On Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:50:38 -0700 (PDT), Jon May
wrote:


Just an aside.
I have just changed gliding clubs and very sensibly the CFI asked me to do some winch checks, knowing lockdown had kept me grounded and my previous club was mainly an aerotow site.
We launched using a sky launch winch with Dylene ? rope not wire.
WOW the acceleration was phenomenal airborne in less than 20M.



Of course there was a bang and the cable came off first time low second time about 600ft so I never got a proper launch.
But the speed was really an eye opener after the kit I was using before.

Indeed - my club has been using a using a strong winch for three
decades now and I'm always surprised how easy a winch launch is with
such a strong winch.

Pitch control, keeping nose/tail in a certain position is not even a
question - any glider will rotate onto its tail and the only thing to
think about is having the correct trim setting and not let the
acceleration push back your hand (and the stick). Very hard to drop a
wing during a 50m ground run, either.

Just to add the glider was a K21 and its very easy to put the heal of your hand against the airbrakes and your fingers lightly round the release.
That makes sure the brakes stay shut and stops you pulling the release by accident .

Good thought!

The idea how it's being taught in Germany is to touch the release
with your fingertips (so you can find it immediately without looking
at it), but not have the fingers around it - in case of a sudden
acceleration (and subsequent backward move of the hand) it's
otherwise far too easy to pull the release inadvertently.


Cheers
Andreas