If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Glider Winch Manufacturers or Plans to make???
On Jul 14, 6:26 am, Derek Copeland
wrote: About the only similarity between a Skylaunch winch and a Gerhlein is that they both use V8 gasoline engines with an automatic gearbox. The Skylaunch has benefitted from 40 years of development, is well designed and properly engineered, and is built to be heavy enough that it cannot be pulled into the air or toppled over by heavy modern GRP two seater training gliders, unlike the little Gerhlein. Bill Daniels' argument is like saying that the latest Ford automobiles are no better than a 1920's Model T because they share the same basic components! In Europe Skylaunch winches are considered to be state of the art, and a well proven design. They are often bought by clubs in preference to the stepless diesel-hydraulic and electric winches favoured by Bill. The latter are in theory better, but are considerably more expensive and don't work any better in practice. Economics and proven reliability do come into the argument as to which design to choose! The current manufacturers of glider winches are Skylaunch (UK), Tost (Germany), MEL (Holland), Hydrostart (Holland), Herkules (Czech Republic), Electrowinch (Germany), Egger (Germany), Integrale (Germany), Supacat (UK), plus the two US designs described below which (as far as I am aware) are both still under development. A quick 'google' should find you all the relevant web sites. Derek Copeland At 13:33 13 July 2008, Bill Daniels wrote: The skylaunch is a cosmetic update of the 1960's US Gerhlein winches and suffers from the same major shortcomings. If you still like it, save $50k - $75k by spending a couple of thousand for an old Gerhlein and fix it up. If you'd like a modern, state of the art winch, take a look at these from US winch buiders: http://www.romansdesign.com/ and http://www.hydrowinch.com Bill Daniels The Skylaunch is indeed simple engineering - deliberately so. IMHO the two clever things that Skylaunch did we firstly, to realise that the torque curve and response to load characteristics of the GM V8 gasoline/lpg engine are more suited to the throttle-limiter method of setting the power of the winch (for glider type and wind component) than are the characterisitics of the typical non-electronically controlled large diesel engine. secondly, to work out the appropriate throttle stop settings for all the likely gliders and wind components. John Galloway |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Biggest Glider Ever Launched via Winch? | [email protected] | Soaring | 25 | November 22nd 06 10:17 PM |
Bigger Battery holders from glider manufacturers | Gary Emerson | Soaring | 5 | May 31st 06 07:53 AM |
Gehrlein Winch plans needed | Sam Discusflyer | Soaring | 1 | January 22nd 06 10:25 PM |
Gehrlein Winch plans needed | Sam Discusflyer | Soaring | 0 | January 22nd 06 10:21 PM |
Winch for hanging glider underneath hangar roof. | Karl | Soaring | 8 | April 9th 05 11:56 AM |