Self Winch steptowing in lee side :)

Short (300) m distance. Windy day . This place is lee side of the little hill. Turbulent , but not too dangerous. Spring is heavy... many little dust devil, thin thermals, and 4-5 m/s down wind..

[@erzo123]

Very smart!!!

[@sandrainthesky1011]

I've towed but didn't know this was done! Seems a bit risky paying out but I guess if you know your gear it's certainly useful to do it.

[@GerrysDiy]

What does this winch cost? Thanks for sharing Cheers Gerry 👍

Hi Gerry! Please contact me ! ([e-mail])

[@mowtivatedmechanic1172]

@ I emailed you. Nice winch!!!

[@bawbaw666]

omg what a great thing!!! greetings from Romania

[@pumpkinfarmer7]

where can I purchase this machine please? thank you

[@szoja1984]

Crazy. Szaleństwo :)

[@monkeyonstrings3417]

The spool out function is cool! It would suck if it got hung up for any reason though👍

Hi Monkey, It is important WHERE the pilot starts to turn! The drum has automatic braking, there has never been a jam. Before begin steptowing, you must learn to release it immediately if there is a problem. Average reaction time 0.5 sec. If the rope gets stuck, approx. 2 sec before you reach the pilot. It is enough time. But important ,only this type release is good for steptowing!!!!

[@rickvandersloot4560]

@ You are incorrect about the type of release. When you want to steptow look into a safety release. As stated by Degermeau below. When you get a line tangled on the winch or a tree and you are flying away from the winch at 60+ km/h there will be lockout situation very quickly. As you have the line between your legs instead out to the side you increase the risk of a stable accelerated downplane with very high line-forces and speeds overstressing the release. Which could lead to a mall function and being unable to release from the line. With a safety release there is no pilot action required in the case of a high side-force (line entanglement). Our safety releases are ajustable for the pilot weight, rule of thumb is half of the pilot mass with a maximum of 40 kg. Our rule is to not release while flying away from the winch, this is also to limit the risk of jams. During reverse direction the drum-speed is high, after releasing the drum unspools further without the line being pulled straigth. This causes lose loops which will lead to problems during the next tow.

@@rickvandersloot4560 Thank you for your comment. I have tried many times what happens if the rope gets stuck. If you pull the rope sideways by the time you feel the change in strength (15kg), you are already getting started twist, you can hardly control your parachute. I run the rope under my knee, on my leg. Here I can easily detect a change of 3 kg force. The drum brake opens to 3kg. With this, the rope is never stretched straight. It takes more than 2 seconds for the rope to stop. If it tightens, the wing won't close either. It just starts down. The cords stay tight! It didn't shut down during any rehearsals! I specially developed the winch for this. I think you use a winch made of a car, on which, when the engine is running, 10-20kg of force remains on the rope at idle. It will never be safe for self- steptowing. This technique I have developed is the safest !!!!! Come, learn, and compare the two under different circumstances! I have a question:when the speed is 60+km/h why you steptowing? If he speed is 60km/h back from winch, the wind is 20km/h . In this condition , I newer steptowing. Its no nessesery, in one direction in short 760m long place, i get 400+ m high......

[@rickvandersloot4560]

@ you are correct, we use winches based on car engine. Most winches were developed for schools, who also (need to) do a lot of tandem winching. I suspect that the car based winches orginate from that. Schools and tandem wil very rarely do steptowing, if even at all. Steptowing is used by small clubs for XC flying, there the steptowing is used to get pilots into thermal before they release. So the height is nice to have but the aim is to release in a thermal. For small clubs (and for Netherlands in general) a 760m field is a long field. Sometimes we use halve that length. But even on longer fields and reasonable height on single tow we still tend to do steptowing to get pilots into a thermal. We normally steptow upto 20km/h wind, with the 'help' of some wind gradient 60 km/h linespeed can still be achieved then. Although the self towing looks tempting, with less open-space we have, the risk of issues gets higher. A set of extra eyes and hands from the winch-driver is helpfull. With steptowing winches, the car engine is disengaged (neutral) during the reverse part, a additional braking system tries to keep the line-tension at 5-10 kg and prevent loops. Lower line-tension is difficult because of the inertia of the heavier drums etc. But your system/release rely's on the pilot feeling the increased line-tension and take action on time to prevent issues. With a automatic safety-release both these actions are covered without attention of the pilot. Safety releases are also certified by the german DHV when you want to steptow.

[@marcverougstraete1910]

Nice way of flying!

[@32MKR]

Ive been stepptowing with mye own E-winch Tandem on windy days ass well but I do always release carabiner to the ring to avoid possible lock out. Its a possibility to have a snagg that makes the winch stopp...

These winches developed special for step towing. All models have automatic brake on the drum, and new models have automatic rope cutting system. This feature very safety, cutting immediatelly when drum is locked.

[@32MKR]

@ nice feature! I dont got that on my e-winch tamdem

[@apreci8]

Brilliant 👏

[@SharkyintheSky]

Very cool. I'd like to have one of those!

Hey, Come , and take it! 😁

[@frankhodges6734]

Really good!

[@villeikonen6221]

Szervus tok Zoli! Very interesting video! Can you please put english subtitles to this video. I am planning similar kind of system myself. How many kilowatts or horse power you have in your machine? What is your max line speed in meters per second? Cheers from Finland!

Hi, 250 ccm 4T scooter engine. Max linespeed is 60km/h

The subtitle is available.

[@villeikonen6221]

@ Thank you very much! Fly safe.

[@southcoastairsports]

you had a danger of a lockout when you turned 180 degrees from the winch......

My winch is special for steptowing.

[@nice2care]

You should use a proper tow bridle. Carabiner side-loading is very dangerous.

[@degermeau]

Hi Zoltan, Interesting video indeed. What remote control are you using? I am making a electric winch and use a dragino lora shield for remote control. Here in the Netherlands we use for steptowing a paragliding safety release that opens automatically at sideway forces (of about 80 kg)...

Hi, I am using Flysky remote controllers. It is very usable . Quick binding for the next pilot, variable throttle qurve , and safety when more winch working in same time. The safety release is good idea! But in my method( The rope is under my knee, the release is in original place )no sideway force.

[@degermeau]

One day I flew away from the (step)winch with the rope connected and the winchman forgot to switch of power. Within seconds there was such a big downward force in the rope that the release did not open anymore. Happily, due to a sideway force, the paragliding safety release opened. Since then, when I fly away from, at build up of force in the rope, I immediately turn back to the winch. Thanks for sharing your project!

@@degermeau Ohhh. That was dangerous! Self winch is better thing ,for experience pilot vs. beginner , or tired winchman!😁

[@lifeofbassman7228]

When paragliders imitate paramotors