"Ian" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 5 Sep, 17:45, wrote:
This is in contrast to winch launch where the runway is always
available.

Is that ALWAYS true Bill?

I think it's often true, and probably mostly true, but I don;t think
it's always the case. A winch launch power failure can leave you too
far down the runway to land straight ahead but too low to do much by
way of fancy manoevres.

Ian

Well, using absolutes is 'usually' a bad idea. Let me say that a cable
break on a winch launch is likely to provide more options to land on the
runway than may be the case with aero tow. In fact, I can't imagine a
situation where I couldn't return to the runway unless the runway is
extremely short and narrow, in which case it isn't a suitable winch site in
the first place.

Normally, by the time you are so high that a straight ahead landing is
impossible, you will have enough altitude to circle back for an into the
wind landing.

If the winch suffers a slow power failure that results in a less than
expected climb angle, I'd suggest releasing early and landing ahead before
the available runway is used up. Even in this case, arriving over the winch
with as little as 200 feet AGL leaves you in the same position you would be
in with an aero tow rope break where a 180 degree turn and downwind landing
is possible.

Please note that I am not advocating 180 turns to a downwind landing on
winch launch since it would be extremely rare that such an option is
appropriate or even needed.

Bill Daniels