Winch Launch Fatality

On Jun 22, 5:45*am, Del C wrote:
Generally it is OK to make 180 or 360 degree turns in a modern gliders, as
long as you start at at least 300ft and keep the airspeed up to a safe
manoeuvring speed. The failure to do the latter seems to have been the
probably cause of this accident.

Also US glider pilots, mostly trained on aerotows, may not have properly
thought through the options available after a winch launch cable break.

Derek Copeland (UK gliding instructor)

At 10:48 22 June 2009, Scott wrote:

The club in question probably winch launches more than any other in
the US. I'm not aware on any current winch operation not training to
an acceptable standard. There was one several years ago selling
endorsements in about six launches. That operation is now out of
business in the aero tow world also.