"Bert Willing" wrote in message ...
Nothing worse than an additional communication step between pilot and winch
driver. Did that for 10 years in Germany, happy to do it by radio ever since
I left Germany, hadn't had an interference from others on the same
frequencies for the last 13 years :-)



Agree, the way they often do it in Germany is useless. Glider having
to tell the guy at the phone what he's supposed to then tell the
winch. It's so simple if the winch has a radio.

Our winch has had a radio for decades. Even when we used to give the
lauch signals with a flag! About fifteen years ago we switched to
telephone to give the launching commands but as soon as the glider has
left the ground the guy at the phone says _nothing_ more. Then only
the glider pilot says either 'faster' or 'slower' over the radio.
Since we have the wire tension indicated to the winch driver these
commands have become very rare and so have cable breaks.