Ian Johnston wrote:
I stand completely by what I wrote. Ten or so launches
to do
it reasonably well, twenty to be giving bang on, optimum
speed,
perfect height launches every time.

Define reasonable? If this is above safe climbing speed
and below max launch speed, and the winch driver can
hold steady within 2- 5 knots (on a windy day, through
a wind gradient) up the launch, I would call that reasonable,
in fact pretty good, all our winch drivers will achieve
this well within 10 launches, normally within 2.

Of course it's possible to do some sort of launch without
taking much
care over it. If you don't fly at a club which takes
winch driving
seriously you probably don't know how good it can be.

You are implying or inferring - wrongly, that our
winch drivers don't take care.

I didn't write 'crap launch' and I didn't mean 'crap'
launch.

Correct - you didn't, I apologise. I was generalising
with tongue in cheek.

In case you were wondering, I am a complete sod to
winch drivers when
I'm flying. I pull off for overspeeds without a second's
hesitation
I wasn't wondering.......
Hmmm that must be interesting and demoralising for
the winch driver, everytime you hit the wind gradient!
Or are you talking about the last third of the launch,
you didn't make it all that clear?

(many/most pilots just accept them: they shouldn't)
and I don't take
underspeeds either. I invariably refuse to pay for
aborted launches,
and when one winch driver told me I should have pulled
back (ten feet
in the air) to accelerate I formally complained to
his club's safety
officer about his competence and attitude.

Well Ian, hope you never give a 'cr*p (my words not
yours) launch and no one will ever pull off after one
of your polished launches, wouldn't want to put ideas
into your club members heads here I might actually
agree with your last point, especially if the WD was
serious.


If you are happy with those standards, fine.
Again you are inferring that I accept below standard,
complete launches and it isn't fine. My log book shows
over the last 6 months flying, I've had to signal 4
times, for sub standard launches, the WD made good
corrections, yesterday was one of those signals, mainly
because the WD was hot (prob dehydrated) and had been
on the winch for over 3 hours, without a break. He
did the next lau. with his exellent finesse, the one
after was by a new WD (unbeknown to me), who had watched
the lau. I noticed no difference, 1500' 52 - 54KTS
up the launch, yes...... I was happy to accept those
standards.

Maybe it takes your WD's 10 launches to get their eye
in, because they know its you on the other end instructing??


Dave