On Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 11:38:57 PM UTC-6, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi,

This is just a thought...

I’ve recently been extremely interested in the FES (Front Electric Sustainer) sailplanes. They are becoming quite popular. Even very high-performance racing sailplanes like the Ventus 3 are being sold with FES systems installed.

I am the U.S. dealer for DG/LS and they offer the LS8e neo with FES and the new DG-1001e neo with FES prototype will fly very soon. It will be the first 2-seat sailplane with FES. I would love to trade my DG-1000S in for a DG-1001e neo with FES, but so far my DG-1000S co-owners aren't ready for that upgrade.

I'm not very experienced with winches and certainly not an expert on such matters, but I think there may be a nice market for a very small electric winch designed to get an FES-equipped sailplane just up to 100 feet – high enough to use the FES to climb to the first thermal. Even self-launch capable FES sailplanes would benefit from a small winch because they would save much more of the sailplane's battery for use later in the flight - since the initial takeoff roll requires a lot of power.

You can see an interesting video showing an FES-equipped sailplane taking an autotow to about 100 feet he
https://youtu.be/pTeNKM2cXQk

I would think that an electric winch could get a glider to 100 feet quite easily and be quite small and relatively inexpensive. The rope needed would be much less, and the drum could be much smaller – I imagine.

A "level ground bungee launch" to 100 feet would be another interesting option. But I would think that would have risks from by the bungee snapping or coming loose and hurting someone.

Any thoughts...? I'm just dreaming about the future of gliding...

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

Paul, what makes you think a "mini winch" is less complex and less expensive than one that gets you all the way to 1,500' plus? You still need to accelerate the same mass to flying and climbing speed and do it quickly. You still need a guillotine on the winch, a winch driver, cable retrieve, parachute on the cable etc.etc. Going to only 100' has you rely on your motor to get out of that most dangerous place we have while launching.

Herb