Not quite as exciting as winching since the power to weight ratio is
less but as effective if you have the room. Still, it's a heck of a lot
of fun! Definitely cheaper than a winch since somebody always has a
capable vehicle.

I've been on two ground launch safaris with my partner and our LS-6a.
We used his Jeep Grand Cherokee once and my Ford F-150 the other time.
We would take turns flying and driving (pulling the trailer) and every
flight was a straight out adventure. Everywhere we went we were well
received by airport management and never had problems with departing any
airport. Over 6-8 days we would fly a large circuit around the
southwest USA.

I'll be ground launching off of Roach Dry Lake south of Las Vegas, NV in
a couple of weeks during the LVVSA's twice annually ground launch
weekend. What a hoot!

Dan, 5J

On 10/4/2015 10:57 PM, Sean Fidler wrote:
I had an interesting conversation with a pal about auto-tow glider launching method recently. It seems academic really.

When cost is considered, auto-towing has to be far more affordable than even winching. Maybe $1.50 per tow, max? In aviation, the cost is always critical. Especially in gliding club environments. Aerotows are $30-50 per tow. Winches are extremely expensive to purchase, to maintain, and insure and require skilled operators.

Auto-tow procedure seems fairly simple. 1) Steady strong acceleration until the glider comes airborne, then 2) add 5mph and 3) hold that speed until you hear differently from the pilot. Of course, 4) stop at the end of the runway :-).

Why is auto-towing not a mainstream method of getting gliders airborne?

I saw auto-towing happen regularly at Hobbs this year (my first visit). It was quite graceful and almost exotic. To be honest, it looks even more fun than winching.

I am very interested in learning what you know, your thoughts and your opinions.

Sean
7T

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Dan, 5J