I was lucky enough to get a kite launch one day. We had about 35 Kts of
wind on the ground, and someone suggested we try a launch. An instructor
and I climbed into a Blanick L13, launched ( *very* short run ! ) and
climbed to 4300 ft still on the wire. Of course we needed the expert
cooperation of the winch driver, who eased off the power as we got about 500
ft, then payed out cable to let us climb. At the end, it was mostly the
weight of cable ( single strand high tensile steel wire ) which determined
the max height, although there wasnt much wire left on the drum.

--
Regards,

Adrian Jansen
J & K MicroSystems
Microcomputer solutions for industrial control
"Stefan" wrote in message
...
Bob Johnson wrote:

Your ability to get 600 m releases with a winch on a 1200 m strip seems
extraordinary.

It all depends on the wind. With zero wind, the rule of thumb is that
you get approximately 1/3 the cable lengh. More with headwind, much more
with strong headwind. With extraordirarily strong headwind, you can even
kite. (Yes, it has been done.)

Stefan