Germany- very little has changed. Apart from the stronger engines the
rest of the equipment as well as the procedures are still the same as
fifty years ago.


Here are some post 1960 hardware differences: (shooting from the
hip...

1) standardized weak links (Tost system)
2) implementation and standardization of preamble/strop/trace
3) high aspect drums/doing away with level-winds
4) synthetic cables
5) much better control of torque/speed/launch profile
6) electric winch(es)

While procedures may have remained pretty consistent in Germany
(though adapted to accommodate newer hardware setups like strops, and
some some for UHMW...) most everyone else seems to have been quite
behind on the curve and continue to play catch-up; with some groups in
doing it in distinct steps like the GFA writing a manual in 98
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24475893/Winch-Manual and BGA with their
'safe winch launch initiative started in 05 for instance:
http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/saf...hlaunching.htm , which
have changed SOP in those places as far as I can tell. Also up until
quite recently, a complete mathematical model of the entire launch did
not exist, only partial models. This information is (debatably)
relevant to further hardware and procedural evolution as well, pushing
it even closer towards science and further from it's trial and error
past.

Details aside, the point is if you look at 40-50yrs of winching as a
generic lump sum the picture looks undeservedly bleak compared to
looking at it by what is now commonly being done abroad, with Germany
leading the way with a long record of safety and good procedures.
(which I have a hard time imagining there being *some* changes in the
last 50yrs of German winching though...

-Paul