On Jul 13, 10:42*am, "Wayne Paul" wrote:
"Del C" wrote in ...
At 15:01 13 July 2009, Wayne Paul wrote:
After watching this thread deteriorate, it reminds me why I stopped =
participating in the WinchDesign Yahoo news group. *The discussions =
became personal, agressive, angry, and absent of civility.

I really wish this thread would change its' tone, or move back to the =
WinchDesign group.

I started this thread off trying to promote winch launching as a safe,
environmentally friendly and low cost means of launching gliders. Most
gliding clubs in Germany, Holland, the UK and the Eastern European
countries do the majority of their launches this way.

The problem is Bill Daniels. I have no idea what his true agenda is: Maybe
to build up a US winch building empire? However the BGA winching advisor,
who knows everything there is to know about winch launching, has also
given up posting on the Winch Design Group in disgust.

Derek Copeland

I concur that the US needs an economical way to launch sailplanes. *As elsewhere in the world, a good winch seems to be the answer. *

I don't have a ground-launch endorsement in my log book; however, I hope to get the training in the near future. *

In order for the endorsement to have any value, I will need to install a CG hook on my HP-14 and travel to a facility with a winch. *There are a couple of auto/truck ground launching operation less then 300 mile; however, I will have the travel about 700 mile to use a winch. *This should give you some sense of the US lack of winch launch accessibility.


Wayne,

I was talking with Bill Corbin today about the prospect of finding a
winch for King Mountain. Any old Gehrlein model 62's languishing
about out there readers? We may be launching with one starting
Tuesday. I spent 8 hours on the tractor mowing the launch and
recovery area and runways today, such is the rain we've had in
Colorado this year.

Frank Whiteley