J3 cub pilot reports taking off and discovering that a tow plane and glider are taking off opposite ...

Attributes
ACN	1118883
Time
Date	201309
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	N57.Airport
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-25 Pawnee
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 2.3 Flight Crew Total 615.5 Flight Crew Type 155
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 0 Vertical 250

Narrative:

Runways 6-24. Field has unicom only. My aircraft is not radio equipped. Winds had favored runway 6 all day and traffic had been using this direction. Glider club; however; had set up to use 24; which is more convenient for them; although there was a tailwind of approx 5-6 KTS. As I taxied to runway 6; I noticed that the glider and tug were off to the side and not yet ready to tow. (Runway 6 is the far end of the airport.) following run-up; I cleared as usual and noted that the tug and glider at the far end still appeared to be stationary on the grass beside the paved runway. As I became airborne; however; I found that they were also taking off. At this point; an abort was not feasible. I kept my aircraft low and passed under them. I am not sure they ever saw me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: J3 Cub pilot reports taking off and discovering that a tow plane and glider are taking off opposite direction. The reporter who has no radio passes under the aircraft. The takeoff had been initiated believing that the glider and tow was not ready to go.

Narrative: Runways 6-24. Field has UNICOM only. My aircraft is not radio equipped. Winds had favored Runway 6 all day and traffic had been using this direction. Glider club; however; had set up to use 24; which is more convenient for them; although there was a tailwind of approx 5-6 KTS. As I taxied to Runway 6; I noticed that the glider and tug were off to the side and not yet ready to tow. (Runway 6 is the far end of the airport.) Following run-up; I cleared as usual and noted that the tug and glider at the far end still appeared to be stationary on the grass beside the paved runway. As I became airborne; however; I found that they were also taking off. At this point; an abort was not feasible. I kept my aircraft low and passed under them. I am not sure they ever saw me.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

J3 cub pilot reports taking off and discovering that a tow plane and glider are taking off opposite direction. The reporter who has no radio passes under the aircraft. The takeoff had been initiated believing that the glider and tow was not ready to go.