Winch Operations

We are getting close to getting our first winch operation going and need to
develop some Ops and Procedures.
I hate starting with a "blank page"
Anybody have some Ops and Procedures to send my way to get started?


Regards,
Frank

My return address is slightly modified to reduce SPAM.

There are a lot of articles about this issue, but here are the main rules:

- take special care about the first 50m!!!
- don't climb too steep, keep the speed high enough to react cable
break/winch failure.
- always be prepared for cable break/winch failure, decide what to do on
different altitudes BEFORE take-off!!
- always release cable in case of emergency, several pilots landed with
cable
- winch driver also should cut the cable without hesitation in case of
emergency
- discuss common signaling method between winch driver and pilots (at
our site: too slow use ailerons, too fast use rudder)
- clear airspace before launch
- check weather situation (lightning!)

Have fun

/Janos

Frank Smith wrote:
We are getting close to getting our first winch operation going and need to
develop some Ops and Procedures.
I hate starting with a "blank page"
Anybody have some Ops and Procedures to send my way to get started?


Regards,
Frank

My return address is slightly modified to reduce SPAM.

Janos' recommendations are good, with one exception:
- discuss common signaling method between winch driver and pilots (at
our site: too slow use ailerons, too fast use rudder)

At my home field (and throughout Denmark), we use:
Too slow: Lower nose somewhat, signal with rudder.
Too fast: Signal with ailerons.
When too slow (and maybe with too high AOA for the speed), aileron
deflections that might get one wing above critical AOA is the last thing we
want, right?

Anyway, be 100% sure what signals to use! -As we see, they can differ from
site to site.
What do the rest of you winchers use for signalling out there?

Happy Soaring,
Lars Peder
Mosquito W6, Denmark.


"Janos Bauer" wrote in message
...
There are a lot of articles about this issue, but here are the main rules:

- take special care about the first 50m!!!
- don't climb too steep, keep the speed high enough to react cable
break/winch failure.
- always be prepared for cable break/winch failure, decide what to do on
different altitudes BEFORE take-off!!
- always release cable in case of emergency, several pilots landed with
cable
- winch driver also should cut the cable without hesitation in case of
emergency
- discuss common signaling method between winch driver and pilots (at
our site: too slow use ailerons, too fast use rudder)
- clear airspace before launch
- check weather situation (lightning!)

Have fun

/Janos

Frank Smith wrote:
We are getting close to getting our first winch operation going and need
to
develop some Ops and Procedures.
I hate starting with a "blank page"
Anybody have some Ops and Procedures to send my way to get started?


Regards,
Frank

My return address is slightly modified to reduce SPAM.

This may be a off the wall suggestion but with the learning curve
required and the potential for a serious accident if a pilot doesn't react
correctly or quickly enough
Why not do a deal to import the teaching experience you need .
Why reinvent the wheel.
Worldwide there are a large number highly qualified people who could
transplant their knowledge.
I know of several retired people (they have the time) at my club who are
both A cat instructers,winchdriver rated and have vast experience from
all round the world ,one in particular has competed at a number of world
championships.
There are bound to be others with similar qualities , all you need
is a deal that makes it attractive, I would say probably airfares and a
place
to stay with food , maybe a block of time in a local single seater so they
can
go xcountry in a new area.
If you advertised you might be pleasantly surprised.


"Frank Smith" wrote in message
news
We are getting close to getting our first winch operation going and need
to
develop some Ops and Procedures.
I hate starting with a "blank page"
Anybody have some Ops and Procedures to send my way to get started?


Regards,
Frank

My return address is slightly modified to reduce SPAM.

Of course we also lower the nose (generally it's enough for most of
the winch drivers before the ailerons are actuated. The winch driver
facing to the sailplane and moving of wings is much more visible than
the fuselage twisting.
If the speed is too high probably you fly with steep angle and in this
position the winch driver will see the glider belly only. Ailerons
movement will make small effect but rudders will shake the whole fuselage.
Regards,

/Janos

Lars Peder Hansen wrote:
Janos' recommendations are good, with one exception:

- discuss common signaling method between winch driver and pilots (at
our site: too slow use ailerons, too fast use rudder)


At my home field (and throughout Denmark), we use:
Too slow: Lower nose somewhat, signal with rudder.
Too fast: Signal with ailerons.
When too slow (and maybe with too high AOA for the speed), aileron
deflections that might get one wing above critical AOA is the last thing we
want, right?

Lars Peder Hansen wrote:

What do the rest of you winchers use for signalling out there?

Radio.

Stefan

It could be difficult on our noisy Hercules H4

/Janos

Stefan wrote:
Lars Peder Hansen wrote:

What do the rest of you winchers use for signalling out there?


Radio.

Stefan

Lars Peder Hansen wrote:

What do the rest of you winchers use for signalling
out there?



Too fast -- Signal with rudder - needs to be positive
enough that the winch driver can tell the difference
between a signal & a badly flown launch

Too Slow - Abandon the launch while you still have
time/space to land ahead. Any signal that's positive
enough for the winch driver to see (Aileron or Rudder)
with marginal speed and the extra weight/load of the
cable is simply asking for something nasty to happen

:-)

You need to carefully think about this. Time was in
the UK when the signal for too fast was yawing the
glider (it still is) and the signal for too slow was
lower the nose and 'signal with ailerons'. The latter
procedure was 'banned' some years ago, with good reason
and replaced by lower the nose, if the airspeed does
not increase, RELEASE and treat as a launch failure.
A glider on the launch is carrying a large amount of
cable which increases the wing loading, the wing is
almost certainly already at a high angle of attack
and if motive power is lost this has to increase. (as
airspeed reduces angle of attack increases to maintain
flight). Knowing what happens if the angle of attack
of a wing is increased by moving the airleron down
on one wing, when that wing is already at a high angle
of attack, do you really want to do that. One wing
stalled=possibility of spinning with the cable still
attached, not something that you will want to do. This
scenario is induced by moving the ailerons in this
situation. That is why the practice was discontinued
in the UK. Use of the rudder (yawing) at a high angle
of attack is probably even worse, makes me cringe to
think about it.

I agree with the gentleman who advised getting an experienced
winch launch instructor to see you through the first
few days/weeks. It may cost a few shekels but what
value do you put on a life

At 10:48 12 February 2004, Janos Bauer wrote:
Of course we also lower the nose (generally it's
enough for most of
the winch drivers before the ailerons are actuated.
The winch driver
facing to the sailplane and moving of wings is much
more visible than
the fuselage twisting.
If the speed is too high probably you fly with steep
angle and in this
position the winch driver will see the glider belly
only. Ailerons
movement will make small effect but rudders will shake
the whole fuselage.
Regards,

/Janos

Lars Peder Hansen wrote:
Janos' recommendations are good, with one exception:

- discuss common signaling method between winch driver
and pilots (at
our site: too slow use ailerons, too fast use rudder)


At my home field (and throughout Denmark), we use:
Too slow: Lower nose somewhat, signal with rudder.
Too fast: Signal with ailerons.
When too slow (and maybe with too high AOA for the
speed), aileron
deflections that might get one wing above critical
AOA is the last thing we
want, right?

Janos Bauer wrote:

It could be difficult on our noisy Hercules H4

Well, there is a tool exactly for this. It's called headset.

Stefan