Record height for a winch launch?

On Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 7:46:52 AM UTC-6, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 3:53:58 PM UTC+3, wrote:
On Monday, 5 March 2001 01:00:08 UTC+1, MHende6388 wrote:
Curious what the highest sailplane launch from a winch has ever been for the
longest cable.

Michael

At the Reinsdorf Airfield whinch launches with 2,600m (8500ft) cable are possible. As long as I know, the record was a ASK-21 to 1380m (4500ft).

This takes this month's award for replying to a thread last posted to 15 years ago.

I note that back then I said:

Winches are great, but 2000 ft over the end of the airfield is only
worth about the same as 1500 ft from a typical towplane that puts you in
the general direction of the lift.

In the intervening time I've found that I've been releasing from aero tow lower and lower and almost always getting away if the conditions are reasonable. I seldom tow over 1500 ft and at some sites often release at 700 - 800 ft above the strip. A few tow pilots have approached me after I come back, saying they though I must have some problem.

Flying in the back seat with other qualified pilots at the controls it's amazing how many people hold on to the tow straight through monster thermals at 1000 ft simply because they're fixated on their pre-flight notion to tow to 2000, 2500 or whatever. Or maybe don't yet have the surplus mental bandwidth in that aircraft to follow the towplane in active conditions and also at the same time keep an eye on the vario.

I know I was like that myself once, and only got woken up from it one day on a site check in a Grob at Omarama when the top competition pilot/CFI in the back seat asked me why I didn't take the booming thermal we just flew through. All I could think about was slack line recovery after the towplane was suddenly 50 ft below me -- not ask *why* the towplane was suddenly plummeting.

I'm with Bruce: high release altitudes, who needs them. Taking pride in releasing low and getting away is a great way to start a good day. Our tow pilots know that and take pride in towing me to the low thermals. They also love to needle me the one or two times each year when I have to relight...
Things are a bit different when ballasted, but only a bit.