Ouch! I failed to do what was necessary to get my student safely into the air today. On his 15th flight lesson, I gave him most of the launch responsibilities. With a rising right wing, we slid off the left side of the ramp into the bushes for a blown launch.
Fortunately the glider never got airborn and there were no injuries. The glider has a torn sail and broken down tube.
Clearly it was my mistake for giving him more than I should have. Conditions were pretty good, and perhaps that's what caused me to let my guard down and not do a better job guiding him.
It's time for a thorough review of my launch techniques as this could have been much worse.
Joe
Blown Tandem Launch Today
Blown Tandem Launch Today
Safety is a book, not a word
Michael Robertson
Michael Robertson
Shouldn't this post be in the Safety and Incidents in Flight section so Fred, our Safety Officer, can be aware and investigate this egregious error in judgement by an instructor?
That's twice in three years or so, Joe. You're bringing this club to its knees. Obviously, this is the reason for the steady decline in membership; not the corruption associated with the purchase of the loader and the flagrant misuse of funds for the pavilion.
Wait! That was my fault, huh?
Don't tell Rafferty or Busto, please. You're more congenial. I wouldn't want them to have to deal with me. It could get ugly.
you have know idea how hard it is to get this out after two bottle s of very goo d wine.
Glad you're OK and the stident is no worse for the eawr.
not using spell check either , Rome.
That's twice in three years or so, Joe. You're bringing this club to its knees. Obviously, this is the reason for the steady decline in membership; not the corruption associated with the purchase of the loader and the flagrant misuse of funds for the pavilion.
Wait! That was my fault, huh?
Don't tell Rafferty or Busto, please. You're more congenial. I wouldn't want them to have to deal with me. It could get ugly.
you have know idea how hard it is to get this out after two bottle s of very goo d wine.
Glad you're OK and the stident is no worse for the eawr.
not using spell check either , Rome.
Jim wrote:Shouldn't this post be in the Safety and Incidents in Flight section so Fred, our Safety Officer, can be aware and investigate this egregious error in judgement by an instructor?
That's twice in three years or so, Joe. You're bringing this club to its knees. Obviously, this is the reason for the steady decline in membership; not the corruption associated with the purchase of the loader and the flagrant misuse of funds for the pavilion.
Wait! That was my fault, huh?
Don't tell Rafferty or Busto, please. You're more congenial. I wouldn't want them to have to deal with me. It could get ugly.
you have know idea how hard it is to get this out after two bottle s of very goo d wine.
Glad you're OK and the stident is no worse for the eawr.
not using spell check either , Rome.
What?
-
Steve90266
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:05 pm
- Location: Manhattan Beach
- Contact:
Blown launch
Hey Joe, I'm glad you and the student are OK. Perhaps this should also be posted in the safety area of our forums, but putting it in the "General Discussion" section makes it even more conspicuous, since that's where most of us pilots go first to get the latest scuttlebut and entertaining quips. I commend you for your openness. We can only learn from one another.
I blew a launch at Kagel three years ago. Winds were gusting from 20-25 mph, and switchy. I approached launch with my trusty Falcon 3. Poor judgement (exceeding the performance envelope of the craft) cost me a leading edge and a down tube. It could have cost me much more.
This mishap goes to show that it can happen to even the best of us, and at any time. As you have always said "guard up" is the only way to approach launching and landing; like you're "going to war". We all need to keep this constantly in mind, as we pursue this great sport.
Thanks for posting.
I blew a launch at Kagel three years ago. Winds were gusting from 20-25 mph, and switchy. I approached launch with my trusty Falcon 3. Poor judgement (exceeding the performance envelope of the craft) cost me a leading edge and a down tube. It could have cost me much more.
This mishap goes to show that it can happen to even the best of us, and at any time. As you have always said "guard up" is the only way to approach launching and landing; like you're "going to war". We all need to keep this constantly in mind, as we pursue this great sport.
Thanks for posting.
Steve Murillo
World class Aussie pilot, Dave Seib blew his launch earlier today and was killed:
http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... tm&act=url
An acquaintance of mine from Ohio similarly blew his launch at Henson's Gap two years ago and ended up the same way. This happened not long after I debriefed him about a similar error that nearly caused him to crash at Crestline a few months earlier.
Each flight stands on its own and no credit or slack is given by gravity or weather for past successes. None.
http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... tm&act=url
An acquaintance of mine from Ohio similarly blew his launch at Henson's Gap two years ago and ended up the same way. This happened not long after I debriefed him about a similar error that nearly caused him to crash at Crestline a few months earlier.
Each flight stands on its own and no credit or slack is given by gravity or weather for past successes. None.
-
Steve90266
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:05 pm
- Location: Manhattan Beach
- Contact:
Blown launch
Jonathan, this is very well said. Thanks.
NMERider wrote: Each flight stands on its own and no credit or slack is given by gravity or weather for past successes. None.
Steve Murillo
-
Steve90266
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:05 pm
- Location: Manhattan Beach
- Contact:
Blown launch
I approached launch with a Falcon 3 in winds that were steady past 20 mph, switchy, and gusting to almost 30 mph at times. The safe envelope of this aircraft is probably around 18 mph straight in, with no switchy gusts.
Honestly, I was cocky and thought I could pull it off. So chalk it up to poor judgement.
Embarrassing, but I learned a valuable lesson and got off really easy.
Honestly, I was cocky and thought I could pull it off. So chalk it up to poor judgement.
Embarrassing, but I learned a valuable lesson and got off really easy.
Steve Murillo
Here's another very recent boner pulled off my an acquaintance of mine in Germany.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CuHdtdE5as[/youtube]
Here is his response to my comment...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CuHdtdE5as[/youtube]
Here is his response to my comment...
.. it was a 55km/h wind and an vertical cliff.. not the best idea, but i listened to a local Paraglider: over there it is fine...! - NOT-
Actually my first real accident... upright broke but nothing else.. downwind the outcome might by bitter...
The first thing he does is get into his harness and get on the base tube when he's not even moved forward and is instead going off to the sideNMERider wrote:Here's another very recent boner pulled off my an acquaintance of mine in Germany.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CuHdtdE5as[/youtube]
Here is his response to my comment..... it was a 55km/h wind and an vertical cliff.. not the best idea, but i listened to a local Paraglider: over there it is fine...! - NOT-
Actually my first real accident... upright broke but nothing else.. downwind the outcome might by bitter...
The wire help just let him go. I think the pop of her release was the beginning of the end.
Reminded me of this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV28AL0k1kY[/youtube]
Reminded me of this:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV28AL0k1kY[/youtube]
There's a Darwin Award in that girl's future.OP wrote:The wire help just let him go. I think the pop of her release was the beginning of the end.
Reminded me of this:.....
My buddy, Leo's fatal errors.
1 - he was a few feet too far back and should have been farther out into the airflow which would have helped to avoid the next error altogether.
2 - Although he started out with wings level and even with the cliff face, his right wing rises then moves forward into the lift while his left wing falls back into non-lifting air.
3 - He fails to get his nose wire helper to immediately drop his nose which would have allowed him to regain control over his roll, yaw and launch posture.
4 - Whether his nose wire was released or not he was already screwed. I doubt that the gal holding his nose wire could have prevented a ground loop on launch by this point.
another critical error
Uh, it just may be me, but I think he also failed to keep his hands low. As the glider lifted, his hands were too high, so he could not pull in on the right to reestablish control. Instead, he tried jumping to getting his hands on the base tube, and the nose popped up even more as a result. Just IMHO.
Jeff Bjorck
www.purepiano.com ~quiet music to calm the heart in a noisy world~
www.purepiano.com ~quiet music to calm the heart in a noisy world~
IMHO tandem launches should have (if possible) knowledgeable people on the side wires (at least the right wire if there is where the wind is approaching from in gusts) up to launch; this sounds almost identical to the very similar situation I was present at a few weeks ago. (right wing lifts on a tandem glider, both pilots and the glider end up to the left side of the launch ramp).
I realize this may not be easy to implement in some cases of course, but for myself, if I have any trouble keeping the wings level up to launch I prefer to have someone on the nose plus someone on right wing on launch (if gusty). Of course, sometimes I'm just a wimp like that and should be able to ground handle my glider better.
I realize this may not be easy to implement in some cases of course, but for myself, if I have any trouble keeping the wings level up to launch I prefer to have someone on the nose plus someone on right wing on launch (if gusty). Of course, sometimes I'm just a wimp like that and should be able to ground handle my glider better.