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#1
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Where to get Winched?
Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? What might the minimum runway length be?
Walt |
#2
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Where to get Winched?
On Jun 6, 5:38*am, Walt Connelly
wrote: Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? *ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? *What might the minimum runway length be? Walt -- Walt Connelly You can expect to achieve a height of a little less than half the runway length - more if launching into a headwind. This assumes a glider with 30:1 and a modern winch. You might try contacting the Carolina Soaring Association. |
#3
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Where to get Winched?
Walt Connelly wrote:
ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? What might the minimum runway length be? We in europe do winch launching as the standard procedure. Our airfield has 1200m (~4000 feet) paid out cable and we get release height of about 400m (~1300 feet). With strong headwind we even get 600m, sometimes more. Our club charges 4,- ? for a launch. It depends on lots of factors: engine power, pilot skills, wind direction and strength, cable (steel or dyneema), lenght of cable, glider type... and certainly more. The above numbers are for a double seater like ASK21, steel cable and moderate headwind. There have been launches with dyneema cable of 3000m length and release heights of 1200m. This is a really cost effective way to do aerobatics. To answer your question: I would think 3000 feet is the minimun for a reasonable winch operation. However, I have seen fields with only 2000 feet. Chris |
#4
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Where to get Winched?
On Wednesday, June 6, 2012 6:38:19 AM UTC-5, Walt Connelly wrote:
Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? What might the minimum runway length be? Walt -- Walt Connelly I think the Aussies set the minimum at 1200 meters available for a winch operation, otherwise you need a special permit since safety becomes much more critical in case of a launch failure. I learned in Germany on an 800 m strip but we had fields available to the side past the end of the grass runway for straight ahead emergency landings past the winch. With the steel cable we used you more or less had one quick try at a thermal otherwise you were back down, we also entered a close traffic at something like 600 - 700 ft to buy us some time, normally you'd enter at 800 or 1000 ft... Here in Colombia I do not bother about locations with less than 1200 m, just too much trouble and very short flights (likely less than 8 min depending on alt, wind etc.) Markus |
#5
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Where to get Winched?
The good news for winch launch is GA activity is WAAAY down at more
remote airports. If the airport manager still has a job, he's watching every months activity report with dread. Ask for permission to winch launch and be sure to mention how many flights you'll be making. The higher the number, the brighter his face will be. On Jun 6, 4:15*pm, Markus Graeber wrote: On Wednesday, June 6, 2012 6:38:19 AM UTC-5, Walt Connelly wrote: Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? *ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? *What might the minimum runway length be? Walt -- Walt Connelly I think the Aussies set the minimum at 1200 meters available for a winch operation, otherwise you need a special permit since safety becomes much more critical in case of a launch failure. I learned in Germany on an 800 m strip but we had fields available to the side past the end of the grass runway for straight ahead emergency landings past the winch. With the steel cable we used you more or less had one quick try at a thermal otherwise you were back down, we also entered a close traffic at something like 600 - 700 ft to buy us some time, normally you'd enter at 800 or 1000 ft... Here in Colombia I do not bother about locations with less than 1200 m, just too much trouble and very short flights (likely less than 8 min depending on alt, wind etc.) Markus |
#6
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Where to get Winched?
If you are wanting to get ground launch endorsement then an auto will
do the same thing. Of course you can get more altitude from a good winch, but you can get enough atlitude for a circuit. Now where can I get a self launching checkride? |
#7
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Where to get Winched?
On Jun 6, 6:21*pm, "J.D. Barron" wrote:
If you are wanting to get ground launch endorsement then an auto will do the same thing. Of course you can get more altitude from a good winch, but you can get enough atlitude for a circuit. Now where can I get a self launching checkride? For the Part 61.31(j)) endorsement either auto tow or winch will do. While they are similar, some aspects are actually very different. For your safety, I'd recommend a good checkout on each. |
#8
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Where to get Winched?
On Jun 6, 7:38*am, Walt Connelly
wrote: Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? *ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? *What might the minimum runway length be? Walt -- Walt Connelly The only place that I have ever found advertising an endorsement training was a soaring club in Houston. If there are any other operations that will train a new pilot to winch launch, I have not yet found them. They may exist, but they don't advertise. The difficulty of finding training and the price of land might be why there are such limited numbers of winch operations around in the US. Todd |
#9
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Where to get Winched?
On Jun 7, 6:05*am, toad wrote:
On Jun 6, 7:38*am, Walt Connelly wrote: Where in the South East US of A might one go to get a winch launch endorsement? *ALSO, in general how much runway is needed for an adequate winch launch? *What might the minimum runway length be? Walt -- Walt Connelly The only place that I have ever found advertising an endorsement training was a soaring club in Houston. *If there are any other operations that will train a new pilot to winch launch, I have not yet found them. *They may exist, but they don't advertise. The difficulty of finding training and the price of land might be why there are such limited numbers of winch operations around in the US. Todd There's Cross Country Soaring in Faribault, MN |
#10
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Where to get Winched?
On 7/06/2012 02:45, Chris wrote:
We in europe do winch launching as the standard procedure. Our airfield has 1200m (~4000 feet) paid out cable and we get release height of about 400m (~1300 feet). With strong headwind we even get 600m, sometimes more. Our club charges 4,- ? for a launch. Yes. Bill Daniels seems optimistic to me. 1 for 3 is about what I'd expect with a nil to light wind. It depends on lots of factors: engine power, pilot skills, wind direction and strength, cable (steel or dyneema), lenght of cable, glider type... and certainly more. The above numbers are for a double seater like ASK21, steel cable and moderate headwind. There have been launches with dyneema cable of 3000m length and release heights of 1200m. This is a really cost effective way to do aerobatics. To answer your question: I would think 3000 feet is the minimun for a reasonable winch operation. However, I have seen fields with only 2000 feet. The length you need is wire length - not runway length. The ground run for a launch is barely 100 yards. Any more is for landing, launch emergencies, etc. Winches are also commonly sited well beyond the upwind runway threshold. It's a very flexible launching system. GC Chris |
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