On Mar 7, 7:13*pm, Chris Nicholas wrote:
Bill, I find that interesting. I have never seen that done in many winch
operations at different sites in the UK, and we have a different practice
(from the remote hook up) to avoid a different scenario.

Do you have a complete set of your winch safety precautions? *I would be
interested to compare it with our UK norms (not that we have a complete
detailed set all in one place covering all UK operations – but we have
some national ones, and I have seen quite a few operations in practice).

Regards – Chris N.

At 17:31 07 March 2012, Bill D wrote:
*I do remember. *That operation would have violated a major rule of







winch launch. *That rule is no one or thing can occupy an exclusion
area between the glider and winch. *If someone enters the exclusion
area, the launch is held until the "deck" is clear. *The exclusion
area will have slightly different definitions depending on airfield
layout but it is designed to prevent Tonopah-like accidents even in
extreme loss of control situations.

Aero tow operations would be well advised to copy this rule.

This concept has been extended to the hook-up operation by using Tost
quick-links. *The strop/safety rope is attached to the glider without
being attached to the winch rope. *The final safety rope-winch rope
connection is made by someone standing out of harm's way and then only
when the pilot signals readiness. *This way inadvertent rope motion
can't put the hook-up/wing runner at risk.

Winch operations have very carefully thought out safety procedures
which must be scrupulously observed. *It's easier to get people to
obey safety rules with winch launch since it LOOKS dangerous even
though it isn't.

Chris, I've sent you my "Field Operations Guide".

I recently re-read the BGA winch operation and training guides and
find them dramatically improved in the last few years.