On 12/9/2021 12:32 PM, kinsell wrote:
> At Ely, Phil used the motor to find a halfway suitable landing spot, so he wasn't using
> the motor just for convenience. He was taking tows there to conserve battery power, so he
> didn't have the convenience of self-launching at any rate.
>
I talked to Phil yesterday about his Ely experiences. The following are a paraphrasing of
his remarks:
- "Suitable landing spot" is a place I can land the glider without injury, and the glider
can fly a task the next day. I always had a suitable spot in reach when I started the
motor, and when I chose to land. Never looked for or used a "halfway suitable landing
spot", and I don't know what that is.
- Before I land in a field, I inspect it from about 500' AGL, using the motor to maintain
altitude. At that height, it's easy to see rocks, fences, ruts, etc, and determine wind.
If it seems risky, I'll explore nearby until I find a suitable place. Still using the
motor, I'll position the glider to land in the field. At that point, I'll reduce power to
zero, but leave motor armed and the propeller spinning, so I can use it to abort the
landing if I see any problems. At 100' AGL, I'll stow the propeller and complete the landing.
- I always had the convenience of self-launching available when I was flying at Ely, and
would do so on a record day if the towplane was not available. The miniLAK self-launches
from Ely without problems, leaving enough charge to do a low save, abort a landing, or a
short retrieve.