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once the descent has started to the gliderport/airport. The glider pilot needs to use spoilers/dive brakes to maintain the low tow position and to avoid overtaking the towplane. The tow pilot should plan the approach to avoid obstacles. The approach should be shallow enough for the glider to touch down first. The glider pilot should use the spoilers/ dive brakes to stay on the runway, and use the wheel brake as necessary to avoid overtaking the towplane. Excessive use of the glider wheel brake may result in a hard landing for the towplane because the towline could slow the towplane below flying speed. Another valid method would be to stay on tow until well within gliding distance of the airport and then breaking the towline. The best experience to date suggests the procedure to break the towline would be by climbing above and diving down to develop slackline, then fully extending the dive brakes and/or spoilers to set up the overload condition as the towplane begins to accelerate without the load of the glider and the glider is decelerating due to the increase in drag. Once the towline breaks, the glider lands using the procedures of having the line attached, in case the line did not break at the gliders weak link. 

Environmental factors for terminating the tow include encountering clouds, mountain rotors (area of turbulence created by wind and mountainous terrain), or restricted visibility. Any of these factors may require the glider pilot to release from the aerotow. During the aerotow, each pilot is responsible for avoiding situations that would place the other pilot at risk. 

For the towplane pilot, examples of pilot error include deliberately starting the takeoff before the glider pilot has signaled the glider is ready for launch, using steep banks during the aerotow without prior consent of the glider pilot, or frivolous use of aerotow signals, such as “release immediately!” For the glider pilot, examples of pilot error 

include rising high above the towplane during takeoff and climb or leaving air brakes open during takeoff and climb. 

The glider pilot may choose to deliberately terminate the tow/launch anytime it may appear to be a safer course of action. For example, the pilot discovers control binding once air pressure builds on the surfaces, releasing the towline is the better alternative than getting too high to stop and too low to bailout. 

## Towing Failures 

Premature terminations of the tow have been a leading cause of glider accidents and incidents according to the Soaring Safety Foundation. Towing failure incidents related to rope breaks are not as common as other distractions in the glider cockpit. Extension of spoilers/dive brakes, unlocked canopies, and other distractions are major causes of the tow failure incidents leading to a towline break. Prevention is achieved with the proper use checklists and proper prelaunch discipline. There are five planning situations regarding in- motion towline breaks, uncommanded release, or power loss of the towplane and are listed below. While the best course of action depends on many variables, such as runway length, airport environment, density altitude, and wind, all tow failures or emergency release have one thing in common: the need to maintain control of the glider. Two possibilities are stalling the glider or dragging a wingtip on the ground during a low altitude turn. 

On takeoff, all towplanes may plan to drift downwind if there is a wind present. If there is no wind or traffic, then the tow pilot should select an area on the take path/profile that has the fewest obstacles for both the towplane and glider. The tow pilot should plan to drift in that direction. This downwind drift does a few things for the glider pilot, the most important of which is that it ensures the glider has maneuverability if a 

