On Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 4:02:20 PM UTC-7, waremark wrote:
... if I need to start the engine over a field knowing that it was working when I took off, and will get me up to a safe height at a decent rate.

I think most sustainer guys start the engine after the first thermal off tow and before leaving home area (30 second run or so)if they are going XC just to keep it lubed and operating. The guys that do this seem to always (mostly) have a working sustainer. The problem with self launcher is you are basically flying with a full load of undumpable ballast, so they are not very good weak weather birds. I think the wing loading (it has been 15 years) on my ASH-26E was close to 9 pounds, with a 200 lb pilot and a 20 pound chute.