On Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:29:42 PM UTC-5, Thomas Van de Velde wrote:
On Tuesday, August 20, 2013 3:18:02 PM UTC-7, wrote:

Looking to get "professional" advice in setting up a winch operation for our small glider operation. Who would you consider the top four experts/consultants in the US, and why? Geographical location is of no concern. Thanks in advance!



Don Ingraham runs a commercial winch operation out of Faribault, MN. I'd consider him an expert. (He wrote "Landing Out - The Final Four Minutes" with Bob Wander)



http://www.crosscountrysoaring.com/contact.html

Commercial, indeed. $60/hr for the CFI and $35 for a 1500ft winch launch in YOUR OWN GLIDER? Holy smokes...I pay less than that for an aerotow to 2,000ft at some clubs. Maybe they built that sucker with a reactor from the U..S.S Enterprise that requires plutonium rods for fuel? I'll skip the winch endorsement for now. Winch launching really should have caught on by now in the US with Avgas at $6+. Our club tonight discussed the possibility of a winch set-up, since a price like $10/launch would be much more reasonable. This sport really could be cheap (read, affordable) and attract people instead of shrinking and forcing people out....if only we could collectively get our heads out of the golden sand to do a little math.

E