Just advertised on gliderpiolt.net A twin drum Supacat winch . This diesel powered winch which is currently in use at the Wolds Gliding Club is offered for...
2231
Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 2, 2006 3:36 pm
This post is not to advocate any particular position but to stimulate discussion. What is the purpose of the parachute? What does it protect? When using...
2232
burrtorr
Apr 2, 2006 6:21 pm
Bill, An important factor is to allow the winch driver to see the end of the cable. Especially when at the top of the launch and almost overhead. In the event...
2233
Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 2, 2006 7:03 pm
The first one is absolutely valid. Everybody needs to be able to see the end of the winch line. Thanks for that, Dave. The second one is debatable. Wear...
2234
John Giddy
jgiddyau
Apr 2, 2006 9:01 pm
The parachute also provides some tension to help the cable wind smoothly onto the drum. With no parachute, I would think the wind onto the drum would be loose,...
2235
Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 2, 2006 9:15 pm
Absolutely, but is there another, less troublesome, way to get that light tension? Maybe rubber 'pinch rollers' that automatically grab the winch line at the...
2236
derek_cirrus168
Apr 2, 2006 9:46 pm
The Midland Gliding Club at the Long Mynd, Shropshire, England, don't use a parachute when they are operating with a retrieve winch, as that keeps the cable...
2237
burrtorr
Apr 3, 2006 12:09 am
Whilst parachutes do cause extra drag in the system they should be designed so that the pull is taken through the risers, thus keeping the 'chute collapsed...
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Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 3, 2006 2:42 am
OK, I think you are right, 'chutes will be around for a long time. But, just to continue the thread, Spectra melts at around 280F which is litterally...
2239
Bill Coit
prophead73089
Apr 3, 2006 3:29 am
If there is a problem with the chute getting in tangled with the glider. Could you add a 10 to 20 ft leader off of the chute that would move the chute further...
2240
Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 3, 2006 3:36 am
In my case there was a 100 foot leader. The 'chute just flew up in front of me. I'd rather the chute not be there. Spectra MAY offer an opportunity to...
2241
Michael Derry
michaelwderry
Apr 3, 2006 9:24 am
Curious to know why it is being sold ? I know that Grandma only used it on Sundays, however is the club going to another form of launching or another winch or...
2242
burrtorr
Apr 3, 2006 10:08 am
Michael The club, who also aerotow, have just taken delivery of a new Skylaunch winch. To the best of my knowledge, the Supacat winch has always been well...
2243
Michael Derry
michaelwderry
Apr 3, 2006 10:59 am
Many thanks for the thread..... A concern I have heard with spectra is that because it is so light,after release it may blow up and over the wings potentially...
2244
Copeland, Derek [ADT ...
derek_cirrus168
Apr 3, 2006 11:04 am
Hi Bill, In most cases cable parachutes are necessary to maintain a small amount of tension in the cable so that it winds smoothly on to the drum, and also to ...
2245
Michael Derry
michaelwderry
Apr 3, 2006 11:05 am
Dear All If you are worried about parachutes drifting then the answer is to wind them in fast. The fastest known way of winding chutes in is to use a 3:1...
2246
derek_cirrus168
Apr 3, 2006 10:30 pm
... wind ... It doesn't matter how fast you pull the cable in if it has broken and the top half of it plus the parachute are drifting towards power lines or...
2247
Frank Whiteley
kestrel19ctd
Apr 4, 2006 12:18 am
I'm presuming the Lasham retrieve winch is done with a parachute on the main rope. I'm trying to imagine what happens at the release. The main winch drum is...
2248
John Giddy
jgiddyau
Apr 4, 2006 3:44 am
Is Lasham using a retrieve winch ? I thought they just used the ordinary retrieve car method, as they use multi-drum winches, which could get interesting with...
2249
Frank Whiteley
kestrel19ctd
Apr 4, 2006 4:08 am
Lasham has one of the new Skylaunch retrieve winches. http://www.skylaunchuk.com/ Frank Whiteley ... Aviation+training+schools&w5=Glider&w6> ...
2250
weersch
Apr 4, 2006 4:56 am
I do not (yet) see how you can do without a chute. I have seen all new winch drivers, including myself, make the same mistake, i.e. winching in the cable too...
2251
derek_cirrus168
Apr 4, 2006 6:30 am
Lasham does have a Skylaunch retrieve winch which we used very succesfully for a couple of months until it developed a problem with the automatic gearbox,...
2252
John Giddy
jgiddyau
Apr 4, 2006 7:09 am
I am delighted to hear it !! I wasn't impressed by that large chunk of steel flying through the air !!! Interesting to hear about the Lasham retrieve winch...
2253
Copeland, Derek [ADT ...
derek_cirrus168
Apr 4, 2006 8:41 am
John, The Mynd's cable joining block is actually cleverer than it looks, as it is also designed to be a skid so that it slides easily over the ground. Due to ...
2254
Michael Derry
michaelwderry
Apr 4, 2006 8:47 am
You do not have this problem with pulley or auto launch. Auto Launch....you cannot drive through the fence at the end of the strip. Single pulley...you cannot...
2255
derek_cirrus168
Apr 4, 2006 12:10 pm
... Snip> ... Why not? One of the advantages of a winch is that you don't have to drive a vehicle at a reasonable high speed while watching a glider climbing...
2256
Michael Derry
michaelwderry
Apr 4, 2006 12:44 pm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pulleylaunch/ derek_cirrus168" <dcopeland@...> ... In the early to mid part of the launch, where most of the dangerous ...
2257
Bill Daniels
n141sf
Apr 4, 2006 1:21 pm
Good point. So, how could we fis that problem? ... the ... judging ... the ... stimulate ... clear. ... tangles, ... (c)to ... It ... all ... smaller is ... ...
2258
Mike Schumann
mikeschumann
Apr 4, 2006 4:17 pm
The cable should have a magnet imbedded in it near the end. A sensor should then automatically stop the winch when the magnet is detected. Mike Schumann ... ...
2259
derek_cirrus168
Apr 4, 2006 5:34 pm
From what you say, I can only think that the winches in Western Australia must be pretty ramshackle and basic affairs. Most of the modern European ones have...
