What I do see is ropes, loops, wrappy stuff, two different release mechanisms, a possible third method for dumping everything and a pilot floundering (by comparison) for his first release.
Even if it's a bit clunky, it's a good basic concept. And once you have a good basic concept it's almost always pretty easy to clean things up and improve efficiency.
Steve Kinsley's initial version of the multi-string looked like something a third grader had whipped together between getting home and dinner - and he'd be the first to tell you that. But the concept was brilliant and it was a lark to reengineer it...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aerotowrelease/8305333309/
So much of a lark, in fact, that I reengineered it to the point that it wouldn't work...
http://www.kitestrings.org/post3241.html#p3241
... until deengineering it a bit.
Of all the release systems this is by far the most reliable solution (so far) with the longest track record and, despite the claims of a few w***errs with an agenda, chest crushing is not one of the attributes this release is known for.
It IS *KNOWN* for crushing chests. This is hang gliding and hang gliding is opinion based aviation and the fact that it DOESN'T actually crush chests is of very minimal importance.
However, the whole tow package must be considered and there is little that can substitute a correctly trained and on the ball winch-man.
When:
- whatever's going on with the glider can be fixed by giving it the rope
- using an appropriate weak link as the safety focal point of the system
- whatever bad happens to the glider is its own fault
- waivers have been signed and secured
just how much training does a winch-man need?
A correctly trained winch-man has the ability to ease the tension (or is it pressure, torque, load, spin or maybe squeeze) and often carry on with the tow at the first sign of trouble. This is nearly always a preferable method of tow control than a sudden and one way removable of all tension, even when initiated by the pilot.
This is why aerotowing is so dangerous - especially Rooney Link based aerotowing. Three tension settings:
- normal
- high and increasing
- off
often in that order.
A little bit of offset due to the tug's ability to maneuver to stay in front of the glider in some situations but that's a very little bit.
Paul Edwards situation would certainly have been improved with a mouth release, but so would it if he had had a decent ground crew not willing to launch him downwind with probably a tow hardly able to scrape him off the ground.
We need to look at the big picture. Yes, if you have competent people it both ends of the string doing their jobs properly the chances that a max capability release will ever pay for itself is something real close to zero. Steve Wendt has demonstrated that if you:
- tow on a huge, well groomed, flat putting green
- keep:
-- good control of the winch
-- a good eye on the conditions
you can do tens of thousands of student tows on the crappiest possible release equipment and never skin a knee (at least until all those scooter tow students you've acclimated to the crappiest possible release equipment start aerotowing in thermal conditions).
- But the same can be said with respect to helmets and parachutes.
- And even if you just have one Bob Buxton every twenty years you can justify a lot of extra two hundred dollar expenditures on release equipment.
Preventing crashes is always preferable to trying to improve them!
Especially when the outcome of a crash will almost certainly include a crushed chest.
So, I'm not convinced the trade-off is worth it, but would be delighted to be proven wrong.
I think the only major trade-off would be for someone who already owns a Koch two stage. I think this Russian two stage can be produced a lot cheaper and you should be able to blow a good first stage with no more difficulty than with a proper aerotow barrel release.