If you go back far enough the stop light was a red light, this was fine
until it was remembered that there is no requirement for colour blindness
testing for glider pilots, let alone winch drivers. The only real problem
with lights only is the confusion between a long dash and the stop signal.

Without doubt the most efficient and safe way is voice radio backed up by
a STOP light. Clarity with no ambiguity




At 06:15 12 April 2009, Derek Copeland wrote:
If you have a winch run that is long enough (1km+) to give decent high
launches, then bats are very difficult to see from the winch, unless
they
are so big as to be unwieldy and difficult to handle in any sort of
wind.
Also the winch driver will not be able to see them if you launch over a
hump, which we do on one of the runs at our airfield.

I agree that light signals should be automated so the winch driver can
easily distinguish between 'take up slack' (slow flashes) and 'all
out' (faster flashes). My club did this years ago. Also we have two
lights, so that a stop signal is unlikely to be compromised by a single
bulb failure.

Derek C

At 20:48 11 April 2009, The Real Doctor wrote:
On 9 Apr, 16:15, Nyal Williams wrote:

What have you heard? =A0Anyone have any comments to offer?

As well as the spoken and light commands I have used

single bat: bottom quadrant sweeps =3D "take up slack", top quadrant
=3D
"all out", held above head =3D "stop"

double bat: same, with scissoring movements below and above for the
first two

no bat: rock wings =3D "take up slack", hold level =3D "all out"

As a winch driver I detest lights unless automated, because the
quality of signalling is dreadfully variable, particularly when people
forget the time lag in an incandescent bulb. I'd ban all light
signalling if I could. Bats are fine, as are clearly spoken words on a
telephone. "All out" just the once is fine, guys, you don't have to
keep yacking at me.

Ian