How Many Ways to Launch?

I am interested in getting a sailplane and wondering what are the
various ways to launch. I am aware of the traditional methods.
Example= Steep downhill runway? Maybe I had too much coffee this morning!!
I live on Kauai and there are no Gliders on this Island at present.
Alo9ha, Les

Les Ward wrote:
I am interested in getting a sailplane and wondering what are the
various ways to launch. I am aware of the traditional methods.
Example= Steep downhill runway? Maybe I had too much coffee this morning!!

This method ("roll-off"?) is used by some pilots with the lighter weight
gliders. There is a neat video some where, but I don't have the URL.
It's most practical on a hill where you have some wind to help with the
launch and can slope soar afterwards. Check out the hang glider sites.

I live on Kauai and there are no Gliders on this Island at present.
Alo9ha, Les

You should also consider bungey launching, which would be practical with
a lightweight gliders like the SparrowHawk, Russia, and few others. This
is also best done from a slope soaring site, and doesn't need the
"runway" the roll-off technique needs.

If you stick with Kauai, your soaring possibilities seem quite limited,
so maybe a hang glider might be a better choice than a sailplane. If
traveling to the other islands is acceptable, Oahu and Hawaii offer much
more soaring, and have glider operations. Some pilots are working on a
club on Hawaii, so having a partner in a glider there would allow more
and better soaring, and some camaraderie.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

how many ways to launch other than running down hill... winch, auto tow,
aero tow, self launch (motor glider).. for where you are, the new Silent
self launch motor glider may be a good option.

(Silent is the "brand / model name", not that the engine is really that
quiet.)

BT

"Les Ward" wrote in message
...
I am interested in getting a sailplane and wondering what are the various
ways to launch. I am aware of the traditional methods.
Example= Steep downhill runway? Maybe I had too much coffee this morning!!
I live on Kauai and there are no Gliders on this Island at present.
Alo9ha, Les

Thanks Eric,
I have flown on the other islands, gliders as well as power (sel).
mostly at the North shore Oahu. Will look into some of your suggestions.
Mahalo

Eric Greenwell wrote:
Les Ward wrote:

I am interested in getting a sailplane and wondering what are the
various ways to launch. I am aware of the traditional methods.
Example= Steep downhill runway? Maybe I had too much coffee this
morning!!


This method ("roll-off"?) is used by some pilots with the lighter weight
gliders. There is a neat video some where, but I don't have the URL.
It's most practical on a hill where you have some wind to help with the
launch and can slope soar afterwards. Check out the hang glider sites.

I live on Kauai and there are no Gliders on this Island at present.
Alo9ha, Les


You should also consider bungey launching, which would be practical with
a lightweight gliders like the SparrowHawk, Russia, and few others. This
is also best done from a slope soaring site, and doesn't need the
"runway" the roll-off technique needs.

If you stick with Kauai, your soaring possibilities seem quite limited,
so maybe a hang glider might be a better choice than a sailplane. If
traveling to the other islands is acceptable, Oahu and Hawaii offer much
more soaring, and have glider operations. Some pilots are working on a
club on Hawaii, so having a partner in a glider there would allow more
and better soaring, and some camaraderie.

There must be fifty ways...

Bob "step off the hill, Bill" K.

"There must be fifty ways.." says Bob K.

OK, I'll bite: name 10 (listing different makes of tow vehicles or of tow
planes does not count)

Cheers, Charles

OK, I'll bite: name 10 (listing different makes of tow vehicles or of tow
planes does not count)

Hmm I will try
Autotow
reverse pully auto tow
Winch
winch with winch retrieve
Bungey
Shoulder launch
aerotow
Horse tow ( I know it sounds daft but I believe that they used a horse and a
tow rope at Dunstable pre war)

Now i am stuck. Any others?

OscarCVox wrote:
OK, I'll bite: name 10 (listing different makes of tow vehicles or of tow
planes does not count)


Hmm I will try
Autotow
reverse pully auto tow
Winch
winch with winch retrieve
Bungey
Shoulder launch
aerotow
Horse tow ( I know it sounds daft but I believe that they used a horse and a
tow rope at Dunstable pre war)

Now i am stuck. Any others?


Balloon drop. Seen it for hang gliders
Helicopter drop (tail first-done in airshows)
Rocket launch
Aircraft drop-like Space Ship 1, X-n
Pay-out winch
Catapult? (How much altitude could you get off the deck of a carrier?)

"OscarCVox" wrote in message
...
OK, I'll bite: name 10 (listing different makes of tow vehicles or of tow
planes does not count)

Hmm I will try
Autotow
reverse pully auto tow
Winch
winch with winch retrieve
Bungey
Shoulder launch
aerotow
Horse tow ( I know it sounds daft but I believe that they used a horse and
a
tow rope at Dunstable pre war)

Now i am stuck. Any others?

Balloon drop. Not used much for sailplanes, but reasonably common for hang
gliders a number of years ago.
Also proposed as a launch method for a high-altitude atmosphere sampling
project using something that looked an awful lot like a sailplane.

Tim Ward

At 17:00 26 December 2004, Shawn wrote:
OscarCVox wrote:
OK, I'll bite: name 10 (listing different makes of
tow vehicles or of tow
planes does not count)


Hmm I will try
Autotow
reverse pully auto tow
Winch
winch with winch retrieve
Bungey
Shoulder launch
aerotow
Horse tow ( I know it sounds daft but I believe that
they used a horse and a
tow rope at Dunstable pre war)

Now i am stuck. Any others?


Balloon drop. Seen it for hang gliders
Helicopter drop (tail first-done in airshows)
Rocket launch
Aircraft drop-like Space Ship 1, X-n
Pay-out winch
Catapult? (How much altitude could you get off the
deck of a carrier?)


Not sure what a shoulder launch is - with my ship it
would be tough on the old rotator cuff. I think a
Navy cat would likely rip the whole tow hook mechanism
right out of the fuselage.

How about:
Hillside launch (rolling - only good for smaller/lighter
ships)
Bungee launch (requires being on a hill)
Self-launch (Eric's favorite)
Foot launch (for ultralights)
Kite launch (needs a lot of wind and some form of mental
defect on the part of all concerned)
Tornado launch (typical in central and southern US
- always with bad results)

reductio ad absurdum...

9B