5.18 .. CP Runway Design. A transport plane takes off from a level landing field with two gliders in tow, one behind the other. The mass of each glider is 700 kg, and the total resistance (air drag plus friction with the runway) on each may be assumed constant and equal to 2500 N. The tension in the towrope between the trans- port plane and the first glider is not to exceed 12,000 N. (a) If a speed of

 5.18  .. CP  Runway Design.    A transport plane takes off from a level landing field with two gliders in tow, one behind the other. The mass of each glider is 700 kg, and the total resistance (air drag plus friction with the runway) on each may be assumed constant and equal to 2500 N. The tension in the towrope between the trans- port plane and the first glider is not to exceed 12,000 N. (a) If a speed of 40 m/s is required for takeoff, what minimum length of runway is needed? (b) What is the tension in the towrope between the two gliders while they are accelerating for the takeoff?