Hey, Blind Pew, your caveat has been recognised as correct; the latest word from the British Gliding Association is begin a winch launch with the left hand lightly holding the release....and if a wing drops - even before it touches the ground, RELEASE IMMEDIATELY. Which can prevent the painful possibility of a cartwheel, with fatal consequence.
Likewise, polebending is no longer considered sensible. See quote from Rollings on my previous post. Likewise, signaling too fast - also far more dangerous than accepting increased speed and departing the wire before the top of the launch.
Slow speed at the top of the launch....yes, time to leave, and also DON'T TURN until correct speed indicated on the ASI. Happier now?
I think that the wing drop problem is not the same on aerotow, if you have a nose hook on your glider, as the glider will usually straighten up OK once you get going. Ever land out in a field with nobody to hold the wingtip? the outcome is interesting: having been told by the tuggie to put THAT wing down before the launch, I did, and of course as soon as he increased power, the torque decided that the other wing looked better on the ground.. No problem, however, with a nosehook glider it all straightens out with no tendency to cartwheel.
Be interesting to hear from other glider pilots or tuggies on this question..
All the kerfluffle from the techies about differing breaking strengths of weak links...and the surprising information that a weak link gets STRONGER? with use? until it breaks, of course! I would say if the glider pilot relies on infalible weak links, he is seriously in need of launch failure practice, as recommended by the original poster.
Winch launches are spectacular, exciting, and can prove fatal. Yet a study of the points raised by Blind Pew, and eventually recognised as dangerous practice by the BGA, have resulted in recent years in the UK by far fewer horrible winch accidents. The only horrible thing I can think of now not covered by latest best practice, would be a hangup - which is rare indeed.
Anybody know about any hangups in the last 10 years? attributable to weak links getting stronger?