I nearly crashed

[@rhhmunro]

Think I've replied to you before on this subject, but I had a winch-launching mishap in 1997 when the wing dropped and I didn't release in time. I was new to the type (Skylark 4) and wasn't 100% certain where the cable release handle was. In the fraction of a second it took me to locate it, the glider rotated violently, reared up and struck the ground nose first. Long story short, I sustained injuries that necessitated the amputation of my left leg below the knee. It's great that you're raising awareness of this hazard which lurks behind every winch launch and WILL catch out the complacent or unprepared pilot. (I count myself among the former BTW.) Just as a point of historic interest, I'm aware the BGA now clearly advises keeping one hand on the release during the launch but I remember being told by a number of instructors when I trained in the 70s that doing so can lead to an inadvertent release, an event with problems of its own. Anyway, love your videos Tim, keep up the good work!

[@PureGlide]

Thank you for sharing, (again!). Your story is exactly why we need to take this very seriously.

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

A close call. Glad you came out of it unscathed, Tim. And wiser. Have a Happy New Year, mate. Cheers.

[@PureGlide]

Thanks, Happy New Year to you too!

[@antigoon78]

I'm missing the part where the wing walker's role is explained. 1) the wing walker holds and runs as long as he/she can, so the shortest time without control authority is ensured. 2) in crosswind, the wing walker keeps the upwind wing slightly lower, to prevent the wind from catching it and lifting it, forcing the downwind wing onto the ground.

[@BruceHoult]

That's not correct. You can't possibly run fast enough for the glider to get enough speed to have control authority (unless there was basically already enough headwind at standstill). The key is for the wing runner to ensure that the glider is balanced -- that they are NOT holding the wing with upwards or downwards force. If you have to exert any significant force then LET THE WING MOVE UP OR DOWN well before the actual launch, so the pilot can tell the glider is not balanced and use their controls to balance it. The wing runner with the Arcus did it all wrong. He was clearly having to hold the wing up with considerable force, so that when he sooner or later had to let go of the wing, it suddenly slammed into the ground. If the wing runner is doing their job properly in balancing the glider then there is no need for more than a couple of steps -- basically just making sure that the towplane or winch is actually giving strong acceleration and not just inching forward a bit.

[@antigoon78]

@@BruceHoult You might have other experiences, but this is how it's taught in the Netherlands and is in the gliding theory books of Dirk Corporaal, also used by the BGA.

[@GlideYNRG]

Need to be a wing runner. Not a wing dropper.. Yes. Sufficient headwind and everything looks after itself but a ship loaded with ballast isn't going to appreciate being dropped on the strip. Never mind the pilot. They'll be a fair bit cranky too. If you can't run a wing, get someone else to do it.

[@BruceHoult]

@@GlideYNRG my entire point is that you DON'T drop it -- you balance it. If the wingtip hits the ground then you didn't balance it.

[@turbavykas]

Wings produce a lot of lift and you just can hold it with a hand. You can even breake your fingers if wing suddenly moves due to the gust.

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

That point between starting to move and enough airspeed for decent control authority. It is important to be self critical. Well done for sharing this event.

[@siddharthiyer1120]

humble and honest dissection of the events and improvements 👍

[@jamescollier3]

yes. low ego is a unique thing. very good introspection! great job with your mind!!😊

[@pompeymonkey3271]

Glad you're still with us. Keeping your hand on the release is ingrained into us in the UK from day 1!

[@Rasta8889]

The BGA safe winching information material is top notch.

[@ppytal]

Yes, I'm surprised he didn't mention keeping your hand on the release as vital. You do not have time to reach for it if a wing drops.

[@PureGlide]

oh yes I thought I did, but must have missed it in the edit. In this case I did have the hand on the release the whole time, but brain didn't engage to activate the hand!

[@sandyloynd8]

​​@PureGlide on it or by it? It looks like your hand was on your quad next to it? We teach to physically hold the yellow knob so there's no delay My very forst launch as an instructor came with a wing drop. My one and only experience of this on a winch and quite happy to leave it at 1. I released for the trainee and all was fine except with my underwear 😂

[@adrianpeters2413]

Student glider person here .....Thank you for your honest perception of facts here ... thank you happy new year ...

[@simonjz05]

Thank you for sharing Tim. Like you say, I am sure this is difficult to share, but you are helping so many pilots from potentially fatal outcomes. Brilliant!

[@doktorjansson]

Listening to a pilot describe his/her own mistake makes the lesson stick in your brain in a unique way. Only great people share mistakes as honestly and openly as you do. The ability to realize and admit to mistakes is the one character trait I hold the highest, because only people that do that optimize their learning curve. To do it openly makes it easier for others to do so too. Applause, and a Happy New Year to you!

[@glider1157]

I had a similar incident this year in an aerotow situation with an ASW 28. Boy this was challenging. Lession learned: Release as soon as possible if the wing touches the ground. It is on my checklist now.

[@TheGpatters888]

Happened to see that incident on the day. Good on you for posting this - a chance for all of us to learn something.

[@jonkje]

Always have your hand on the release throughout the entire winch procedure. Don't see that in the video. When things go wrong you don't want to be searching for the release and waste critical time.

[@TheAverageDutchman]

I disagree with having your hand ON the release. There have been several accidents because people unintentionally pulled the release due to bumps during the roll or g-forces during rotation. Have it NEAR the release (this is also what is taught in training in Germany and the Netherlands).

[@eckiger_luki6424]

@@TheAverageDutchman Same i agree with you i had a very very long argument in a another video where people dont get that having the hand on the release isnt the only right way and that both ways have benefits. nobody believed me when i said that in germany you get taught to have it near the release and not on it

[@anotherday2084]

my instructor told me it s not good to have it on the release as you might grab it by mistake.

[@ppytal]

​@@TheAverageDutchmanI disagree and always launch and teach to have your hand on the release. As the video shows, you do not have time to grab the release when a wing drops. Never had an issue with 'inadvertent' pulling of the release, there is always a bit of slack.

[@vivi74ify]

@@TheAverageDutchmanmeh, wich one is more dangerous ? Risking a release by mistake or not having the time to reach the release and risking to miss it (especially due to urgency of the situation + possibly some shakings (bumps and g-forces) when you really need it ? Here in france we are trained to react to a rope break during any step of a winch launch so my choice is done. I will always have the hand on the release.

[@SoaringMike]

Thanks for sharing Tim! It's no problem to make mistakes as long as we learn from them and you give us the opportunity to learn from them too. What actually scared me the most was not the unfortunate event on the ground but (as it seemed) the almost vertical nose position after coming from the ground. Maybe it's an optical illusion but I got goose bumps... because as you know with that nose position at that altitude there is no rescue possible in case the cable would come loose. Anyway, happy new year and many happy landings!

[@mitchellkaye9619]

As a frequent viewer, I have tremendous respect for your soaring knowledge and abilities. Sharing a very scary accident and teaching the rest of the community how to mitigate the risks, is a mark of integrity. Thank you

[@travelheaven6593]

ouch, so sorry that this happened to you. wish you all the best for future adventures!

[@cdeerinck]

Love your honesty on these. Much appreciated. We also teach that the wing runner should always be on the upwind side during launch.

[@Flying2ZC]

Very informative Tim as usual. I have to say though having your hand on the release will save you a second and possibly more if you get side loadings and your legs cover the release handle whilst you go for it. Your eyes will be in side the cockpit when they should be out. As you correctly state "it only takes a second"! Another point sometines overlooked is the wing runner and which side is preferred. Her I feel the in to wind wing should be held here considering the speeds. In your example you can see the wing runner struggling against the other wing being lifted. Had he been on the other wing, he may have supported the wing better and even told the pilot he has a lot of pressure on the wing to warn or delay the launch. Still a great video making us reconsider our eventualities on each and every flight.

[@AirJoe]

Enjoy the gliding season down there. Happy holidays and safe flying!

[@SaraStearns-t6f]

Good luck in the Nationals, Tim. Thank you for the frank video. Happy New Year!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks, Happy New Year to you too!

[@SteamerEdge]

Excellent lessons to be learnt here, thanks Tim. Hand to be ready on cable release at all times during Glider Launching, no exceptions. Complacency over time is a problem for all Pilots. cheers Paul

[@MyChannel-bh6sc]

Thanks for sharing this! I always have students go trough the eventualities aloud before each launch and also do it myself. Complacency is probably one of the biggest killers in aviation. We must not forget that what we do is dangerous and a small slip can have dramatic consequences.

[@whoisthispianist194]

I love your videos! You’ve got the right stuff.

[@PureGlide]

Cheers!

[@marcotroeller7501]

Always be aware of the crosswind conditions and the height of the grass at the start area on the airfield. Thats what I relearn now in the winter in Germany due to your video. Thank you!

[@ebdz4281]

Thanks for the sharing and the humility to do it this way 😉, every pilot has to deal with potential complacency, we should all be aware of this primary factor. I very often use winch launch, very safe in essence as you gain energy and height much quicker than with tow. In both cases, "what if" scenarios and left hand on the release is a must !

[@thomaskohler4257]

Have a happy new year and good to hear and see you are ok!!!!

[@Gianky640220]

Many thanks, Tim! One of the most useful videos on the Tube. Indeed, I am not certified for winch launch, but your suggestions are valid also for towing and for any other phase of a flight: think first, then act. Golden rule #1 Good for you that down under is summer time! Greetings from Italy and Happy New Year's Eve!

[@gonegliding2966]

Salient video. Happy new year Tim.

[@PureGlide]

Happy new year to you too!

[@TTQWorkshop]

happy that you did came out of this with no harm on you or the glider. Also what i noticed that all of those launches in the video have a really slow start. like towing. it feels like that the winch doesnt give enough power at the begining of the winching. we have a TOST V8 in our club and it feels more like a catapult. it speeds up the gliders in 2-3s for the rotation speed. feels really safe. i did some launching in different aiports with different winches and the slower less powerfull winches felt like a danger factor at the firts 5-6s. so the solution is to ask the helper to run more with the wing or teach the winch operators to accelerate harder in the begining of the winching, or get a stronger engine. we have very very few notabble happenings, and usually its do to winch motor stall or if the piot rotates late and doesnt load up the rope and the parasuite pops open.

[@martinhoskins57]

Good video - we train our wing runners not to start a launch unless the wings are balanced, if the wing runner feels his wing is lifting or pushing down they will alert the pilot to input the necessary aileron control prior to starting launch signals. Its not always obvious to the pilot just how much left/right stick is required prior to launch. In that video it looks like the wing was already pushing down before they were moving.

[@nelsonlakesgc5345]

In airplanes we are taught, "If a crosswind is present, the pilot should apply full aileron pressure into the wind while beginning the takeoff roll. The pilot should maintain this control position, as the airplane accelerates, and until the ailerons become effective in maneuvering the airplane about its longitudinal axis." (FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 6). If there is not enough headwind component to balance the glider's wings with aileron before "All out", I wonder if this would be appropriate advice for a winch launch?

[@Trevor_Austin]

I was going to ask the same.

[@orangegherkin3420]

This is a great video of how even the most experienced can experience these mistakes, one helpful thing that I find isn't often done is during my eventualities brief is that I practice pulling the release when I do the 'wing drop' part of the launch which I find really emphasises the 'release' part, especially for the winch. Have a great New Year, and thanks for these great videos.

[@martinboycott-brown1994]

@Pure Glide Thanks for sharing. I used to be an instructor in the UK and I think I must have done approaching 1,500 winch launches. Easily my scariest moment was when a pupil dropped the wing during the ground roll. Saved by short, dry grass. This is not a criticism, but I think my first instinct in the situation shown in the video would have been to put in a bootfull of right rudder. Using aileron at low speed comes with problems...

[@martinboycott-brown1994]

And yes, the first instinct ought to be to release the cable! It doesn't always happen that way.

[@Rasta8889]

@@martinboycott-brown1994 I've noticed my FI's always saved the launch for me when I let the wing drop in my early days. I think actually letting it drop and releasing would make for a great teachable moment.

[@vnw06]

nice educational video, yes everything happens very quick on a winch launch, i am not an instructor however it is always good to look at near misses and talk about them. this is how we all learn, from the just solo pilots to others that have decades of flying and log books full of flights

[@antondillet466]

A great video (again!)! Thank you! What you say here is so important! Very often I see that the wing runner works a bit sloppy, that he/she release the wing after only a few steps, sometimes hardly after any step. It happens again and again and I hate it, I can't understand, why they can't understand how dangerous it is.

[@PureGlide]

With a solid winch, a few steps is all they should need. Obviously if it's slow to start, then a longer run is necessary. Cheers!

[@fluffysbro]

better training of ground crew is needed at your club, perhaps.

[@JK-rv9tp]

I fly an ASW 20 and of its several ergonomic "quirks" (like the spoiler and gear handles right next to each other, which no longer bothers me as I always lift the spoiler handle and rest it on my leg) the one that really scares me is the awful placement of the tow release handle, basically on the opposite side of your knee, almost underneath, from where your hand needs to be placed to reset the flaps on takeoff. I'm thinking of making a little removable extender handle that I can attach to the release ball and stick the extender ball to the sidewall or panel with some velcro tape so it's only a few inches from my hand on takeoff. Happy New Year!

[@mikeonb4c]

I learned on the winch, on an airfield where grass could get long. I had excellent instructors and learned to/was taught: 1) Have your hand hovering over the release at all times and be ready to pull the trigger. Better a premature release than a late one. 2) Always pull the release twice to lessen the chance of cable not having released on pull 3) Release immediately if the wing heading to touch the ground and esp if there's no 'feel' on the stick (i.e. it is not yet at sufficient airspeed to allow proper aileron control). This one can feel like a tough one to anticipate but on the occasion (I only ever had one and it was on aerotow at another airfield) when it happened, I just knew I wouldn't be able to pick the wing up before it touched ground and so released and got a big thumbs up from the CFI. Other personal thoughts (for discussion - I'm not an authority) 1) A bootful of rudder (momentarily) against the dropping wing might be effective. The winch hook is ahead of the entre of mass so under acceleration the glider should not be overly prone to diverging dangerously immediately, but the effect (esp with aileron) will be to lift the downgoing wind as it was start to travel faster through the air. Not sure about this one - I definitely use rudder to steer behind the tug on aerotow ground run but you'd need to to it right on a winch launch. Any thoughts? 2) With a crosswind, I have both stick (into wind direction) and rudder (away from wind direction, to oppose weathercocking) either ready to go or even set a bit and ready to take them off if not needed. This habit was helped by owning a K6cr that the club had sold to our syndicate after it had had a couple of wing down incidents. After sitting in the cockpit before my first flight in it, I asked if it was the right wing that had gone down, and witnesses confirmed it was. The reason, I suspected, was that in the narrow cockpit, the airbrake lever could limit stick movement to the left for some pilots. This meant that should the right wing go down, the aileron response to stick left would be slower than should it be the left wing that went down. So I always started with stick set a bit to the left (and definitely if the wind was coming from the left). Most times this meant the left wing would start to go down but, knowing that, I was ready to correct it immediately with stick to the right and with plenty of stick movement available to the right. This technique always served me well. Some might say this practice was questionable, but I would cite the K8 where it is well known that you should either start with, or be ready to apply, firm forward stick at the start of a winch launch as the type is prone to rearing up due to lightweight, high wing, low tow hook so it will rotate upwards in pitch under strong winch acceleration. So there are precedents for not starting with the stick centred (assuming a pilot even knows where the centre is when new on type - you always have to observe and be ready to react). One of the problems (esp with a winch launch) is you have to react pretty much instinctively, so it is how well you have been taught to make the right responses that is crucial. I used to bungee/winch launch model gliders for some while before I started flying fullsize, and I think that really helped me to understand winch launches and controlling the glider on launch. I look forward to being bawled out by experienced CFIs but them's the thoughts of a now retired glider pilot of modest achievement. P.S. For a humorous take on this, I now fly gliders in Condor VR and sometimes make videos of my flights. I recently reflew my K8 Silver Distance in VR. At bookmark 01:13:35 - START Out-take WTF Comic False Start, you can see what happens when the pilot thinks he's a passenger in a winch launch replay but in fact ought to be flying the launch when he isn't. The video is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKjRgGuujs6Jq7Msi=gubd_oYUAOgm1Z1j (any resemblance to real life is disclaimed)

[@kieranthomas]

Glad you are safe. Thx for sharing & for your honest transparency as always. I’m only a very low hours pilot and I’ve already found myself going through check-list items because they are there and feel like they need to be “ticked off” mentally as opposed to REALLY giving them the attention they deserve and require. Whilst trying to identify WHY I do that, I feel it’s because during my early training, that’s very much the vibe I got from some of the people I flew with. (That’s not attributing blame by any means! As PIC, so fully appreciate it’s 100% on me to ensure I do any checks correctly and properly… I’m just trying to understand how/why I may have inadvertently developed a bad habit so early on). Perhaps a good addition check during the training stage would be for instructors to somehow sneakily sabotage pre-flight checks to see if the student spots them. For example, adding a counterweight under the seat before they get into the glider for their first flight that day to see if they correctly checked before getting in…. Or perhaps when the student asks the instructor (who they have flown with before & are familiar with) for their weight, either giving them a blatantly incorrect weight, or one which just slightly puts them over the limit for that position in the glider. The aim being, to teach the student to really consider AND CHECK the data and conditions are logically correct etc as opposed to just “ticking that box”

[@PureGlide]

Hey good to hear, that is entirely the point of the video to help remind all pilots to do their checks properly. Have to be careful with things like weights as a test, it just creates the possibility of an instructor forgetting about it or similar!

[@IconicFlight]

We all get better and safer so long as we heed the lessons learned written by others. At some point in aviation, we will all contribute to the library! Thanks for sharing!

[@jackoneil3933]

Great insights here, thanks for sharing. And complacency also a factor? If you've never had a 'wing-drop' on tow in that aircraft becoming complaisant that it's unlikely to happen and if it were you would recognize it and have plenty of margin to deal with it I observer is often the case in all sudden accidents where things happen faster than we can process what's happening. At 3:20 before you started rolling I noticed the Yaw string out to the left quite a bit to the left. I'm not a qualified sailplane pilot but I did basically the same thing in a J3 Cub when I started flying and did not hold full aileron into a good right crosswind and added too late, as once the air gets under the up-wind wing and it starts lifting it's usually too late for aileron to counter it, I even caught my dad in the back by surprise and he was an old WWII Navy carrier pilot who started out in Bi-Planes and was complacent I would not let that happen. I was always a bit off-the-ball in tailwheel aircraft until I started flying Helicopters and a Yaw string became a most critical instrument and I finally became wired to keeping the slipstream straight ahead with my feet, as at times if you don't it's an instant catastrophe. In your example, I'd say not keeping the right wing below the angle of relative wind was what allowed the situation to start and progress, and that keeping more or full right aileron in as the roll started would have been better. I'm wondering in a single wheel aircraft on a towline, would aggressive right rudder would have been enough to get the the nose right of the relative wind, and enough air under the left wing to get the wings back level, or due to the angular tow forces pulling the nose straight yawing that much might be impossible, and if not, the towline would pull hard enough against the tire to drag the left wing down anyway? "With any aircraft, the pilot is the weakest safety link" ~ Jim Anderton

[@komischeszeichen]

Thanks for sharing. I also had wing drop on a tow. A took me quite some time to let go the air break and get to the release handle (I keep the air breaks out for the first part of the ground roll for aileron efficiency). That reminded me to train that switching from break to release on the ground.

[@whitefields5595]

Thanks for this. Every day is a school day and every credit to you for posting. I think these 'Lessons Learned' videos are what it is all about. I often think many YTubers are too bothered about showing how good they are with highly-edited videos ... which sets an unrealistic expectation for beginners and learners. I have noticed that many DIY videos are starting to show mistakes and seem to attract more views? Anyway, you've probably saved someone a lot of money / embarrassment and perhaps a life by taking the time out to dissect your momentary lapse of concentration ... which is all it was really? I listen to thee Airline Pilot Guy podcast and one of his pilot guests said that he always plans for a Go-Around ... a successful landing is a bonus! ... so in this case always have your hand on the release and always think of pulling it?

[@markplain2555]

Thank you so much for this video. I am going to recommend this to as many pilots as I can.

[@Fredcat-6]

Wing drops are still a large cause of accidents despite a huge improvement in winch launching. All very good advice, and I have been in that situation myself. I find that looking ahead into the distance helps me spot the start of a wing drop.

[@wingtipsworld5909]

when i learned to fly gliders in the late 80's in germany, i only ever did launch starts. I have never seen a wing drop like this. You need a skilled person on the winch machine, good skill on the wing walker and good skills behind the stick. That being said we were always taught to put the ailerons into the crosswind till the airspeed was alive to minimize the wind pushing the glider and causing a tip touch like you have demonstrated. Was your winch machine a single line only? I noticed you kept a straight climbout. We had a dual line machine which in crosswinds the pilot needs to do a slip on climbout so that when the cable/chute drops it is less likely to cross over the other line, otherwise someone has to go out and uncross it.

[@PureGlide]

Hi yes this is a dual winch, we launch the downwind cable first I think to avoid cross over. Cheers!

[@KarelZweefvlieger]

Winching is COMMMON in Netherlands 30K plus every year, hardley NO problems. Max lengt grass 15 cm , 6 inches I beleive. High grass killed too many . CLASIC WINGDIP WE SEE lucky you survived. nose down really bad. please be safe have a great 2025!!

[@davedennsion8429]

5:10 "never had a wing drop in this glider on the winch before" - ideally, we could also learn from other incidents that are similar even if not identical. I remember seeing a similar incident involving an aerotow launch of our club discus on a belly hook. The wing dropped, touched the ground and spun the glider around quickly. In that case the pilot pulled the release and came to a stop a short distance down the runway. No damage to glider or pilot, but it seemed from the outside that the pilot was a bit slow to pull the release. Trying to remember the pilot's name; I think it started with the letter "T"?

[@PureGlide]

Hey I've done that too! Used to get it often when half full of water on the discus and DG300 with belly hooks

[@palleh.jensen4648]

Thanks as usual Tim for sharing. Appreciate it.

[@adrianflower3230]

Thanks for sharing, it made a good refresher for all glider pilots who winch. The UK teach hand on the release cable during launch. We don't want you looking for it for the rest of your life 😁Happy 2025

[@fly_neil]

Yes, admitting errors - which we all make - is key and honest to do publicly, but a few things surprise me. 1) It looked pretty obvious - even with the benefit of hindsight - that an extended wing-down necessitated a release, and not a pick-up. 2) I think I've commented before on a previous video, that a basic mistake is for the pilot to not have their hand firmly ON the cable release. Yours looked *near* it, maybe touching, but not on it? The time to find, grab and pull can be significant in a wing-drop cartwheel. Instances arise too where people find they have a thigh sitting on it. I do accept there's a balance when one has to operate flaps too, but near the ground my contention is to hold the release firmly. 3) The example of the Arcus wing-drop wasn't a great one... the wing holder needed to walk with the wing initially, but basically just dropped it immediately with almost no forward motion first !

[@mikeoliver4223]

Thanks for posting this. An excellent reminder to all pilots no matter how experienced we may be. Complacency can ruin more than just the day. I agree with some of the comments re the role of the wing runner being important but ultimately the responsibility is with the pilot. Personally I prefer faster acceleration on the winch to minimise ground runbut that can also depend on type of glider and therefore requires experienced winch drivers.

[@120031770]

That's the reason why i keep the release in my left hand until the very end of the launch... In one our clubs plane we even have an extension on the release because during winch launch you cannot easly hold it.

[@adrianroberts7478]

Happy New Year Tim, look after yourself and good luck in the Nationals!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks very much, happy New Year to you guys too!

[@andyMSH700]

i would have thought that at this speed you would have been using ailerons to keep the wings off the ground especially as you had the power of the winch, wing load looked lightened and flying.....happened so quickly though...i am amazed you launch into a crosswind so could well see this as a contributor, Great you survived it and thanks for sharing.

[@abudabidibibudi]

BIG RESPECT FROM MONTENEGRO

[@tricky2917]

Happy New Year. As it happens, I've been thinking about these incidents a lot. Isn't there anything that can be done to keep the wings level, like guide railing or a suspended wire that either wing can rest on? Feels like an engineering challenge that can be solved.

[@gcorriveau6864]

Phew! It's the ones that almost get us that we usually learn the most from...so glad you escaped the potential mishap. I'm an experienced pilot but totally a rookie as a glider pilot - so please forgive my question if it's revealing my ignorance. You talk about what you were doing with the ailerons during the takeoff - do you recall what your feet were doing at the same time (i.e. the rudder). Does that have any authority yet, at such low speeds to help keep the wings level with a touch of yaw? Thanks - and thanks too for sharing your experiences. Cheers from Canada.

[@ronaldglider]

great debriefing!

[@andershaglund4317]

Vinch is usually safe but there are things outside of the aircraft that also important for the safety. The height of the grass as an example.

[@theflyingfool]

Great human factors analysis! Happy New Year!!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks Happy New Year to you too!

[@erik_1953]

Before flying gliders, I had flown a lot of model airplanes. And I found out, I flew a lot more aggressive than the standard glider pilot. I remember landing with a full crosswind, I landed almost with an 90 degr. To the runway. Those after and before me all had damage. But, I'm not the typical glider flyer.

[@MarcGroefsema]

I do wonder on which wing the tip walker was helping. Since tipwalkers tend to hold the tip slightly low, I'm guessing that s/he was walking your left wing. But since the windward wing should be held a bit lower, to prevent catching wind, causing a roll. It kinda looks like this was happening here, causing your left wing to drop. Also, a very dangerous thing that happened, was the initial very steep climb. If the cable broke at that point, I dont want to know what would have happened there. Blue skies! Thanks for sharing :)

[@rpaulwaddington1858]

Lesson learned. Thanks for the video. From across the ditch,fair winds and good lift for 2025.

[@chrishb7074]

SPF went a bit high there! (sphincter pucker factor). Happy New Year and may your thermals be riding upwards.

[@gev340]

happy that it's just a small misap Happy new year !

[@xenimaging]

I'm a powered pilot but hope to get into gliding some day and love your videos. I'm curious, is it a normalized part of training to practice actual powered winch disconnects on the ground rollout? It seems like that would be a good idea and would help prevent any hesitation.

[@ericvadekro8334]

Well explained!

[@DanFrederiksen]

Maybe at some point you gliders will put elegant propulsion on them and make them into real planes. Not only is it a better way to take off but it greatly expands the aircraft's capabilities. And you often fly with massive ballast so it's not like a tiny bit of weight is an issue

[@ppytal]

@@DanFrederiksen lots of gliders do have engines, but they are noisy, smelly and expensive. Glider flying can cost less than $50/hour, Vs at least 4 times that in a powered glider or aircraft.

[@jannicawunge4940]

Thanks for sharing.

[@JonBrase]

Do gliders use roll spoilers at all? I imagine the lack of power might discourage their use, but given the amount of adverse yaw involved with a long wing like that, this is exactly the kind of situation where ailerons are less than ideal.

[@toxicandtimeless]

e-winch-ualities

[@PaulJakma]

Is it a standard part of training to practice wing dips (a small safe one) and releasing immediately? Emergency procedures need to be practised so they're natural really, so, I assume they are?

[@maudclaud6132]

Dumb question from a paraglider and one time glider pilot: why not have retractable or droppable bogy wheels like the U2?

[@PureGlide]

There is the odd motor glider with those, but we don’t have them because: - drag on the glider - can’t drop things on a runway that other planes could hit!

[@gilnemesis3547]

Hi Sir, thanks for advices but once I Saw this kind of take off made me sure I won't do such one. I could not afford seiing so Big dihedral on the wings, it was really scary. Let's go for coolest take off without crosswinds...😅

[@chrisj800]

Is there a better side for the wingtip runner to be on in a big crosswind. I'm thinking upwind. Also do u start with slight cross controls in crosswind ie wing down for In to wind wing and opposite rudder to prevent weathercock

[@geoffreywilliams663]

Eventualities....I drum into our students to run through them in the order they may happen. So a wing drop has to be first, as it's the first problem that may occur. Too often they talk about launch failures firsts. A power failure or cable break before 35kts, just means you will roll to a stop as you won't have left the ground, so keep the mind on a possible wing drop. Above 35kts you will have control. the Arcus wing was clearly being held up by the wing tip holder with significant force. they should have notified the pilots. They could have been carrying water and for some reason had more in one wing than the other, maybe a leak.

[@Zbigniew_Nowak]

It's sad, so why aren't there wheels on the wingtips? This would reduce wingtip friction when in contact with, for example, the runway surface.

[@DerBrlnr]

I suppose, wheels would risk to be digged into soft grounds because the rolling contact applies quite some contact stress hence the soil could collapse. And they can be caught easier by grass than just the skid at the wing tips.' Safe flights and happy new year, you are already in it... Greetings from Germany from the still not decided old and long man... 🤔

[@PureGlide]

Some gliders do have wingtip wheels, for various reasons. But if the grass is long or thick it makes no difference. My glider has small skids

[@Zbigniew_Nowak]

@@PureGlide But are these wheels directly on the wing tips or on "rods" that prevent the glider from tilting?

[@Zbigniew_Nowak]

@@DerBrlnr Your arguments make sense. Still, if there was an option to add wheels on the wings when taking off from concrete/asphalt... Even more I mean preventing the airframe from tilting - I mean the wheels on the long rods that force the airframe to stand straight.

[@TheVeganarchism]

What did you do after the recovery though? Did you carry on flying, or land immediately? I’m not a pilot - I would assume that there might have been damage so continuing to fly would be risky?

[@Rasta8889]

The wing tips come with a bit of steel plate or a small wheel because on landing they eventually touch the ground anyways. But landing and doing an inspection would be prudent in case you hit a rock or something, yes.

[@SubTroppo]

The very thought of being towed on my push-bike!

[@philolson679]

Happy New Year

[@PureGlide]

Happy new year to you too!

[@coalachaos6486]

Hey. I think theres something else you should take from it. Vmc. Yes, its the minimum speed at which an airplane flies but its also minimum controlspeed. Below it, your controlsurfaces have limited ability to control the direction and steering. Gliders start to be effective at around 20-30kmh, but movement is really slow, with a long delay. The better, the closer you get to vmc. With VMC at around 55/65kmh (modern and heavy gliders with full water tanks may be higher) it means, that between full controlability and rotation is 20-30kmh speed increment. However, in the first stage of acceleration from 0-30kmh you have about 1-2 seconds of absolutely no control. No matter how much you try, theres simply not enough airflow to give the surfaces its effectiveness. In the second stage from 30 to vmc you have only very limited control. As shown in your video, you have full aileron but a really delayed and slow reaction. What you want is to accelerate through this area as fast as possible. And, it absolutely is possible. Regularily, winches can accelerate you to 100/110kmh in less than 2 seconds. Your acceleration roll took 8 seconds! 8 freaky seconds in which you are dragged and in which you are only a passenger with veto lever. And you were damn slow when you pitched the nose up. My advise: Faster acceleration. Tell the person operating the winch to be faster. If you find yourself below vmc after lets say 100m or 3 potatoes, release. Ive seen a crash of a member, 18m, bumpy roll, overtook the rope, got tangled up in the wheelbay, flipped over, unable to release, took winch operator a second to abort, in which his plane was dragged upside down. He died as his head was literaly torn off when he was upside down scratching over the ground. Legends dont die in bed, but also not during such stupid accidents.

[@CaptainSwoop]

At such a low airspeed why are you not picking up the dropped wing with rudder? That 45 degree climb rattled me dags as well.

[@bungee7503]

Did you have your hand on the release, or just near?

[@PureGlide]

On the release :) the problem was the brain, not the hand!

[@bungee7503]

@ Well, my recent ridge experience certainly doesn’t put me above similar criticism. Good video, as usual.

[@paradoxicalcat7173]

The Arcus is weird. Aborted launch? He looks to be putting the wing on the ground during the roll, but they're still being pulled by the winch. Pleased you're OK! Happy New Year!

[@PureGlide]

Thanks! Just the wind pushing it down on the Arcus launch

[@excellenceinanimation960]

good video thanks!

[@aktraining3747]

thanks , it was educational.

[@hanshendrix1558]

My dear pilot(s), for i am an engineer with aspirations to do more than three starts. Like sailing at sea, the risks are there. I think of a mechanical safety switch made of a steel rod about the size of a pink at the wingtips of every glider. Directly wired to the cable release mechanism. Any pilot can ask me for details, hey this one is for free. Because flying, like sailing, can only be enjoyed with safety. Actually this goes for all activities and deeds. So don't forget to supply latex when ever the summermeetings get very cosy, don't text (or whatever) whilst driving, think about what you're about to say to yourself or anyone else when irritated. Keep it safe with the blue sky up. Thank you and your team. Enjoy Peace

[@ottofraser4879]

Warum gibt es keine Abstandshalter an den Flächenenden?

[@jphvnet]

I see now why in South America my instructors don't like winches and even being more expensive the airplane, in poor countries, is the preference.

[@chrisbehm5947]

I don't understand why on the Arcus launch the wing runner dropped the wing. He wasn't even at faster than a walk it looked like.

[@PureGlide]

There was too much wind pressure apparently. Should have not launched without it feeling balanced.

[@MatthewBallinger]

Is your left on the release during launch?

[@120031770]

My thoughts indeed...

[@PureGlide]

It was! You can see it come off the release later in the video. The problem was not the hand, but the brain...

[@flightofthefelix8820]

Why didnt the launch marshal - in communication with the winch? - abort the launch? At our club, whilst the overall responsibility lies with the pilot, it is understood that, if the launch marshal (who gives the signals to the winch) is at all unsure about the launch they have just initiated they abort without hesitation. There are no questions asked. I have had this scenario twice as launch marshal and have aborted both times. At no time did the pilots question my decision. I admit it is easier and quite instant to abort at our club because the signals are given electronically and the "stop" signal is very loud and obvious in the winch cab and our winch drivers have great reactions!!

[@PureGlide]

It's quite the discussion if cutting power at the winch end could make it worse in many cases. I don't have an answer

[@flightofthefelix8820]

@@PureGlide Generally, we have found that, as soon as the power is cut, the cable parachute opens, causing drag, which back-releases the cable from the glider. This effectively removes any pull on the glider giving the pilot a chance to control the resulting 'landing'. I admit, the first course of action should be the pilot releasing the cable come what may.

[@anotherday2084]

when i did one of those steep winch launches my instructor on the ground told me im not from nasa and i need to chill 😂

[@Mike-01234]

Seems to me I'm not a glider pilot that winch towing has little higher risk then airplane tow launch. With a tow plane your more stabilized.

[@Barabus-yx2cn]

"Pulling up a bit steep"?!?! Holy crap that's an understatement!

[@Trevor_Austin]

The angle depends on airspeed and winch power. From memory that was normal.

[@KingJellyfishII]

Perspective in the video can be confusing, to me it looks "a bit too steep" but not catastrophic

[@richardbieber9323]

Crosswind is bad especially for Arcus. Keep the upwind wing low!

[@StevieG66]

When I once saw a very good pilot doing a spin that fortunately ended well, my flight instructor answered my question about whether the release had been too late: "In all my years, I have never seen a timely release." It doesn't seem to be as easy as you think it is.

[@Rasta8889]

Yeah if bad stuff happens in a plane it tends to happen very fast. Was that a spin with the rope still attached? The german euphemism is "a roll on the rope". The British Gliding Association (BGA) has lots of material on winch launching and according to them that rope roll is very often fatal.

[@multirider8997]

Friend of mine died in a similar fashion 😮

[@PureGlide]

Sorry to hear that :(

[@multirider8997]

@PureGlide thanks ... gliding is the safest air Sport, however it is still unforgiving when mistakes are made. Another accident at our Club was when a Puchhazs with an air experience member of the public flew into the cable. Just thought I would mention that as it is another risk with winches that wasn't mentioned... I do appreciate your safety vids. 👍

[@Johan-ex5yj]

Wow, that was close! I'm glad that you (and your glider) are Ok. 👍 Ask Elon Musk when will his Tesla bot be able to do Wing- Runner- Duties. If it can run right up to takeoff speed, that will be the end of this problem. 😁

[@PureGlide]

Haha one day

[@audigga4396]

Wing runners can be lazy sods at times. Be prepared or get a runner that can do 40kn

[@T3glider]

That Arcus wing runner was ridiculously lazy. This launch position only requires two fundamental things … hold the wing up and run!

[@BruceHoult]

Running is not necessary. The problem is that he WAS having to hold the wing up quite forcibly, so that when he let go the wingtip instantly slammed down into the ground. They key is for the wing runner to make sure the glider is balanced before the launch starts. They should be holding the wingtip lightly in their fingertips, If they can't achieve a balanced glider through some combination of the pilot applying ailerons and if necessary tilting the glider slightly windward wingtip down then the launch should be aborted.

[@T3glider]

@ Running is speed. Speed is airspeed. On a winch launch airspeed is achieved fairly soon but in this case the wing runner clearly stopped (and released) too soon.

[@BruceHoult]

@@T3glider nope. Even with a weak towplane running is not necessary. With a winch it is ESPECIALLY important that the wing runner balances the glider, exerting zero force (in any direction!), so that the pilot doesn't get a nasty surprise when they let go of the wingtip. As a pilot, I'd rather have no wing runner than a bad one -- and I've taken off many many times without one (with a towplane).

[@T3glider]

@ Your response defies logic. First, zero force on any direction means the wing runner never picks up the wing! Second, if the wing runner does not continue to hold the wing up long enough for the controls to become effective with airspeed, the wing will always fall. They are called wing runners for a reason.

[@BruceHoult]

@@T3glider There should be zero force AFTER you balance it, not when you first pick it up..Go to a parked glider. Pick up the wingtip and balance it so you can't feel any up or down force. Let go. How long does it take to tip over? About five seconds, even without any active pilot input, right? Think about it, don't just recite by rote.