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Banner Towing
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:46 pm
by WhiteEagle
Is it possible to tow a banner behind a Microlight? A modification on the propeller hub maybe? I've seen a vidoe clip of microlights towing hangliders and then the glider releases the towing rope. Any ideas?
Re: Banner Towing
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:00 pm
by Barberton Sparkie
Not even with a 220HP behind my back will I try and pull a glider into the air. That rope is tooooooooo close to the prop.
The guys that do the "Snake formation" use a steel wire through the centre hole of the hub where the wire is fastened to the engine bolts. Saw it at Marble Hall Fly In a few years back.
Do not know what their names were, but try and make contact with them - snake formation flyers.
Still very risky!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rather leave it for the chopper guys.

Re: Banner Towing
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 7:54 am
by WhiteEagle
Thanks Barberton Sparkie. Found nothing on the snake formation flyers but found this:
http://www.hanggliding.co.za/page8.html If I am not mistaken, there was a thread somewhere by Bundy regarding kloot piloot giving a workshop on flying this kind of weather. If you see the weather these ML Pilots must endure when it's hangliding time, not for me thank you, looks like a tornado brewing in the background. So its being done here in SA, but concur, not ideal for the pusher prop setup. We did the banner setup while flying Powered Paragliders, much easier, but sold my PPG due to knee(fitness) problems

Still have a couple of props with more or less only the hub left as evidance (We had to train through youtube

) We Namibians did it GangNAM Style!
Re: Banner Towing
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:10 am
by Dish
There is a guy who tows hanggliders out of Faap (aviators paradise) near brits.... also uses a 30cm cable off the back off the prop... interesting to see his final approach because with 50 metres of wire behind him he needs to keep that above the trees... nice guy and a great pilot//
for the snake formation team, try and get hold of Oddball on this forum... names Jay Hyde - also a lekker oke. Sorry dont have his number