Off topic: Winch cable launch for airliners

Windy_Skies · March 30, 2024, 11:39pm

https://www.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1brjntw/a_startup_is_trying_to_tow_aircraft_to_cut_air/

As a glider pilot I can tell you, being on tow in bad weather is horrible. I am frequently at the limits of my controls just hoping the turbulence passes before I get to the outer limits of the tow box. If I go past a certain position behind the tow aircraft I am forced to release the tow rope or else I’ll be in “lockout”, only recoverable if the rope is released, or breaks. Weak-links are often installed in the rope system to prevent this. If the rope doesn’t break, the glider does, or the tow aircraft is pulled into a stall/spin.

Point is, towing in bad weather is very dangerous. Towing multiple gliders is possible but amplifies the instability of the system by mush more than 2X.

Here is an example of a tow pilot saving the day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wnnELRlopw Skip to about 5:50

The only way this could work is if the tow plane climbs steeply and quickly, then the cargo glider releases and flies the few hundred miles to the destination. Better if you can tow multiple gliders and they can each glide off to their destination. Otherwise it makes no sense.

In motorgliders we can do something similar. To maximize our range, we fly a “sawtooth” pattern. Meaning, we climb steeply with the motor on for 10 min or so, then shut off the motor and glide until we are back to our starting altitude. This is more efficient than just motoring straight ahead.

One problem with this might be weather. There would be quite a few days where this wouldn’t be safe, and people hate waiting for their stuff.

If we switch to an economy that emphasizes efficiency over timeliness, then maybe, but the low hanging fruit in this new economy would be sailing, not sailplanes.