In the last photo you will note how much lower my C of G is compared to a prone pilot. This position feels like I'm sitting on a tall bar stool. My feel are just poking out of the harness in case I need to land in a hurry during the early phase of the tow. The tug pilots often tell me I'm easy to tow. I've been with 6 different tug pilots now and they all find towing me easy.
When I first towed I tried to stay laid back in supine, but I lacked lateral (roll) control and my feet tended to blow out of line. Sitting up in my harness has solved all those problems. When I release I stay upright until the prop wash and turbulence are past, then I simply settle back into supine and start flying.
And this is where things are much better than I first thought. So... Just how much performance am I giving up in supine. Is the extra drag killing me? Well... if you go by the comments I got throughout the week, you'd say I'm losing very little performance.
"Jerry I was gliding with you, you're not losing anything."
"Man, that set-up really works."
"Thanks for showing me the thermals, you're climbing really well."
I pretty much heard nice comments every day. Overall my score wasn't too good, but if I was in prone, it wouldn't have been better. I'm just not the best comp pilot. I think any good comp pilot flying in supine could do well.
One of the huge advantages is that there is no tiredness. By the end of the week you could hear many of the older pilots moaning about how tired and sore and they were. I'm sure I could fly every day and not get tired.
On three days I had some problems with (new) instruments, and on one day with one of my handles coming loose - forced me to land. On another day I was very much disadvantaged by being waved off tow 10km down wind of where (the winning pilots) others were towed. Tough ask in strong wind. I had a relight on 4 days and for 3 of them I was very late making a start. Two relights were due to my poor decisions, and one just plain bad luck - finding no lift all the way to the deck. My point isn't about excuses, it's that my results could have been so much better if I was a better pilot (not an old fart). Hence - I solidly believe that in the right hands, Supine is actually quite competitive. (You heard it here first folks!!)
Here are a few (competition) advantages:
- Great view of the sky ahead - clouds forming or decaying.
- Great view of pilots and birds ahead - finding thermals is easier. (Don't follow birds that aren't climbing)
- Better view in gaggles - safer, but a little scarier.
- Easy to read instruments in lap / adjust radios / etc.
- Plus all the other advantages of supine previously mentioned in earlier blogs.
My first tow on the practice day: oops!
