Attracting the kids

1) How the hell do you get qualified to fly off a winch in the US ?

Where in the US are you? There are a couple locations in the Northwest
where you can get Ground Launch Endorsements.

2) How much land do you need to run a winch launch that can get the
glider to 1500-2000 ft altitude ?

Most of my Winch launching was don on about 4000 feet of cable.
Launches were between 800-1200feet. Which is great for training. (Wnd
conditions can vary the alititude siginficantly)

I have done AutoTows out in the desert where about 2 miles and 3000
feet of cable will get you 2000 feet

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

Guys,

I live in the Northeast US. To do my personal training at a location
that far away, I would need a commercial type operation where I could
do an intensive course. If you know of any that do that, please post
specific names.

The land required is the biggest problem here in the east. Land is
too expensive and too crowded to get a 5000ft piece of land bought and
turned into an airport. Unless you are a long drive from any large
population centers.


I do believe that for soaring to grow, it needs to be more exciting
(for the newbie) and cheaper.
Todd
3S

"toad" wrote in message
ups.com...

Guys,

I live in the Northeast US. To do my personal training at a location
that far away, I would need a commercial type operation where I could
do an intensive course. If you know of any that do that, please post
specific names.

The land required is the biggest problem here in the east. Land is
too expensive and too crowded to get a 5000ft piece of land bought and
turned into an airport. Unless you are a long drive from any large
population centers.


I do believe that for soaring to grow, it needs to be more exciting
(for the newbie) and cheaper.
Todd
3S

I think one of the overlooked possibilities for winch sites is underutilized
GA airports. I'm seeing and hearing that single engine GA traffic is WAY
down everywhere. Paying $300 to fill your Cessna's tanks will do that.
Out-of-the-way farm town airports are ghost towns. The EAA Airventure
attendance was down 100,000 compared to last year and many who attended
drove instead of flying. Several clubs operate their winches on GA airports
with no conflicts at all.

Bill Daniels