I'm a 14 (15 years in 14 days) and we train this all the time. My instructor is just releasing the cable without me knowing anything. It's a good practis, but us students can be a little annoyed, since first: You just wanted to get up and fly. and second: You have to walk a bit under a mile to get back to the other end again. But over all, it's good fun. People who fly with newcomers should just bear in mind that what you do daily, is something scary and crazy for new people. And just a quick side note; People saying winch launch is bad and alot can go wrong... Yes, that is correct, but it's even more dangerous if there is a cable failure when you get towed by a towplane in low altittude, which you don't get trained in as a glider pilot. Cheers!
Umm, I'm just going to throw it out there but you SHOULD be very well trained on low altitude towline breaks whether is be from a tow aircraft or a winch. That's one of the fundamental emergency practices, but then again, they may do it differently where ever you're at.
Yeah. I got told that towing emergencies in low altitudes are not being trained since its too dangerous. But again, that might be diffrent from which country you are at.
Yeah, rope break simulations where I'm trained are always done at 800 AGL for pattern tows, anything lower for the field and you're dealing with tailwind or off-field landings.
At least with practice, you earn the privilege to walk that mile back. I think it's too dangerous NOT to train in low altitude emergencies, because you are going to experience one some day and don't want the first time to be solo.
As a long-time pilot and instructor, I would say the winch failure/recovery was normal. However, before starting, the situation could have been very dangerous. Raising a wing can sometimes mean that the pilot is ready to go - especially if radio communication is poor or missing. Always keep a wing on the ground until the pilot gives a thumbs-up, and never allow anyone to stand in front of the wing, or attach a cable to the glider while the wings are level.
HB2372 the recovery after the break was very bad! No recovery attitude and barely flying speed let alone an eventuality speed! Bad lesson poor instruction, have a look at the BGA safe winching guide before flying again!
Same on our place. If one wing is not at ground, no one is allowed to be in front of the wing. And the winch operator have to ask again, till hes start winching
HB2372 I was a graded pilot with the air cadets many moons ago, the procedure he went through is correct for air cadet gliding. Wings level, cable on, all clear above & behind, up slack and the all out. The winch drive will only launch on receipt of a light signal from control point, or waved baton from the out board wing tip. Also remember that they only launch one type of glider unlike most clubs so no reason to pass on that information via radio
The launch procedure if different with air cadet VGS gliding, as you have seen the wings are levelled before attaching the cable as a posed to the cable being attached first. I learnt on a vgs and am now a member of a civi club and can see the merits of both. I couldn’t say one way is significantly safer than the other
ah, im due to go solo first time next sunday with 643 VGS at RAF Syerston, i completed the sylabus yesterday whilst doing low launch failures under 250ft (landing ahead), i found it a bit un-nerving since the squadrons OC was sitting behind me, no pressure!
Back release in the full climb, I don't think so. Either way, a back release is not pilot error. Pilot error is not lowering the nose to the recovery attitude. I would expect an instructor to demonstrate the proper procedure even if the launch failure is above normal circuit height.
I remember flying the Grob at 636 gliding school Swansea many years ago as a civilian gliding instructor, great time and many cable breaks 😁, ended up with a Bronze C and went on to gain a PPL at Swansea flying club👌👍
man, this takes me back - i did my silver wings 5 years ago near bristol, i'd forgotten how bloody quick they accelerate. first time i practised a cable break landing straight ahead i wound up next to the winch on the other side of the airfield. they had to send the jeep out to fetch us.
It may well have been Sun earlier (reasonably unlikely) but as gliders (sailplanes etc) use thermals and get pulled by the winch they generate heat clouds begin to form. I know this from experience :D
So if it breaks is the procedure to jettison the bit attached to the aircraft ? I mean, you wouldn't want to be flying around with a 500 ft tether dangling from your nose.
i got a cable break in a grob twin acro the other day. Didn't even realise what was happening a first, instructor just lowered the nose randomly. Then he pulled the release twice and I clocked.
I was surprised to hear pilot shouting out all clear and stuff. On our sites once we shut the can of pees and tell the wing man we are ok to go... we then sit back and it is all done for us.???? Cheers pete
I spent many years and many thousands of launches as a winch driver.... any release at such an angle used to trigger an inspection of the Ottfur rings and release mechanism. Back release should only happen at around 90 degrees!! Many things can be done wrong... my most butt clenching experience was launching a K13 with the cable attached to the nose... there is no auto release on this, and the climb is just weird....the student released the cable several hundred yards to the right of the winch..
Nice height to have one at. as long as you were doing everthing by the book probobly the best hieght to have one at. You would not have any thinking to do.. you would definatly land ahead. He he he. Cheers Pete
Undetectable, can be launched from any flat piece of terrain, can't be heard by anybody that wants to shoot you down, no betraying emissions like smoke, best suited for Recon.
I had a winch break in a Twin Astir, Hardly even noticed it! When I got back on the ground though, my mates on the course would let me hear the end of it!!!!!
If it happens I'll let you know...............I would think he would KNOW..........I suppose the worst time for it to happen is near the end of the take off and when there is not enough room to land or circle for a landing....then you hope there is enough clear, open space for a landing....the good news is only a short space is needed for landing.
lw216316 That's what's known as an awkward height cable break. You'd judge your height and depending on your angle from reference point, you'd either land ahead of come around and do a circuit, with the possibility of abbreviating it so as to position yourself with above 300' on the final turn and enough space to land.
God made it always cloudy in Britain because he wants our pilots to be tough, not like the soft Aussie nancy boys who fly in poncey sunshine. That's why we won the Battle of Britain and the Falklands War, our pilots ruled the skies..:)
Well get on and do it. But you are right any one can fly, mind you there is alot to know to fly safe the flying is the easy bit. but when things go wrong. and they would if you just towed with car. I could teach anyone with average brains and with the right weather to fly a hang glider in two to three days. But mind for much longer that person would need to be with me or another good pilot to have his flying site and every take of discused and planed. anyone can fly but to fly safe. ??? Pete
I'm a 14 (15 years in 14 days) and we train this all the time. My instructor is just releasing the cable without me knowing anything. It's a good practis, but us students can be a little annoyed, since first: You just wanted to get up and fly. and second: You have to walk a bit under a mile to get back to the other end again. But over all, it's good fun. People who fly with newcomers should just bear in mind that what you do daily, is something scary and crazy for new people. And just a quick side note; People saying winch launch is bad and alot can go wrong... Yes, that is correct, but it's even more dangerous if there is a cable failure when you get towed by a towplane in low altittude, which you don't get trained in as a glider pilot. Cheers!
Umm, I'm just going to throw it out there but you SHOULD be very well trained on low altitude towline breaks whether is be from a tow aircraft or a winch. That's one of the fundamental emergency practices, but then again, they may do it differently where ever you're at.
Yeah. I got told that towing emergencies in low altitudes are not being trained since its too dangerous. But again, that might be diffrent from which country you are at.
Yeah, rope break simulations where I'm trained are always done at 800 AGL for pattern tows, anything lower for the field and you're dealing with tailwind or off-field landings.
At least with practice, you earn the privilege to walk that mile back. I think it's too dangerous NOT to train in low altitude emergencies, because you are going to experience one some day and don't want the first time to be solo.
Tail wind landings are ok, or even landing across the field. The only cable break that you shouldn't try is the one that'll get you in a field.
As a long-time pilot and instructor, I would say the winch failure/recovery was normal. However, before starting, the situation could have been very dangerous. Raising a wing can sometimes mean that the pilot is ready to go - especially if radio communication is poor or missing. Always keep a wing on the ground until the pilot gives a thumbs-up, and never allow anyone to stand in front of the wing, or attach a cable to the glider while the wings are level.
HB2372 the recovery after the break was very bad! No recovery attitude and barely flying speed let alone an eventuality speed!
Bad lesson poor instruction, have a look at the BGA safe winching guide before flying again!
Same on our place. If one wing is not at ground, no one is allowed to be in front of the wing. And the winch operator have to ask again, till hes start winching
HB2372 I was a graded pilot with the air cadets many moons ago, the procedure he went through is correct for air cadet gliding. Wings level, cable on, all clear above & behind, up slack and the all out. The winch drive will only launch on receipt of a light signal from control point, or waved baton from the out board wing tip. Also remember that they only launch one type of glider unlike most clubs so no reason to pass on that information via radio
The launch procedure if different with air cadet VGS gliding, as you have seen the wings are levelled before attaching the cable as a posed to the cable being attached first. I learnt on a vgs and am now a member of a civi club and can see the merits of both. I couldn’t say one way is significantly safer than the other
YEEEES
I've never been in a situation like that before but it did climb very high before it broke
ah, im due to go solo first time next sunday with 643 VGS at RAF Syerston, i completed the sylabus yesterday whilst doing low launch failures under 250ft (landing ahead), i found it a bit un-nerving since the squadrons OC was sitting behind me, no pressure!
Also depends on where it breaks. You'll normally hear a weak link go, but it the cable itself goes, it could be 1500ft away.
4000ft off a winch is one hell of an accomplishment!
Back release in the full climb, I don't think so. Either way, a back release is not pilot error. Pilot error is not lowering the nose to the recovery attitude. I would expect an instructor to demonstrate the proper procedure even if the launch failure is above normal circuit height.
I remember flying the Grob at 636 gliding school Swansea many years ago as a civilian gliding instructor, great time and many cable breaks 😁, ended up with a Bronze C and went on to gain a PPL at Swansea flying club👌👍
I spent many years as a staff cadet at 636 during the early 70s and later as a civilian in the 90s. What's your name?
You should try in a T21!!!!! For the youngsters watching this it might shock you
It's know as the volunteer gilding school (VGS) the person filming is a British air cadet (ATC) and the pilot is a Flight staff cadet from the VGS
Last week we had a winch cable failure at about 10 meters AGL. Pretty scary stuff.
man, this takes me back - i did my silver wings 5 years ago near bristol, i'd forgotten how bloody quick they accelerate. first time i practised a cable break landing straight ahead i wound up next to the winch on the other side of the airfield. they had to send the jeep out to fetch us.
Same thing happened to me when I was in the ATC back in the 60's
Whilst gliding at North Weald.
It may well have been Sun earlier (reasonably unlikely) but as gliders (sailplanes etc) use thermals and get pulled by the winch they generate heat clouds begin to form. I know this from experience :D
So if it breaks is the procedure to jettison the bit attached to the aircraft ? I mean, you wouldn't want to be flying around with a 500 ft tether dangling from your nose.
Yes. We're trained to firmly pull the release handle twice to ensure separation.
What type of glider is it? ASK-13?
i got a cable break in a grob twin acro the other day. Didn't even realise what was happening a first, instructor just lowered the nose randomly. Then he pulled the release twice and I clocked.
I was surprised to hear pilot shouting out all clear and stuff. On our sites once we shut the can of pees and tell the wing man we are ok to go... we then sit back and it is all done for us.???? Cheers pete
I spent many years and many thousands of launches as a winch driver.... any release at such an angle used to trigger an inspection of the Ottfur rings and release mechanism. Back release should only happen at around 90 degrees!! Many things can be done wrong... my most butt clenching experience was launching a K13 with the cable attached to the nose... there is no auto release on this, and the climb is just weird....the student released the cable several hundred yards to the right of the winch..
Nice height to have one at. as long as you were doing everthing by the book probobly the best hieght to have one at. You would not have any thinking to do.. you would definatly land ahead. He he he. Cheers Pete
How are gliders a military advantage?
Undetectable, can be launched from any flat piece of terrain, can't be heard by anybody that wants to shoot you down, no betraying emissions like smoke, best suited for Recon.
sabe gp How about we just use a UAV?
That's a good point...2
sabe gp the fact that they have huge long wings makes for big returns on the enemies radar screens, fail.
cjracer1000 mostly training
HOLY CRAP? what the heck got you airborne?? i dont understand..
I refuse to fly winch launches. If I can't get a tow I'll go fly a small single engine. I've flown winch but there's just too much to go wrong.
@TheOverloadChannel the best :), air cadets XD
Which vgs/base was this?
Thats the real RAF
@Jebediah Kerman no, its the cadets.
I had a winch break in a Twin Astir, Hardly even noticed it!
When I got back on the ground though, my mates on the course would let me hear the end of it!!!!!
Why is it always cloudy in England, and Britain?.
It's not. It's a bad joke and untrue and with global warming there is even more sun and droughts.
what does a good launch get you altitude wise... (two people)
Depends on many factors weather, weight power of the winch length of cable etc
Usually when a cable snaps . there is one hell of a bang .
Might have been avoided if the handling pilot, instead of pole-bending, signaled for the winch to ease off on the power.
You can launch a glider with a car? I got to see that. You sure the car wouldn't lift of the ground?
Yes, it's called auto towing. Done my 1st solo at Wittering in a K4 and had a cable break at 350 feet. Bloody good learning opportunity early on.
I remember doing my gliding scholarship and had a launch failure at 50ft Hahá
?
Yes!
If it happens I'll let you know...............I would think he would KNOW..........I suppose the worst time for it to happen is near the end of the take off and when there is not enough room to land or circle for a landing....then you hope there is enough clear, open space for a landing....the good news is only a short space is needed for landing.
lw216316 That's what's known as an awkward height cable break. You'd judge your height and depending on your angle from reference point, you'd either land ahead of come around and do a circuit, with the possibility of abbreviating it so as to position yourself with above 300' on the final turn and enough space to land.
i did my gliding scholarship there! :)
civil air Patrol?
iissyy123 Air Cadets
God made it always cloudy in Britain because he wants our pilots to be tough, not like the soft Aussie nancy boys who fly in poncey sunshine.
That's why we won the Battle of Britain and the Falklands War, our pilots ruled the skies..:)
Looks like Simulated launch failure
+stealhty1 Why would you simulate it in a one seater?
For training.
Thats right
ARRRRR PLANES!!! jizz!!!
Well get on and do it. But you are right any one can fly, mind you there is alot to know to fly safe the flying is the easy bit. but when things go wrong. and they would if you just towed with car.
I could teach anyone with average brains and with the right weather to fly a hang glider in two to three days. But mind for much longer that person would need to be with me or another good pilot to have his flying site and every take of discused and planed.
anyone can fly but to fly safe. ??? Pete
good luck finding thermals on a day like that..
first time i went on one of these it made me shit my self
Their air cadets
I was probably driving the winch and broke it. probably because i was busy playing with my weener.
I don't think they need Clothes like that for gliding
If you have ever been on a cold windy and wet airfield, you would appreciate being combats
It's noisy in there...
no
Jan Erik Kristiansen no its it's actually very quiet
Wrong on more than one count...
Typical dull grey Brit macho weather, not poncey sunshine like Australia or USA..;)
thats our normal cruise it should be the gliding attitude poor terminology there !!.....
click bait
Grow up