GC wrote:

The length you need is wire length - not runway length. The ground run
for a launch is barely 100 yards. Any more is for landing, launch
emergencies, etc. Winches are also commonly sited well beyond the
upwind runway threshold. It's a very flexible launching system.

While this is true, there is another reason for a 3000 feet runway: safety.
You need to be prepared for a cable break at any time. Up to 300 feet you
can land straight ahead, if there is enough runway left. If the cable breaks
at a higher altitude, you can do a full circle or a short pattern. If the
runway is too short, you can get in a situation where both options do not
apply.

I guess that you refer to this scenario when you talk about launch
emergency. My opinion is that a cable break is no emergency, but is part of
the procedure. It must be trained well, but if the pilot is prepared for a
break, this is no emergency. You can expect a cable break in one of 100
launches.

BTW, my last break on the winch was in 120m. Too high to land straight, so I
initiated a 180 for a short pattern. After that turn, my altimeter showed
150m. I decided to do a full circle and got 200m. Now I continued and got
1300m in the end. This was fun while the guys below had to fix the cable :-)
Chris