UltraFlight Magazine

July  2002

By  Eric Dufour
 

Towing to learn

PPG training

 
There are many aspects in teaching PPG and towing is one of them.  It is efficient and safe, when performed by a skilled tow operator.  Towing can be fun for the student, who can learn faster about landing and take-off technique, or touch and go, without having to worry about the extra weight of the engine on his shoulders while he is practicing.

 
Nevertheless, towing is a serious matter and should be practiced by a qualified tow operator.  The prospective tow operator should also be a PPG pilot, to know what it feels like to be towed.  This way and with good training, over towing, lock out and line breaks will be reduced to a minimum. 

How do we become a skilled tow operator?  By learning to tow in a school, under the direct supervision of another experienced tow operator who preferably, should be a good instructor, towing real students (with real reactions in real life towing situations).  It takes a little time to learn towing but it is worth it.

After taking a clinic on towing - a few days can be enough - you will still need to practice and if you don't practice, you do not get the skills as quickly.  You need to tow a lot to become good at it and you need to do it first with pilots, who know how to react to in any event (change of heading, etc.). 
 

Student successfully tow launched and in the air.
Once you have some training with pilots or the instructor, you start taking people up and realize they react differently and unpredictably than pilots do.  I have trained a few pilots how to tow successfully and took the risk of being the first one towed by them.  With the proper technique, normal weather condition and the right equipment, it can be done safely. 
 

The tow winch setup.
Good books have been written on this subject, but it is difficult to learn how to tow by just reading about it.  You need hands on training with a good tow operator and once you get the knowledge and skills, you can go ahead and tow safely.  An attestation for towing can be given to the instructor who spends the time to learn with a knowledgeable person.

In my opinion, the safest way to tow is with the return pulley, with your student near you for take-off.  Everything is simpler for giving direction, since right is on your right and left the same.  You are close enough to talk to your student and change the glider position at the last minute if needed because of wind, etc.  You are also faster to react on a bad inflation or take-off.  A wind sock at the other end, where the pulley is, is a good heading for your student. 

The pulley should be as strong and smooth as possible and use bearings to minimize the risk of premature wear and jamming under pressure and should have a clean surface to keep the line rolling with as little friction as possible.
 
Straight line towing can also be done with an experienced pilot as the passenger, as the tow operator is far from the pilot. 

Pay out towing is also used to gain lots of altitude from a moving truck or boat.  Although more technical, this kind of towing can be done safely, again with the right team and equipment.  It is not as efficient to teach PPG, as it requires more people to operate, but it is very good for PG to gain lots of altitude. 

 
Hand towing is the simplest and safest way to tow, but should be done with some good basic knowledge, as in strong wind, this exercise has also hurt students.
 
NEVER tow behind a vehicle, car, ATV, etc., as it is extremely dangerous and unfortunately, in some cases, fatal if not performed by highly skilled people.  In most of the case, it is a straight ticket to the hospital.
 

Eric Dufour standing next to his towing set-up, talking to a student in the air. 

A student getting ready for his tow launch.

 

You need a nice open field, clear of high trees or other building(s) and obstacle(s).  I favor many short low tows, instead of high ones for teaching PPG.  This way, more tows (take-offs and landings) can be achieved and the students do not fear height and builds up his (her) confidence level faster.  Towing is to teach how to take-off and land, more than teaching to fly.  Once in the air with the motor, flying can be taught under radio supervision.


The best user friendly towing equipment I have seen so far are the scooters Honda or Yamaha 150cc to 250cc.  No need for more power, unless you would like to tow tandem, although the 250cc Honda Elite will bring two people up with a nice head wind.

Towing with a good release system is important.  Some of the systems available now work well, but I personally prefer the release bar.  This little bar can release if you happen to fall on take-off and eliminate the risk of being dragged on the ground by the tow operator, if he doesn't react fast enough to stop.  It has also been used safely for years with hang gliders. 
 
The rope used is generally made of Spectra, which does not stretch and has in some cases over 1000 pounds breaking pressure.  Any other lines that stretch are not recommended.  Some like to use a fuse or breaking weak link line to avoid over towing, which is also a personal choice by the instructor.  I personally don't.

Right and below:  Towing unit mounted on the back of a pickup.
  

Students must always wear a helmet and a good pair of boots with ankle protection, as well as the use of a good paragliding harness.  Although some like to use a harness with a back protection for the students.  This is debatable, as this PG type of harness has proven to be good in certain cases and bad in other ones, if the student falls.  This is a personal choice by the instructor, but the conditions and the techniques used for towing with the equipment will determine the safety.  

Towing is safe, but also can be dangerous.  The student reactions are sometimes unpredictable and a good tow operator will most of the time react fast enough to minimize the risks of accident, but the contrary is also true.  Even with the best skills, the tow operator may not always save a situation. 

 

A hook knife and/or a guillotine are a must on the tow machine to cut the line in case of emergency.  I favor the use of two radios for the student and the instructor, in case of a radio failure.  The two radios on the instructor should be on, so you can hear that you are actually transmitting to your students without problem.

Since there are not very many experienced tow operators, we could come to the conclusion that towing is not easy.  I said not easy, I did not say unsafe.  If more instructors would take the time to learn how to tow properly, there would be more towing operators and this teaching method would be safe and enjoyable, which is not always the case.  Learning how to tow is like learning how to fly.  You need to spend the time to learn right.  Some instructors prefer not to tow and this is a personal choice, but I am sure with a good training on towing, they would enjoy towing like the student enjoys being towed.  

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