Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ucla-cs.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrba!cepu!ucla-cs!lmiller From: lmiller@ucla-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Re: Never Turn Back (nf) Message-ID: <1529@ucla-cs.ARPA> Date: Mon, 8-Oct-84 12:31:58 EDT Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.1529 Posted: Mon Oct 8 12:31:58 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 10-Oct-84 04:47:01 EDT References: <455@hogpc.UUCP> Organization: UCLA CS Dept. Lines: 17 A number of years ago in a 1-26 at El Mirage, in the California desert, I also experienced a low altitude release due to turbulence. At about 400', just after making a turn to cross wind, the rope released. It was very bumpy, with a stiff headwind. Turning back to the runway I now had a tail wind, and was perfectly lined up with the runway. But, surprise!, there was no way I was going to make it back to the airport! Fortunately, there's a dirt road that extends out from the runway, and I landed, uneventfully, on that. The tow plane also landed on the road, verified that all was o.k., and radioed for a trailer. Shortly we were back on the airport, with the glider taken apart and driven in. The moral, if there is one, is that even turning back to the runway doesn't guarantee an on-airport landing. L. Miller UCLA Computer Science Dept.