At 16:24 05 November 2004, Jerz Rossignol wrote:

I'm curious if any of you guys have ever tried to self
launch with no
wing man on a cg hook only glider. I have skids on
my wingtips as
well. Would you put the wing that's on the ground further
forward at
start? What's the technique!!
I think this is why having a cg hook is a disadvantage.

Did it a long time ago next to Fasnakyle Hydro Power
Station near Inverness.
I drove the winch (a scrap car jacked up with a drum
full of piano wire bolted to one rear hub and the differential
jammed).
The pilot in an Olympia 460 with one wing balanced
on a pile of tyres at the other end.
He eventually went to 13,000' in the wave after I had
exited the winch with giant steps as the released wire
narrowly missed the 132Kv pylons running down one side
of the field!