SAFE Winch Launching

At 01:07 14 July 2009, bildan wrote:

This is just more rabble rousing. You know the answer, you've seen
the data from winches in your own country. Seeing tension oscillate
by 80% of the tension limits is very scary and it does lead to
problems including wire and weak link breaks. You actually begged me
once not to publish the tension charts or even mention the problem.
(I saved the e-mail in case you deny it.) I have a LOT more tension
charts - really ugly ones. You don't want me to publish them either.

All the current winches are priced within a few thousand dollars of
each other so there are no "mega expensive winches" - except they're
unfortunately all too expensive.

My agenda is simple; help build the best winches in the world without
constant and distinctly unwelcome interference from people with
nothing constructive to add. In all the years you've been posting
about winch construction, you've never added a single new idea. But
you've campaigned loudly and often against any every offered by anyone
else.

I've read every BGA publication on winch launch that's ever been
published. I've read every training BGA syllabus - and I've read ALL
your accident reports. Your accident record is far from the best.
It's in a three ring binder about 4" thick on my bookshelf. Your
stuff is OK but no better than other sources.

So, here's an offer. Stop attacking everything we do and I won't
comment about the Skylaunch. We are going to build, publicly test and
write detailed articles about our winches. I expect no derogatory
commentary from you.

We are not British Subjects and certainly not your students.

I am struggling to understand what cable tension has to do with anything.
I have been winch launched 10000 times and have driven a winch for many
more launches than that over 50 years and the only thing that concerns me
is the speed of the cable retrieval at the delivery end. Yes I use the bow
in the cable to keep the speed constant but this is a relative thing, not
an absolute. I accelerate quicker than most drivers to keep the ground run
as short as possible and to give the pilot aerodynamic control as quickly
as possible. I also reduce the speed at the top of the launch often
causing the glider to back release.
It really does not matter how it is done but the important thing is that
the control applied by the winch driver is reflected in the response of
the winch to his input at the business end.
I can think of few, if any accidents that have been caused by "tension
spikes" whatever they are, and a lot caused by varying amounts of a lack
of skill.
It is a real shame that people are being denied an economic alternative
launch procedure by ignorance. It does not have to be complicated, in fact
given the use to which it is put the simpler the better.
The winches we have in the UK work, and they work well. Reading some of
the postings about tension control has been interesting in an amusing sort
of way, well actually it's been a hoot.
Learn from the mistakes of the Munster Van Gelder winch, an excellent
winch with many advanced features, most of which are switched off in
normal operation. The servicing overhead is massive and the only people
able to run them, with one exception is the RAF. Yes it gives an
excellent launch, probably the best I have ever had but at a huge cost in
maintenance overheads. Why, because it is too complicated with too many
advanced features even when driven by what are really proffesional winch
drivers.

I am also struggling to understand why so much notice is being taken of
someone who obviously knows so little about the practical operation of
glider winches. As Wayne has said, almost no winching is carried out in
the USA so I would have thought it sensible to consult those who do
operate winches rather than some crackpot with wild ideas and zero
knowledge.