On Saturday, November 24, 2012 6:34:01 PM UTC-7, GM wrote:
On Friday, November 23, 2012 5:38:00 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:

But a Pawnee is a LOT more fun to drive than a winch... Oh really?? Drive one lately? ;-) Uli OK, you got me, Uli - I haven't driven a winch, but have been on the other end several times (mainly in Germany) and I agree it's a lot of fun on the "pulled" end. But you will have to convince me that being at the "pulling" end (even though it must be a fun way to get your friends up in the air) of a winch is more fun than driving a big ole noisy taildragger around the sky! Cheers! Kirk 66



Hi Kirk



we are having a ton of fun with our home-built winch here at the Carolina Soaring Association. Being in the middle of NASCAR-country, we gave ours a bit of a 'red-neck' touch! See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K26F69HdbmE

or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUL5SSZhWzA

The 'not-so-fun' part of driving a winch is when it continuesly breaks down and one has to constantly tinker with it. Properly engineered and built winches are fun to operate and - like flying the tow-plane or instructing - is a great way to give back to the club.



Safe soaring,



Uli

I have an appreciation for the high plains of Colorado I would not have otherwise had I not spent a lot of time driving the club winch. The Larks are wonderful. The antelope are okay. The occasional badger is interesting. Then there are the soaring birds. The cougars don't appear in the day time. The occasional escaped llama provides something to chase.

As there can be a couple of wind shears between the ground and 2000agl, it's never dull. Now if more pilots would listen when I tell them to turn left at the top of the launch to catch the thermal, it would be even better. Too many turn right for the house thermal, which isn't there when it's to the left;^)

Frank