Faster!

At first, the visual picture is familiar: A cable is hooked to the glider, runners arrive at the wing tips, and a wiggle of the rudder signals that all is ready for takeoff. But it is there the similarity ends. We are about to experience a form of takeoff that is readily available in European gliding scenes, but harder to come by in the United States—getting launched by a winch positioned at the end of the runway instead of towed aloft by a powered aircraft. This was not only my first experience in a winch launch, but my first flight in any glider at all, and although I had heard rumors of the fun, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

The winch itself, tractor-like in appearance and powered by an electric, propane, gasoline, or diesel engine, extends a steel or synthetic cable that can be up to 2,000 feet long, depending on the length of the runway, attached by a hook underneath the glider at the center of gravity point rather than by the nose as when being towed. Once the signal is given by the pilot seated behind me, the winch operator begins to wind the cable in, slowly at first until the slack is taken out.

The start of the takeoff roll is deceptively docile. In perfect silence the glider begins to move, but after the second it takes for tension to be fully established in the cable, the sudden increase of speed in a hard yank forces me back in my seat and throws my head against the headrest. There is a terrific rush of air and vibration as the glider raced across the grass, continuing to accelerate for another handful of seconds until the glider gained enough airspeed to lift off.

Still accelerating, the pilot waits to reach the minimum safe speed, which can happen sooner or later depending on the type of glider and wind conditions, before starting a quick but smooth rotation to climb, increasing the angle of the ascent to its steepest point between 35 and 45 degrees, enough to counter the force of the cable, which itself is assisting in the rotation and climb because of angular physics. The rush of air gets even louder, and the Earth falls away at an impressive speed, with the variometer (rate of climb instrument) staying pegged at 10 meters (about 33 feet) per second, which turns out to be approximately 1,980 feet-per-minute climb.

The rapid and dramatic takeoff and prolonged physical forces in such a small cockpit seems to be the closest a civilian will get to experiencing being launched from an aircraft carrier. For the newcomer, this high angle felt like being rocketed into the stratosphere, lying on my back with my feet in the air and only seeing blue. Once looking to the side and back over the wings, the view with my nose pointed at the sky is amazing. In this steepest part of the climb phase, the attitude must be monitored by looking out the side over the wings and the horizon.

As the glider nears the top of the launch, in our case about 30 seconds after rotating, the climb angle begins to naturally decrease, and the pilot relaxes back pressure to allow the glider to return to a level attitude. This also reduces the load on the hook, making it easier to release and allowing less chance of it springing back onto the winch that is now more or less directly below. When no more height is being gained, the cable is released, which for us was at 340 meters (1,115 feet), followed by a spiraling climb to 450 meters (1,476 feet) and doing a loop for fun before continuing into the pattern.

This type of launch comes with its unique risks along with the excitement. If a wing tip dips too low and strikes the ground during the initial ground roll, it can cause a disastrous cartwheel that happens too fast to recover. This must be anticipated by keeping a hand firmly on the release during the launch, immediately releasing the cable at the first sign of a wing tip getting too close to the ground. The acceleration on winches is so rapid that there is often no time to adjust pitch attitude precisely, so keeping the glider wings-level and allowing it to take off is preferrable to over-controlling.

During rotation and climb, there is an increased risk of a stall because of the combination of low airspeed, rapid rotation rate, and high angle of attack. This can quickly turn into a snap roll and spinning midair while being dragged by the cable, with recovery nearly impossible at such low altitude. The key to a safe climb stage is to gently guide and allow the glider to transition in a controlled, progressive manner over at least five seconds, maintaining a climb with adequate airspeed and continued acceleration.

In case of a break in the cable during climb, the nose must be lowered immediately to avoid a stall. However, although the attitude of the glider at the beginning of the recovery dive may look satisfactory, the airspeed may be at or below the stalling speed, so it is important to maintain the dive and not maneuver until sufficient airspeed is reached.

Accidents are extremely rare and have decreased even more in recent years, and the popularity of gliding by winch launch is steadily growing in Europe and some other parts of the world, although less prevalent in the United States for several reasons. Winches are quieter and take up less space, which is ideal for the location and size of glider fields in many European communities. But most significantly, the higher cost of fuel in Europe makes a winch more cost effective and accessible than an aero tow. Although having inherent restrictions, such as the height one can achieve on a launch, and only being able to be released at the same spot over the field, the benefits outweigh the limitations, even at airfields that can provide both winch and aero towing.

A winch launch is a worthwhile experience for any pilot. Not just for the fun of it, but for the opportunity to experience a different set of challenges, and exercise your piloting muscles in a new way. Any gliding experience is valuable, but the rapid pace of a winch launch also requires a faster processing and reaction time. With no engine as a cushion, and while attached to a cable tethering you to the ground, there’s an even narrower tolerance of complacency than usual. Thankfully, this challenge comes with a little extra thrill.