.

I have no explanation for these differences in experience. I doubt it has to do with wimpdom or perception. I think there is something here that we don't understand.




Paul Tjaden wrote: Interesting. I know that I am using the same weak link material as you and yet in the few times I thought it was REALLY getting out of hand, I have released before the weak link broke.

Maybe I'm just a bigger wimp and it takes less to scare me!

Paul



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