Bob Johnson writes
Your ability to get 600 m releases with a winch on a 1200 m strip seems
extraordinary. Is your cable length just 1200 m also or is it greater
than your strip length?

350-600m is between 1155' and 1980' (approximately)?

Our own main strip is 1500m. In my somewhat limited experience, the
typical winch launch releases a K13 at 1600'. With an appropriate
head-wind, I've read that launches of up to 3000' (910m ?) can be
achieved from this particular strip (though possibly not in a K13!),
though that could well be just innocent boasting.

In that context, is 600m from a 1200m strip quite so extraordinary?
Especially as it was cited as the outside boundary of a range (ie. 350
to 600).

From a complete layman's point of view (well, one with 12 winch launches
so far and 1 aerotow to his name) I'd say that the winch was a good deal
more exhilarating than a tow and thus feels a damn sight more risky. But
I understand that if you fly the launch by the book then the winch is
perfectly safe.

That said, I've also read somewhere that the main contributors to
gliding fatalities in the UK are mainly mid-airs and "spin-ins" from
steeply initiated winch launches.

If that's the case, then perhaps the fact that a pilot launching on
winch only has himself to worry about, as opposed to one on tow who also
has the tug pilot's safety as a concern and responsibility, might leave
the former more predisposed to taking chances with his personal safety?

And perhaps the fact that you do need to fly a winch launch aggressively
(by comparison) if you want to make the maximum possible height out of
it, whereas with a tow, failing pilot error, mechanical failure or other
eventuality, you are going to make the release height you want
regardless. A winch has a 30 second window at best. A tow can take as
long as it needs within reason.

Of course, none of this contributes the stats and figures requested. And
all of this could be attributed to the flawed mis-interpretations of a
complete newbie who has read far too much in the last three months to
possibly retain any of it with a reasonable degree of accuracy ...

--
Bill Gribble

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