Southport Sunday Display- Team Swift

[machineman9]

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable displays of the day. They set a new world record of 11 barrel rolls on the tug.













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Really impressive. I remember the display at Farnborough, but I think they improved on it for Southport indeed.

Cheers for looking.

[expat]

Nice set of pictures that get that dispaly across very well.

Matt

[FsNovice]

Nice set of display photos, just one small question: Is it just me, or does the leading aircraft in the final shot have rear view mirrors that i can see on the LHS from the cockpit to leading edge of the wing?

[machineman9]

Nice set of display photos, just one small question: Is it just me, or does the leading aircraft in the final shot have rear view mirrors that i can see on the LHS from the cockpit to leading edge of the wing?

I am pretty sure, yes. Might be because of the tugging and needing to see what's happening or some such thing.

Thanks both of you  :)

[Hagar]

Glad the weather was kind to you.

Nice set of display photos, just one small question: Is it just me, or does the leading aircraft in the final shot have rear view mirrors that i can see on the LHS from the cockpit to leading edge of the wing?

I am pretty sure, yes. Might be because of the tugging and needing to see what's happening or some such thing.

Thanks both of you  :)

All glider tugs in the UK are fitted with rear-view mirrors, or should be. Understandable if you think about it.

[machineman9]

Yeh it makes sense. I just wonder if the line has ever not been properly attached and the tub pilot didn't realise he was tugging anything. That could be a slightly costly mistake hehe.

[beaky]

Yeh it makes sense. I just wonder if the line has ever not been properly attached and the tub pilot didn't realise he was tugging anything. That could be a slightly costly mistake hehe.

It's happened to me, sort of... our club's towplane has a mirror, but often the sun can make it tricky to see what exactly is going on back there at the end of a 200-foot rope. The tow pilot has to watch the wing-walker's hand signals to take the slack out of the rope, then to stop because it's taut... then he has to get the "all clear" from the wing walker, then he wags his rudder and waits for the glider pilot (me) to wag back.

Well, a while back we were staged just a bit forward of where we usually are, and the new tow man rolled at idle to straighten the rope... and rolled... and rolled... next thing you know he's probably thinking "gee, I'm way down here- I must be dragging the glider already..." so he stops, and wags... but I don't wag back, because there's about 60 feet of slack lying in the grass. He cobs  it anyway, and as I sit there staring at it, Herb bangs the release just before the slack comes out- with the tow plane already doing about 30 kts!!  

Supposedly, "launching" that way, assuming the nose of the glider doesn't come off, will cause the glider to get airborne immediately and pop up- which is bad. Getting "high on tow" while the tow plane is still in ground effect can be disastrous, 'cuz it will lift the tail of the tow plane in the air.

But it was averted... and the best part was that the tow pilot didn't notice for quite some time that we were not behind him!!  :D

He'll never do that again, however, and he's recently "graduated" to become a very good tow pilot.


On a less amusing note, I have noticed that if you are careful what moment you pick (as the glider pilot) to release, it's possible to get off so smoothly that the tow pilot can't tell right away.

[machineman9]

That last point is a good reason why good communication is required. I suppose the glider banking to the right and tug to the left on release is a further reason? Even if the tug doesn't notice, then atleast the glider can get out of the way hopefully.

I presume in the brief they agree a release height or some such indication just to help reduce the possible chances of collision or other accidents. Well, and they have a radio to use too.

[Hagar]

That last point is a good reason why good communication is required. I suppose the glider banking to the right and tug to the left on release is a further reason? Even if the tug doesn't notice, then atleast the glider can get out of the way hopefully.

I presume in the brief they agree a release height or some such indication just to help reduce the possible chances of collision or other accidents. Well, and they have a radio to use too.

Team Swift is a professional display team with highly experienced pilots. Their display routine will be worked out down to the split second & cannot be compared with normal gliding activities. Guy Westgate who flies the glider is a former world aerobatic champion, an advanced aerobatic instructor and CAA Display Evaluator. As a matter of interest he is an instructor at our local gliding club at Parham & also flies the tug. In his spare time he flies 747-400s for BA.

The original display was even more impressive. Unfortunately they lost the Extra 300 tug in an accident on the way home from an air show early this season. I understand that the pilot is now fully recovered but his female passenger was more seriously hurt.  I believe this was the only Extra 300 in the world fitted with a towhook (& mirrors). You can see a few photos on their website. http://www.swiftteam.airshows.org.uk/pilots.html

[machineman9]

Yeh the amount of dedication that goes into those displays is fenominal. Must be great fun.


I do remember the Extra from Farnborough, I have a few photos of it somewhere. It's a shame about what happened to it though.

[Hagar]

I do remember the Extra from Farnborough, I have a few photos of it somewhere. It's a shame about what happened to it though.

Are you sure about that? The Extra crashed in May after the Southend air show. It was on its way home to Shoreham where it was based. I used to see it (or hear it) almost every day. Here's one of my photos of it. Note the mirrors (one on each side of the canopy) & the towhook. http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/da-IMG_5034shm.jpg

[machineman9]

Well this was Farnborough 2006....      ;D I forget how long ago my last airshow was.

[Hagar]

Well this was Farnborough 2006....      ;D I forget how long ago my last airshow was.

Ah OK. Time certainly flies.

PS. Where's those other pics? I'm waiting to see the Vulcan.

[Brando14100]

That last one is amazing. Great captures.

8-)

[BigTruck]

Terrific shots!!!