Just this past Sunday I had a glider's spoilers open on tow just after
takeoff. ASW-19, behind the Pawnee I was flying, in Illinois, so not
a real problem - and easily solved with a quick radio call.
I'm a big fan of radios - and try to make radio contact with every
glider I tow before takeoff. When I fly club ****ps that aren't radio
equipped, I have my handheld clipped to my harness, with a hand
speaker-mike at hand, and try to establish contact with the tow pilot
before launching.
Easy, quick, safe.
That being said - we still need the standard signals as backups, and
everybody (on both ends of the string) need to think about them. Good
flight review material. Along with proper use of radios!
I confess, I had the spoiler problem solved by radio before I even
thought of the proper rudder waggle signal! Probably a good thing,
since we were at 500' at the time, and the glider's stick actuator was
a bit rushed at the time (second flight on type, I think).
Kirk
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