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8. AEROTOWING
WARNING
Special care must be taken in any form of towing. Due to the tail on the Combat it is
recommended to pick up a proper tow cart with a shallow groove in the keel support. It is not
recommended using a tow carts with V-shaped deep keel supports as they may damage the tail
on the glider during lift off the cart.
We recommend that the VG be set to 1/4 - 1/3 on prior to launch. This provides the best qualitative flight
characteristics for flying in formation with the tug at normal aerotow speeds.
Fix the excess VG rope on the control frame so it will not interfere with the construction of the cart during take off.
Make sure that all the harness ropes are hidden inside the harness and will not get tangled on the cart during take
off.
If possible, it is best to adjust the keel cradle on the cart to re-set the glider to the proper angle of attack. For Combat
gliders the best angle of the keel tube in relation to horizon is approx. 18 - 20 deg.
If it is not possible to re-adjust the cart, recognize the launch will be more demanding, and more dangerous, as the
glider will have an increased tendency to leave the cart at a lower speed, where lateral control is reduced, and the
tendency to come off the cart with one wing low is increased. To some degree, this can be compensated by pulling
forward through the control bar to position the base tube below your shoulders, and holding tight to the hold down
rope. This will cause the glider to raise the keel as it begins to develop enough lift to lift out of the cart. At that point,
and not before that point, you can release the rope and ease your weight aft to fly the glider off of the cart. Be
prepared to pull in once clear of the cart if necessary so as not to climb more quickly than the tug.
Once clear of the cart and in the position behind the tug, use firm lateral movements of short duration for roll and
directional control in order to stay in the position behind the tug. Do not move to one side of the bar and wait for the
glider to respond - this will lead to over control and being out of position, and may lead to roll / yaw oscillations. It is
better to "bump" the glider firmly in the direction of the desired correction and then return to center. If you need more
correction, bump again. In pitch, stay on top of the situation and be as aggressive as necessary to keep the tug on
the horizon.
9. USING THE VG SYSTEM
The Combat VG system uses a reduction system of pulleys between the central part of the crossbar and the hang
point tower channel to enable a wide VG range. The change in airframe nose angle from VG loose to tight is over 2
degrees. Tightening the VG increases the spanwise tension which the airframe places on the sail, reducing the
spanwise twist and the sail elasticity. The result is an increase in L/D performance and a reduction in roll control
authority and roll control response.
The VG is activated by pulling on the VG rope and then moving the rope to set the rope in the cleat. The
recommended procedure for increasing VG tension is to grasp the rope firmly at the cleat, and pull straight along the
basebar.
VG full loose is for maximizing roll control authority and roll rate.
Between VG full loose and VG one half, the glider retains good lateral control authority and response.
Tighter than VG one half, the glider's roll pressures increase significantly and the roll rate becomes significantly
slower. Tight VG settings are recommended for straight line gliding, or for flying in smoother conditions when well
clear of both the terrain and of other gliders. The stall characteristics of the Combat at tighter VG settings are more
abrupt and less forgiving. Full breaking stalls and accelerated stalls at tighter VG settings are not recommended.
10. USING THE MOVABLE HANG POINT SYSTEM
If your glider is equipped with the movable hang point system, refer to the Movable Hang Point System Manual for
correct operation.
11. LANDING THE COMBAT
Under ideal conditions, landing approaches are best done so as to include a long straight final into the wind at a
speed above best L/D speed. In a very limited field, or a field which slopes slightly downhill, when landing in light
wind, you may need to make your final approach at a slower speed, perhaps as slow as minimum sink, in order to be
able to land within the field.
In winds of less than 5 km/h (3 mph), if the landing area slopes down hill at more than 10:1, you should seriously
consider landing downwind and uphill; or crosswind, across the slope. Landing attempts, which require slow speed
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