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The thermal soaring interest group recently organized an activity on Saturday, 3 November, to fly their thermal sailplanes by using tow-plane in Nam Sang Wai, Yuen Long. A group of enthusiastic pilots participated in this event. A 4m sailplane was aero-towed by a heavy duty tow plane. Lift off was uneventful but while the two planes were on the way to gain attitude, they have started to develop some kinds of nasty swinging force and the two pilots were not able to coordinate to reduce this pendulum effect. Soon after the tow wire was broken and the sailplane had to take emergency landing. Lucky, no damage was received. In the second attempt to launch, similar problem persist and this time, they were not that lucky, the sailplane was force-landed into the river and sustained severe damage! The lesson they have learnt from this failure is valuable. Now they know; the tow wire must be long and the two pilots controlling the tow-plane and sailplane have to take coordinated move including turns and climb. |
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