"Gary Emerson" <emerson_gary@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:UWB8k.4816$LG4.2438@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> How many more of those we need till we conclude that the rudder
>> waggle does NOT work?
>
> I think this is a reasonably valid point. There HAVE been a number of
> people who have misunderstood this signal.
>
> Perhaps something else would be better. The question is what signal
would
> be a good replacement. You could have fla****ng lights on the towplane,
> perhaps mounted just above the towhitch. The only thing is you'd
probably
> have to install two lights. Say one yellow and one red.
>
> Yellow means you've got a problem, but if you can get it fixed pretty
> quick we'll keep going. Red means get off now or I'm gonna dump you.
>
> If you don't have two signals, I'd bet that we'd still have people
> releasing when they didn't have to.
>
> As I think about it, it might be best if there was a single array of
high
> output LEDs. When both "colors" of the array are "on" then you have a
> single visible color that means "ok" (red and blue make green in
concept,
> but in emitted light that combination doesn't work). That way the
glider
> pilot can verify at the start that both signals "work" and they stay
"on"
> for the duration of the tow. If either the "warning" or "get off"
> switches are selected in the cockpit then only the corresponding "color"
> is then visible to the glider pilot. Perhaps with the "warning" being a
> steady signal and "get off" being a rapid flash to help with fast
> recognition and a sense of urgency.
>
> Other thoughts?
The tuggie should condiser if a signal is needed. If they are climbing in
spite of open spoilers the best option is to wait until the glider could
release and land safely before wagging the rudder. A premature rudder wag
may have caused some of these incidents.
I wouldn't neccessarilly say radio is the simplest option. If a pilot
can't
remember to close the spoilers, or notice that they are open, could he
operate a radio and fly a glider at the same time?
High brightness LED's are a really simple idea. Some tuggies could use
them
as turn signals.
Bill D
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