[Gllug] Plank Drivers

[Martin Ling]

On Wed, Aug 07, 2002 at 03:23:10PM +0100, Jake Jellinek wrote:
> 
> I tried it too, but the winch rope/wire snapped on take off, and I did
> nearly die (at least that's what it felt like, as we quickly went into a
> sudden steep dive with the pilot shouting "FUUU*****K!!".
> 
> I declined to try again, I just didn't like the idea that the rope was
> being repaired rather than replaced.

*delurk*

I guess I might as well step in and speak for the sport, since it sounds
like you had a bad experience handled somewhat unprofessionally.

In a winch launch, the cable is attatched not directly to the belly hook
of the glider but to a ~1m strip with a weak link. The strips are
colour-coded to different breaking loads suitable to different classes
of glider. In the event of the winch driver pulling too hard - they too
are informed of the type and loading of glider before launching - or the
pilot trying to climb too heavily on launch (especially in strong
headwind), the weak link will snap. This is infinitely preferable to the
excess force pulling the glider to pieces. You should probably have been
warned of the possibility of this in advance.

The correct procedure when this happens *is* to get the nose hard down
in order to pick up safe flying speed to land, then settle on the runway
ahead or, if some way into the launch, turn and land back or carry on
ahead into the next field if available. Practice with handling cable
breaks at any stage is a major part of pilot training, and doubly so for
instructors. Who, incidentally, are also taught not to scare the shit
out of their pupils by staying calm and not shouting "FUUU*****K!!"...

If you're ever up in Edinburgh or nearby, perhaps we could convince you
to come have another spin with us. :-)


Martin

-- 
http://the.earth.li/~martin/

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