On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:18:07 GMT, "Blueskies"
wrote:


"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message . ..

5 hour glider flight off a $5 winch launch? Where are you and how long is the winch line?


A winch will launch a glider to about half the length of the winch line. The winch launch gets you high enough to
catch thermals. Then, in the western US, you soar to 18,000. 5 hours can be conservative. Some flights last over 10
hours.

In Germany, they are winch launching gliders almost a mile straight up so they can practice aerobatics.
Beside being cheap, winch launches are a hoot. Think zero to sixty in less than 3 seconds and then a 45 degree climb
at 3000 - 5000 FPM.

If you want video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbRBiPuTjYQ (Somewhat nervious passerger.)
Girlfriend gets a ride: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wttC39IZ9P4
and: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wttC39IZ9P4

I'm not German nor do I speak it - they just make the best videos.

Bill Daniels


I know Torry Pines will (or used to) launch you right over the cliffs so you could ridge soar, but I am now in MI, and
it would take a pretty long winch to get high enough to fly around for 5 hours...

You just need the proper day.

Go take a look at the land around MPL. It's flat for miles. They used
a truck tow to launch two hand gliders that stayed alonft for
something like 10 hours and as I recall they landed some where over in
central Ontario. A week ago at 3BS we launched a sail plane (tow to
1000 feet, but 500 would have been suficient) he was up for about 45
minutes, but could have stayed up all afternoon.