Auto Tow Information

"Mike Schumann" wrote in message
nk.net...
How long of a runway do you need for an effective / safe winch and/or auto
tow launch environment?

Mike Schumann

You also asked about a safe environment.

The glider should always be able to land safely from a launch failure.
That's pretty easy to achieve since the glider will have enough runway to
land straight ahead up to about 400 feet AGL. Above that, a short 360
degree pattern can be flown. The land straight ahead option overlaps
quite a bit with the 360 pattern. The main thing is that a clear area be
available for a glider to land at all times so a pilot dissatisfied with a
launch can just release and land.

I'd like 300 feet of width and a mile or more of length.

Bill Daniels

Mike Schumann wrote:

How long is your runway?

About 600 metres (2000 ft). The winch is placed beyond the runway end,
so this gives maybe about 100 metres more cable.

As I said, even with this short runway, safety is never an issue.
Reachable height is. So our winch launches are most for pattern work
with students, with few exceptions when the weather really fits.

(Actually, at our field, I consider winch launches much safer than
aerotows. I really wouldn't want to have a cable break at the runway
threshold on aerotow. Survivable, yes, but the glider would most
problably be trash. At the winch, simulated cable breaks are routinely
trained at all altitudes with no problem.)

Stefan

Your comment on safety is very interesting. A couple of weeks ago, our club
had a release right over the end of the runway due to the tow plane lossing
power. Everyone was OK, but the glider pilot didn't have a lot of options
and made the best of a bad situation. Unfortunately, on landing he hit a
fence, and our glider suffered some significant, but hopefully repairable
damage.

Mike Schumann

"Stefan" wrote in message
...
Mike Schumann wrote:

How long is your runway?

About 600 metres (2000 ft). The winch is placed beyond the runway end, so
this gives maybe about 100 metres more cable.

As I said, even with this short runway, safety is never an issue.
Reachable height is. So our winch launches are most for pattern work with
students, with few exceptions when the weather really fits.

(Actually, at our field, I consider winch launches much safer than
aerotows. I really wouldn't want to have a cable break at the runway
threshold on aerotow. Survivable, yes, but the glider would most problably
be trash. At the winch, simulated cable breaks are routinely trained at
all altitudes with no problem.)

Stefan

"Derrick Steed" wrote in message
...
and have never ONCE
had the thing try to float the entire length of the
airport on me

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

Well, I have. and that was with an approach speed of 50knots on a low
wind day - full flap in a PIK 20B (90 degrees), and it floated and
floated and floated and wouldn't come down. The previouse owner's
technique was to just drive it on, dump the flaps and use the wheel
brake - I thought that was very inelegant. Coming in slower (e.g. 45
knots - which the previous recommended) is deadly if the flare is
started too early, which it was once (no damage done, but my neck [which
is damaged anyway] suffered a bit) - won't do that again!

Rgds,

Derrick Steed

Derrick,

My experience is limited to a Schreder HP-14 and a HP-16. Neither of these
will float the lenght of the runway with 90 degrees of flap.

Wayne
HP-14 N990 "6F"