Gregg Ludwig <<email>> sends:

Results of a Benchmarking Study to Identify and Unify Best Practices in Scooter Tow Instruction for Hang Gliding

by

Tracy Tillman and Lisa Colletti (Cloud 9 Sport Aviation) October 2006

Contributors:

Dave Broyles (Kite Enterprises), Greg Berger (Venture Flight Hang Gliding), Pat Denevan (Mission Soaring Center) Rob Kells (Wills Wing), Dennis Pagen and Bill Bryden ("Towing Aloft"), Michael Roberston (High Perspective), Matt Taber (Lookout Mountain Flight Park), Steve Wendt (Blue Sky Hang Gliding), Mark Windscheimer (Airtime Above Hang Gliding), USHPA ("Part 104 Pilot Proficiency System"), and USHPA Committees (Towing, Safety and Training)

Hang 2 General Syllabus (Scooter Tow)

Approx.% Progress -- Skills

Start -- (USHPA Membership Application)

10% -- Setup, preflight, simulator, ground handling, free ground runs, tow ground runs.
20% -- Ground-skim, straight flight on uprights, slight correctional turns, foot landings.

Hang 1 -- (Beginner Written Exam and Rating Application)

30% -- Review of preflight skills, emergency simulation, transition to base tube and somewhat higher tows, foot and wheel landings.
40% -- Progression to much higher tows, speed control, slight turns, very gentle stalls.
50% -- High tows, 30, 45, 90, 180, 360 degree turns on glide.
60% -- High tows, box and s-turn patterns on glide.
70% -- Higher tows, V speeds, and gentle stalls on glide.
80% -- High tows in straight and cross winds.
90% -- High tows, introduction to convective turbulence and soaring techniques.
100% -- Accuracy landings.

Hang 2 -- (Novice Written Exam and Rating Application)

Hang One Training Outline (Scooter Tow) WW Condor 330 or 225 (or other suitable glider) recommended. A large, light, slow flying training glider is recommended. Model and size used depends on conditions and height of tow. Common examples include but are not limited to: WW Condor or Falcon, Northwing EZY, Aeros Target.

A. Pre-flying skills.

1. Set-up and preflight of glider, harness, and equipment.

2. Flight control and tow release simulation on base tube and uprights, hanging in glider or simulator.

3. Ground handling.

4. Free running the glider w/o harness. (proper: AOA, acceleration, wings level, flare to stop)

5. Free running with harness, pulling glider into the air with harness.

6. Pre-launch check of glider and equipment, hang check, etc. (HIERTow checklist--or other)

7. Review of verbal and visual commands. (Ready; Take up Slack; Go, Go, Go; Abort, Abort, Abort-or other)

8. Tow ground runs (slow, short, no-flight "dry run" tows, for practice of commands and good launch and flare technique)

B. Low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position. .

1. Straight, low and slow ground-skim foot launch tows, upright position, with gentle deceleration for slow run-on foot landing, no release.

2. Repeat straight, low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position, with quicker deceleration for quicker flare foot landings, no release.

3. Low and slow longer ground-skim tows, with a very slight turn off-center, then correctional turn back to center, then land, no release. (optional, depending upon site and equipment used)

4. Repeat low and slow ground-skim tows with off-center maneuvers, slowly increasing amount off-center, on each side of center, then back to center, no release. (optionall)

5. Straight, low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position, with release and flare landing.

6. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, with release and flare landing.

7. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, with release and extra speed prior to flare landing.

8. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, release, very slight turn off-center, then correctional turn back to center, then flare landing. (optional)

C. Pass Hang 1 written exam.

Hang Two Training Outline (Scooter Tow) WW Falcon (or other similar/suitable glider) recommended Training glider suitable for higher tows recommended

A. Transition to base tube and higher tows.

1. Review of pre-flying skills (see Hang 1) and emergency simulation (chute & hook knife use).

2. Transition to base tube while on low and slow ground-skim tow (optional, using Condor)

(a) Straight, low and slow ground-skim foot launch tows, upright position, momentarily moving one hand slightly lower then back up on upright, release and foot land.

(b) Repeat (a), using other hand, release and foot land.

(c) Repeat (a), moving one hand a bit lower on upright then back up, release and foot land.

(d) Repeat (c), using other hand, release and foot land.

(e) Repeat (d), moving one hand to base tube then back to upright, release and foot land.

(f) Repeat (e), using other hand, release and foot land.

(g) Repeat, moving both hands to base tube, then back to uprights, release and foot land.

(h) Repeat, keeping hands on base tube, no release, slow deceleration to belly/wheel land.

(i) Repeat (h), with slightly higher than ground skim tow, release, belly/wheel land.

(j) Repeat (g), with slightly higher than ground skim tow, release and foot land.

3. Normal foot-launched ground-skim tow and landing on uprights without release, to get used to smaller glider.

4. Normal foot-launched slightly higher ground-skim tow on uprights with release to flare land.

5. Some straight tows and flights on uprights, increasing acceleration and height with each tow, with release to foot land.

6. Transition to base tube while on glide.

(a) Higher tow, release, momentarily move one hand slightly lower then back up on upright while on glide, foot land.

(b) Repeat (a), using other hand, foot land.

(c) Repeat (a), moving one hand a bit lower on upright then back up, foot land.

(d) Repeat (c), using other hand, foot land.

(e) Repeat (d), moving one hand to base tube then back to upright, foot land.

(f) Repeat (e), using other hand, foot land.

(g) Repeat, moving both hands to base tube, then back to uprights, foot land.

(h) Repeat, keeping hands on base tube, belly/wheel land.

7. Cart or keel-assist wheel launch on base tube, release, belly/wheel landing on base tube. (optional)

B. High tows, slight turns, speed control, very gentle stalls.

1. Repeated straight tows on uprights, increasing acceleration and height with each tow to eventually achieve near maximum height tow, with release and straight glide to foot land.

2. High tow, release, stay on uprights, slight turn in one direction the other while on glide, foot land.

3. High tow, release, transition to base tube, slight turn and back, transition to uprights, foot land.

4. High tow, release, stay on uprights, increase speed to max glide then reduce to normal, foot land.

5. High tow, release, stay on uprights, decrease speed to min sink then increase to normal, foot land.

6. High tow, release, stay on uprights, decrease speed to very gentle stall, recover to normal speed, foot land.

7. Repeat #5, transition to base tube after release.

8. Repeat #6, transition to base tube after release.

9. Repeat #7, transition to base tube after release.

C. Turns.

1. Foot launch, with sufficient altitude after tow release, on uprights, turn 30 degrees left and right, then straight flight to land.

2. Repeat, with 45 degree turns left and right after release then straight flight to land.

3. Repeat, with 90 degree turns left and right after release then straight flight to land.

4. Repeat, with 180 turn left then right after release, then straight flight to land.

5. Repeat, with 360 turn left or right after release, then straight flight to land.

6. Repeat, with 360 turn left and right after release (if altitude permits), then straight flight to land.

7. Repeat #3-6 with transition to base tube after release, then transition to uprights and land.

D. Pattern tows.

1. High tow, turn crosswind for box pattern left or right, downwind, base, final, land.

2. Repeat box pattern in other direction.

3. High tow, turn crosswind, downwind, s-turns on base to lose altitude, final, land.

E. V Speeds and gentle stalls.

1. High tows for practice to achieve good speed control at various cardinal airspeeds on glide (most likely on downwind leg of box pattern), normal landing.

2. Repeat, with straight flight and very gentle stalls, normal landing.

3. Repeat, with straight flight and slightly more aggressive stalls, normal landing.

4. Repeat, with straight flight and aggressive stalls, normal landing. (optional)

F. Wind, gradient, mechanical turbulence.

1. Straight or pattern tows in smooth and light slightly cross winds.

2. Straight or pattern tows in smooth and somewhat stronger and more cross winds.

G. Introduction to thermal turbulence and soaring.

1. Straight or pattern tows in barely convective straight-in winds.

2. Straight or pattern tows in barely convective and slightly cross winds.

3. Straight or pattern tows in mildly convective straight-in winds. (optional)

4. Straight or pattern tows in mildly convective and somewhat greater cross winds. (optional)

5. Introduction to thermal soaring techniques after release. (optional)

H. Accuracy landing.

1. Three consecutive landings within 100 feet of spot.

I. Pass Hang 2 written exam.