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 |
#111
|
|||
|
|||
|
#112
|
|||
|
|||
That beautiful Skylaunch III kit will cost close to $60,000 once you add an engine, shipping, and the miscellaneous parts needed to complete it. I doubt there are more than one or two clubs or commercial gliderports in the US that could justify that kind of expenditure, given their current levels of operation. Unfortunately, our site is not suitable for winching, but if it were...... We did about 2000 aero tows last year - using a Pawnee, a C182 (since replaced with another Pawnee), and a birddog. If we got a winch, we could sell a Pawnee for around US$30,000 and save about US$10,000 PER YEAR in maintenance (including engine reserve). If we did 1000 winch launches at $10 per launch... Hmmmm, a pretty easy sell to the board of directors, I think. Tony V. |
#113
|
|||
|
|||
"Tony Verhulst" wrote in message ... That beautiful Skylaunch III kit will cost close to $60,000 once you add an engine, shipping, and the miscellaneous parts needed to complete it. I doubt there are more than one or two clubs or commercial gliderports in the US that could justify that kind of expenditure, given their current levels of operation. Unfortunately, our site is not suitable for winching, but if it were...... We did about 2000 aero tows last year - using a Pawnee, a C182 (since replaced with another Pawnee), and a birddog. If we got a winch, we could sell a Pawnee for around US$30,000 and save about US$10,000 PER YEAR in maintenance (including engine reserve). If we did 1000 winch launches at $10 per launch... Hmmmm, a pretty easy sell to the board of directors, I think. Tony V. "I doubt there are more than one or two clubs or commercial gliderports in the US that could justify that kind of expenditure, given their current levels of operation." Could it be that the "current level of operation" is due to high air tow costs and that a winch operation would fix that? Bill Daniels |
#114
|
|||
|
|||
Bill Daniels wrote:
"Tony Verhulst" wrote in message We did about 2000 aero tows last year - using a Pawnee, a C182 (since replaced with another Pawnee), and a birddog. If we got a winch, we could sell a Pawnee for around US$30,000 and save about US$10,000 PER YEAR in maintenance (including engine reserve). If we did 1000 winch launches at $10 per launch... Hmmmm, a pretty easy sell to the board of directors, I think. Only if the board of directors could be convinced that a proper winch is a viable alternative to aerotow. If your board of directors is anything like the ones I've dealt with, if they have any winch launch experience, it was 40 years ago using a homebuilt gliderport special. Perhaps you could send them all Europe for a month or so. "I doubt there are more than one or two clubs or commercial gliderports in the US that could justify that kind of expenditure, given their current levels of operation." Could it be that the "current level of operation" is due to high air tow costs and that a winch operation would fix that? That is precisely my point... Marc |
#115
|
|||
|
|||
To help get things started I have created three very basic polls.
#1 Number of drums #2 Powerplant #3 Overall configuration Please go sign up for the group and then go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/winchdesign/polls where you can vote on these three topics. I've pushed the closing date on the polls out to 4/8/04 so we have plenty of time to get people signed up, etc. Mark |
#116
|
|||
|
|||
I added LPG to the powerplant list and my doing that accidentally erased
the 6 votes which had already been cast for that question. If you voted early on you may need to re-vote for that item. Sorry, about that. I won't make any more changes. Mark Zivley wrote: To help get things started I have created three very basic polls. #1 Number of drums #2 Powerplant #3 Overall configuration Please go sign up for the group and then go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/winchdesign/polls where you can vote on these three topics. I've pushed the closing date on the polls out to 4/8/04 so we have plenty of time to get people signed up, etc. Mark |
#117
|
|||
|
|||
In article , "John Giddy"
writes: See if you can find a contact at "The Soaring Centre", Husbands Bosworth in UK. Some years ago they built their own 4-drum winch. I saw it a few years ago, and it was a most impressive machine. True, we do have a very good winch. It is four drum and was designed by engineers and largely built by a retired member and his son who knew what they were doing, but to a very high standard, and is not dissimilar to the van Gelder (which has 6 drums I believe) . Must be about 10 or 12 years old now and has given excellent service with the occasional overhaul. It can launch anything we have including Duo Discus, Janus, Puchacz and other two seaters with no problem but is on full throtle with no wind. Unfortunately the member (and his son) who built it are no longer available, (son now flies Jumbo jets and father is not interested in another project of this type). However, we would willingly show you round and our Winch Master will no doubt tell you all about our "learning curve". If you are new to winching I strongly recommend buying a professionally made two drum winch, Supercat for example, as I guarantee that, without a clear blueprint you will never get the engineering right first time and would waste many frustrating hours, lots of cash, and end up with an unsatisfactory product. Barney The Soaring Centre UK |
#118
|
|||
|
|||
"BAToulson" wrote in message ... In article , "John Giddy" writes: See if you can find a contact at "The Soaring Centre", Husbands Bosworth in UK. Some years ago they built their own 4-drum winch. I saw it a few years ago, and it was a most impressive machine. True, we do have a very good winch. It is four drum and was designed by engineers and largely built by a retired member and his son who knew what they were doing, but to a very high standard, and is not dissimilar to the van Gelder (which has 6 drums I believe) . Must be about 10 or 12 years old now and has given excellent service with the occasional overhaul. It can launch anything we have including Duo Discus, Janus, Puchacz and other two seaters with no problem but is on full throtle with no wind. Unfortunately the member (and his son) who built it are no longer available, (son now flies Jumbo jets and father is not interested in another project of this type). However, we would willingly show you round and our Winch Master will no doubt tell you all about our "learning curve". If you are new to winching I strongly recommend buying a professionally made two drum winch, Supercat for example, as I guarantee that, without a clear blueprint you will never get the engineering right first time and would waste many frustrating hours, lots of cash, and end up with an unsatisfactory product. Barney The Soaring Centre UK Post some detailed digital images to the winch design group at yahoogroups.com please. TIA, Frank Whiteley |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Experience with a pay-out winch? | Gary Boggs | Soaring | 1 | February 12th 04 08:12 AM |
Winch design | c1rrus | Soaring | 10 | January 19th 04 12:18 PM |
Winch Way Is Up !! | Craig Freeman | Soaring | 45 | November 6th 03 03:08 PM |
using winch instead of aerotow | goneill | Soaring | 5 | August 27th 03 02:46 PM |
Conspiracy Theory’s real Script: Slave CIA, FBI change the story jews wanted to tell the media | Jean-Paul Roy | Restoration | 0 | July 12th 03 12:55 PM |