Steve Colman Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Some friends and I started experimenting in aero towing this summer using one of said friends old and battered Multiplex Mentor and an equally old and battered 1.5m glider that I have. At first it was somewhat wild and manic but after a few attempts we were getting there and having heaps of fun along the way. Then, my friend had a problem with his radio which curtailed his flying for a period. So, it was agreed that I would become "carer" of the Mentor and Tug pilot as I have an old DX6i via which the Mentor would be flown: I could still be towed aloft also as I now use a DX8. So, after a break with me preparing the Mentor with a cheapo Orange Rx we arrive at the present............this past weekend. We had a total of 11 tows with me as Tug pilot towing a friends Solius and each time we got a little better and more confident. It's also a good opportunity for others to be involved in the process as "towline technicians" etc. To sum up, we are thoroughly enjoying our little foray into aero towing and look forward to next summer when we have more opportunities to fly. So, for anyone who hasn't tried it, give aero towing a go, it adds a new experience to your hobby, is great fun and doesn't need any special, expensive kit to do so. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Been going to the aerotow meetings now for 2 years, absolutely great days out, well recommended, very laid back and friendly, we've built an electric tug for use at our field (well we are building the 2nd at the moment ). Couple of points on the 10 things 7) 400ft is the CAA limit for models over 7kg, below that there is no restriction, get a NOTAM and it will clear you to fly larger models at that location to greater heights, usually 1500ft plus. If you are at an aerotow meet it's usual for the tugs to have telemetry altimeter to let you know, but it's a good thing to have them on your glider as well. Note it's been clarified that the 7kg limit is not the combined limit for the tug/glider but the individual limit. 8) If you lose sight of your glider, shout quickly, many pairs of eyes are much better. There's an alternate set of aerotow rules from the scale glider guru Chris Williams here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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