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 |
#41
|
|||
|
|||
"Robert Ehrlich" wrote in message ... "F.L. Whiteley" wrote: Having ground looped once on a winch launch (inexperienced wing runner and tall grass) I doubt I would ever consider this on grass or dirt. A paved surface might be okay with a very experienced pilot. A wings level assist would be good, but might be moot if the up slack just pulled the glider off the leveler. Holding a glider with airbrake/wheelbrake combo level doesn't seem prudent. The more bothersome aspect is the lack of another set of eyes to visually check the launch zone for encroachment. Think I'd prefer to file this in my never do list (from a winch driver perspective). 'Never winch launch unassisted' 'Never winch launch downwind' Frank By us there is no wing runner for winch launch, only a wing holder. The acceleration is so that nobody would be able to follow the glider, nor any vehicle whose propulsion relies on friction on the ground, since the friction coefficient will never be sufficient to provide such an acceleration. So the wing holder could easily be replaced by any object (wing stand, tyres heap, etc.) having the same function, although we never do it because we want to keep the watching capability of the wing holder. We don't actually commence the launch until the glider exhibits some forward movement on the up slack. This would likely pull the wing off of such an arrangement. We do this primarily because our winch run may cross some very uneven surfaces depending on wind direction. This may mean the wire rope (single run) is not quite straight initially and will displace laterally during initial acceleration. That's one interesting aspect to winching, that the run does not necessarily require fully improved surfaces. A winch could quite easily be located 1000-2000ft outside of the airfield boundary provided there aren't any obstacles. You're right though, there's seldom any running involved. Frank Whiteley |
#42
|
|||
|
|||
"F.L. Whiteley" wrote in message ... "Robert Ehrlich" wrote in message ... "F.L. Whiteley" wrote: Having ground looped once on a winch launch (inexperienced wing runner and tall grass) I doubt I would ever consider this on grass or dirt. A paved surface might be okay with a very experienced pilot. A wings level assist would be good, but might be moot if the up slack just pulled the glider off the leveler. Holding a glider with airbrake/wheelbrake combo level doesn't seem prudent. The more bothersome aspect is the lack of another set of eyes to visually check the launch zone for encroachment. Think I'd prefer to file this in my never do list (from a winch driver perspective). 'Never winch launch unassisted' 'Never winch launch downwind' Frank By us there is no wing runner for winch launch, only a wing holder. The acceleration is so that nobody would be able to follow the glider, nor any vehicle whose propulsion relies on friction on the ground, since the friction coefficient will never be sufficient to provide such an acceleration. So the wing holder could easily be replaced by any object (wing stand, tyres heap, etc.) having the same function, although we never do it because we want to keep the watching capability of the wing holder. We don't actually commence the launch until the glider exhibits some forward movement on the up slack. This would likely pull the wing off of such an arrangement. We do this primarily because our winch run may cross some very uneven surfaces depending on wind direction. This may mean the wire rope (single run) is not quite straight initially and will displace laterally during initial acceleration. That's one interesting aspect to winching, that the run does not necessarily require fully improved surfaces. A winch could quite easily be located 1000-2000ft outside of the airfield boundary provided there aren't any obstacles. You're right though, there's seldom any running involved. Frank Whiteley That's why a wing support POINT is a bad idea. A better idea is a support rail that allows the glider to move forward a meter or more with the wing tip sliding on a carpet covered rail. A simple sawhorse made of slip together PVC pipe fittings would break down into a small bundle. As for who removes this from the runway after takeoff, it would have to be the winch driver after some delay. Bill Daniels |
#43
|
|||
|
|||
|
#44
|
|||
|
|||
In article ,
"F.L. Whiteley" wrote: That's one interesting aspect to winching, that the run does not necessarily require fully improved surfaces. A winch could quite easily be located 1000-2000ft outside of the airfield boundary provided there aren't any obstacles. In fact that's what the field I learned to winch on was like. The cable was about 5000 ft, but the runway itself was probably not much more than 1000 ft. The rest of the cable run was over rather undulating ground, crossed by several creeks, with the track for the cable retrieve car taking a nowhere near straight route. -- Bruce | 41.1670S | \ spoken | -+- Hoult | 174.8263E | /\ here. | ----------O---------- |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
spaceship one | Pianome | Home Built | 169 | June 30th 04 05:47 AM |
Vandenberg Launch, April 17 | Piloting | 5 | April 9th 04 02:21 AM | |
Ground launch and the incremental vanishing of soaring | Mark James Boyd | Soaring | 24 | March 8th 04 10:50 PM |
Pegasus/TRACE Launch Photos Posted | Brian Webb | Military Aviation | 0 | February 21st 04 03:50 PM |
Friendly fire pilot may testify against wingman | Otis Willie | Military Aviation | 0 | October 11th 03 09:32 PM |