UL-Schlepp, die Lösung für Flachlandgleitis???
Dank Dietrich Schröder auf The Oz Report gefunden:
Aerotowing a paraglider
On Tuesday we had what we think is the first “successful” aerotow of a paraglider behind a Moyes-Bailey Dragonfly. Bob Bailey was able to tow David Prentice to 250’ before Dave took too much of an inside track as Bobby circled and Bobby gave him the rope.
The mechanism was a long line of spectra and a small set of metal cylinders that connected to the normal line on the back of the Dragonfly. The spectra was wrapped around the cylinders in just a way at to allow the spectra line to slide through them but with a significant amount of drag.
One portion of the line was about 200’ long and went to the weak link that connected to Dave at the paraglider. The other portion of the line was about 600’ to 800’ long and was laid out on the runway.
Bobby was given the wind up signal and started down the runway. Dave resisted, brought the paraglider up and then ran behind the Dragonfly as the spectra paid out toward him reducing the speed that he had to run and the tension on him.
The spectra line continued to payout as Bobby and Dave climbed out. Then at a reasonable height Bobby began circling the tug and the idea was that Dave would circle to the inside of the tug’s circle thereby flying slower while still connected to the tug.
Dave took a track that was a little too much inside, got out of whack and Bobby gave him the rope and the drag device.
The rope melted as expected in later experiments that evening. Perhaps they will try again with a different drag device. The trick is to get just the right amount of drag that lets the paraglider get towed without breaking the weaklink, but doesn’t create so much friction that the heat gets to be so much that it melts the spectra.
Gruß Markus
Aerotowing a paraglider
On Tuesday we had what we think is the first “successful” aerotow of a paraglider behind a Moyes-Bailey Dragonfly. Bob Bailey was able to tow David Prentice to 250’ before Dave took too much of an inside track as Bobby circled and Bobby gave him the rope.
The mechanism was a long line of spectra and a small set of metal cylinders that connected to the normal line on the back of the Dragonfly. The spectra was wrapped around the cylinders in just a way at to allow the spectra line to slide through them but with a significant amount of drag.
One portion of the line was about 200’ long and went to the weak link that connected to Dave at the paraglider. The other portion of the line was about 600’ to 800’ long and was laid out on the runway.
Bobby was given the wind up signal and started down the runway. Dave resisted, brought the paraglider up and then ran behind the Dragonfly as the spectra paid out toward him reducing the speed that he had to run and the tension on him.
The spectra line continued to payout as Bobby and Dave climbed out. Then at a reasonable height Bobby began circling the tug and the idea was that Dave would circle to the inside of the tug’s circle thereby flying slower while still connected to the tug.
Dave took a track that was a little too much inside, got out of whack and Bobby gave him the rope and the drag device.
The rope melted as expected in later experiments that evening. Perhaps they will try again with a different drag device. The trick is to get just the right amount of drag that lets the paraglider get towed without breaking the weaklink, but doesn’t create so much friction that the heat gets to be so much that it melts the spectra.
Gruß Markus
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