On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 10:56:18 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
In the spirit of lively RAS discussions, I submit that the US gliding community needs to switch to hillside bungee launching - the benefits would be immense!

1. Launches would be essentially free (except for some sweat equity - but most US glider pilots could use the exercise...)

2. Good for the environment (except for some extra CO2 from the sweaty bungee crew).

3. It would provide an instant "shovel ready" infrastructure project - building all those hills next to flatland gliderports.

4. It would have a beneficial impact on the health of glider club members..

5. It would let more glider pilots share the fun of soaring, since the average flight time would be measured in single digit minutes, allowing greater use of club gliders.

6. Low altitude thermalling skills would be hugely improved!

I'm off to find a nice long bungee cord, our club's K13 already has the bungee nose hook installed! All I need now is a hill...

Kirk
66

(PS: Greased-board launches off a cliff are overlooked, too!)

Kirk, leave it to us Chicagoans to provide an answer to your plight. Here in the burbs we have a former trash dump that has grown to about 300' over the years it was in use. Was then transformed into a methane producing enclosed heap with a power station at the base. There's your launch mountain, man! Nevermind that it's under the B-airspace, who cares.
41° 43.810' N 88° 4.925' W
I like your brilliant proposal, btw. The RC boys from oll over Chicagoland already use this thing for ridge soaring. To add to your well-made arguments: why not combine the immensely popular car-towing with a long bungee cord???!!!
Herb, J7