Where i fly it is taught to first pitch up less and only go for the full 45-50 degrees once you have reached 50m (about 150ft) because if you went straight to the steep climb a rope break at low altitude could mean no possible recovery from a stall.
I guess that smooth pitch up to 45 degrees takes care of that. Anyway that couldn't be emphasized enough. Still some people don't seem to get it. Not worth risking your and the gliders life for 15 meters of extra height. Then again the same people usually go for the max winch launch speed which gives you less altitude unless you slingshot...
Usually increase pitch 5 degrees every 3 seconds gives you a 45 degree pitch at a safe altitude allowing for a pitch-over if the rope breaks. Part of the pre-flight check list is 400 ft' land ahead, 600ft abbreviated pattern, enter a normal pattern 800ft.
@@billthrift3884 too complicated IMHO. I don't think it's that hard to judge with common sense. Trees help if you have them. But I'm quite heavy so it's not that easy to pull too much depending on type.
Hey... I recognize that winch training spot - 29 Palms /May 2019. We should do that again!! This soaring site is perfect for getting away from winch tows. 8 out of 9 gliders got away. And this is also a nice memento for 29 Soaring. Thanks Bill.
How can you continue the pull on the glider when it takeoff?? when i think about it the cord should pull the glider down unless the winch is higher than the glider?
As shown , the glider pitches up and there is considerable force pulling up on the rope as it shortens. . The line is much longer than the altitude achieved during the launch. As the glider approaches the winch end of the runway, less and less lifting force is provided. It’s just like launching a kite. You certainly don’t need to be above the kite.
The cord pulls the glider "down and forward", diagonally, for most of the launch - and yes, indeed, kinda vertically towards the end, that's when you release because in fact you stop climbing. The cord therefore, for most of the launch, does the same thing gravity does to the glider in "normal flying", but at an angle instead of vertically. So, instead of flying with a slight nose down attitude and slowly descending through the air (normal flying powered by gravity), the glider can fly at a nose high attitude and climb 🙂
The rope automatically detaches when beyond vertical, the pilot can release manually, and a weak link is included that will break if it exceeds a given force.
@@BillPalmer I’ll try to explain it I’m not a native speaker so don’t expect to much. We use the esw 2b it’s an electric winch that gives the plane a limited force it can use. When pulling the cable the winch constantly measures the force on the cable so when the pilot is pulling the force gets bigger and the winch compensates that by pulling slower. When the glider puts the nose down the winch notices the lack of tension of the rope so it pulls faster to compensate it what makes the glider pick up speed.
@@BillPalmer A skilled winch operator will be able to give a perfect launch without the need for the pilot to make radio calls. The pilot can adjust the pitch as necessary or signal too fast by use of the rudder and wave left and right. What happens if you have a radio failure in either the winch or glider?
@@Duncan5813 That may well be true, but each operation will have their own procedures. I would advise pilots to comply with them until such time that the are changed officially. I’ve only used the winch from one club so I can’t speak at to the range of variations out there and which ones are best.
0:08 sun glistening off the wings. Beautiful shot!
Glad to see things are still happening at Jacumba! Great souvenir of our training weekend in 2019 as well. Nice channel too!
Erik
Where i fly it is taught to first pitch up less and only go for the full 45-50 degrees once you have reached 50m (about 150ft) because if you went straight to the steep climb a rope break at low altitude could mean no possible recovery from a stall.
I guess that smooth pitch up to 45 degrees takes care of that. Anyway that couldn't be emphasized enough. Still some people don't seem to get it. Not worth risking your and the gliders life for 15 meters of extra height. Then again the same people usually go for the max winch launch speed which gives you less altitude unless you slingshot...
I opted to keep it simple with “smooth pitch up.” This video is not meant to substitute for a winch course but only to serve as an introduction.
Usually increase pitch 5 degrees every 3 seconds gives you a 45 degree pitch at a safe altitude allowing for a pitch-over if the rope breaks. Part of the pre-flight check list is 400 ft' land ahead, 600ft abbreviated pattern, enter a normal pattern 800ft.
@@billthrift3884 too complicated IMHO. I don't think it's that hard to judge with common sense. Trees help if you have them. But I'm quite heavy so it's not that easy to pull too much depending on type.
The speed is the important factor. Pull up to soon (slow) and a cable break could be a real headache
Hey... I recognize that winch training spot - 29 Palms /May 2019. We should do that again!! This soaring site is perfect for getting away from winch tows. 8 out of 9 gliders got away. And this is also a nice memento for 29 Soaring. Thanks Bill.
That was nicely done man!
That was text book last landing
How can you continue the pull on the glider when it takeoff?? when i think about it the cord should pull the glider down unless the winch is higher than the glider?
As shown , the glider pitches up and there is considerable force pulling up on the rope as it shortens. . The line is much longer than the altitude achieved during the launch. As the glider approaches the winch end of the runway, less and less lifting force is provided. It’s just like launching a kite. You certainly don’t need to be above the kite.
The cord pulls the glider "down and forward", diagonally, for most of the launch - and yes, indeed, kinda vertically towards the end, that's when you release because in fact you stop climbing.
The cord therefore, for most of the launch, does the same thing gravity does to the glider in "normal flying", but at an angle instead of vertically.
So, instead of flying with a slight nose down attitude and slowly descending through the air (normal flying powered by gravity), the glider can fly at a nose high attitude and climb 🙂
Re: Emergencies : What if the rope will not detach?
The rope automatically detaches when beyond vertical, the pilot can release manually, and a weak link is included that will break if it exceeds a given force.
@@BillPalmer In addition the wich driver can use an cutter to cut the cable at the winch as last resort.
There are winches out there that let the pilot control the speed
Interesting. How does that work?
@@BillPalmer I’ll try to explain it I’m not a native speaker so don’t expect to much. We use the esw 2b it’s an electric winch that gives the plane a limited force it can use. When pulling the cable the winch constantly measures the force on the cable so when the pilot is pulling the force gets bigger and the winch compensates that by pulling slower. When the glider puts the nose down the winch notices the lack of tension of the rope so it pulls faster to compensate it what makes the glider pick up speed.
Wrong! Winch does not control speed. The glider does.
Not necessarily. In the operation where this was filmed the glider maintains a steady pitch attitude and the winch adjusts speed as per radio calls.
@@BillPalmer A skilled winch operator will be able to give a perfect launch without the need for the pilot to make radio calls. The pilot can adjust the pitch as necessary or signal too fast by use of the rudder and wave left and right.
What happens if you have a radio failure in either the winch or glider?
@@Duncan5813 That may well be true, but each operation will have their own procedures. I would advise pilots to comply with them until such time that the are changed officially. I’ve only used the winch from one club so I can’t speak at to the range of variations out there and which ones are best.