Safety of winch launch vrs. aero tow?

I like all these points and I suspect that because of the short time
required in a winch launch, and the faster acceleration, and the fact that
you are in a position to land on the runway that you are using at all times,
the winch launch would be safer, but I still see no statistics! Come on
folks, someone surly has crunched the numbers. Training is crucial in both,
but what I'm looking for is numbers, I have plenty of opinions myself.

Boggs


"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
k.net...

"Gary Boggs" wrote in message
...
Someone must have already compared the safety of these tow launch methods.
What do the statistics show is the safer method of launch? Aero tow seems
to involve more inherent dangers to me. For one thing, there is just more
time for things to go wrong. What could be more dangerous than to tie tow
airplanes together and try to fly?

Gary Boggs



I have done a whole lot of both and, given a choice, I'll take winch launch.

Yes, things happen fast on a winch launch but then the launch is over in
30-40 seconds so the risk exposure is short - with air tow, you are at risk
a least ten times as long. Air tow in turbulent air is fatiguing - you will
never get tired in a 35 second winch launch.

If you don't like the way a winch launch is going, release and land. You
can do that with a winch launch because you should always be in a position
to land back on the runway - I can't say that is always true with air tow.

Air tow is formation flying - involving two extremely mis-matched aircraft -
with a rope tying them together. This requires highly developed flying
skills to do safely. We teach this to pre-solo students. (I wonder how we
get away with it.) Winch launch can easily be taught to pre-solo pilots
since it is a simple, repetitive task.

Air tow has two aircraft at risk and at least two pilots - winch launch has
only one aircraft at risk.

Winch launch accelerates the glider far faster than air tow so dropping a
wing due to insufficient aileron control is unlikely. (Of course, you can
still drop a wing due to incompetence with unhappy results.)

In both cases, the training of the pilots and launch crews have a lot to due
with overall safety. There is ample opportunity for either to come to a bad
end. With equally good training, I think winch launch is safer.

But, lets face it - winch launch LOOKS scary to a pilot trained that a steep
nose-up attitude near the ground is dangerous. It isn't dangerous but it
sure looks that way.

Bill Daniels