US Winching Sites

[Karl Striedieck]

We need examples of glider winch operations in the US at airports with
power traffic. Boulder comes to mind. Do readers know of other
locations?

Thanks

KS

[Tony]

On Nov 11, 9:55 am, Karl Striedieck <karls.eagle.fi...@gmail.com>
wrote:

Don at Cross Country Soaring at Fairbault, MN uses his winch on the
main runway at the public airport.

[BobW]

Boulder (CO) IS an example of a U.S. airport with (longstanding, since at
least 1976 in my direct exposure) parallel glider/power runways, but over that
time span has NEVER had winch operations to my knowledge.

Regards,
Bob W.

[Frank Whiteley]

On Nov 11, 8:55 am, Karl Striedieck <karls.eagle.fi...@gmail.com>
wrote:

No winching at Boulder currently (yet).

From the winchdesign yahoo group.

May not be current or complete.

Notably missing
High Flights, Meadow Lake Airport, CO Hydrowinch
Colorado Spring East, modified Gehrlein
Rose City Soaring, Georgia
Cache Valley Soarnig, Logan, UT (engine upgrade in progress?)
Penn State Soaring Club, Mifflin, PA

Autotow included where applicable below.

"""Site Name""" """Winch""" """Autotow"""
Colorado Soaring Association\, Fort Collins\, CO Single drum\, 350cid
\, 4bbl No
Soaring Sooners Association\, Hinton\, OK Gehrlein single drum
(modified) Yes
Orange County Soaring Assoc.\, Hemet\, CA Gehrlein single drum yes
Los Alamitos CAP Self made two drum no
AGCSC\, Torrey Pines\, CA Roman design
29 Palms Soaring Club\, Twentynine Palms\, CA Gehrlein double drum yes
Permian Soaring Association\, Odessa\, TX Dual design\, single in use
\, 454cid no
Carolina Soaring Association\, Spartanburg\, SC homebuilt\, single drum
\, Ford 460cuin engine\, 310Hp occasionally
Philadelphia Glider Council\, Hilltown\, PA Dual Drum Eagle Winch
Prescott Soaring Society\, Prescott\, AZ Yes No
Finger Lakes Soaring Club\, Dansville\, NY Yes ?
VULTURES SOARING CLUB\, MARLETTE\, MI DREW\, Chev. 350\, Single drum
NO
Cross Country Soaring- Faribault\, MN Gehrlein
Wave Soaring Adventures- Toledo\, WA 253-380-8226 Gehrlein
Faultline Flyers\, Briggs\, TX No Yes
Greater Houston Soaring Assocation (GHSA) Yes\, retrofit of single
drum No (sold, no longer winching)
Sandhill Soaring Club\, Gregory\, MI TOST Model 04 Double Drum No
El Paso Soaring Society Yes No
Mohawk Soaring Club\, North Adams\, MA Yes No (status unknown)

[Frank Whiteley]

One more start up

Menomonie Flying Club, WI, sidewinder winch yes yes

[Stephen]

The Soaring Sooners Glider Club operates our winch off the Hinton
Municipal Airport main runway under agreement with the Airport
Manager. There is light power traffic in and out of the airport.
Stephen S9

[Frank Whiteley]

On Nov 11, 11:47 am, Frank Whiteley <frank.white...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Nov 11, 8:55 am, Karl Striedieck <karls.eagle.fi...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > We need examples of glider winch operations in the US at airports with
> > power traffic. Boulder comes to mind. Do readers know of other
> > locations?
>
> > Thanks
>
> > KS
>
> No winching at Boulder currently (yet).
>
> From the winchdesign yahoo group.
>
> May not be current or complete.
>
> Notably missing

># High Flights, Meadow Lake Airport, CO  Hydrowinch
> #Colorado Spring East, modified Gehrlein
> #Rose City Soaring, Georgia
> #Cache Valley Soarnig, Logan, UT (engine upgrade in progress?)
> #Penn State Soaring Club, Mifflin, PA

>
> Autotow included where applicable below.
>
> """Site Name"""   """Winch"""       """Autotow"""

> Colorado Soaring Association\, Wellington\, CO        Single drum\, 350cid
> \, 4bbl No
> #Soaring Sooners Glider Club\, Hinton\, OK       Gehrlein single drum
> (modified)      Yes
> #Orange County Soaring Assoc.\, Hemet\, CA       Gehrlein single drum    yes
> #Los Alamitos CAP        Self made two drum      no
> #AGCSC\, Torrey Pines\, CA       Roman design
> #29 Palms Soaring Club\, Twentynine Palms\, CA   Gehrlein double drum    yes
> #Permian Soaring Association\, Odessa\, TX       Dual design\, single in use
> \, 454cid       no
> #Carolina Soaring Association\, Spartanburg\, SC homebuilt\, single drum

> \, Ford 460cuin engine\, 310Hp  occasionally
> Philadelphia Glider Council\, Hilltown\, PA     Dual Drum Eagle Winch
> Prescott Soaring Society\, Prescott\, AZ        Yes     No

> #Finger Lakes Soaring Club\, Dansville\, NY      Yes     ?
> #VULTURES SOARING CLUB\, MARLETTE\, MI   DREW\, Chev. 350\, Single drum
> NO
> #Cross Country Soaring- Faribault\, MN   Gehrlein
> #Wave Soaring Adventures- Toledo\, WA 253-380-8226       Gehrlein

> Faultline Flyers\, Briggs\, TX  No      Yes
> Greater Houston Soaring Assocation (GHSA)       Yes\, retrofit of single
> drum    No  (sold, no longer winching)
> Sandhill Soaring Club\, Gregory\, MI    TOST Model 04 Double Drum       No

> #El Paso Soaring Society Yes     No

> Mohawk Soaring Club\, North Adams\, MA  Yes     No  (status unknown)

#Greater Boston Soaring Club (MITSA)
#Shreveport Soaring
#Menomonie Flying Club, WI, sidewinder winch yes yes

Those marked with a # operate or have operated off of mixed use public/
private airports using main runways, taxiways, or adjacent surfaces.

[uline...@yahoo.com]

On Nov 11, 10:55 am, Karl Striedieck <karls.eagle.fi...@gmail.com>
wrote:

The Carolina Soaring Association is actively winching off the
Spartanburg Downtown airport (KSPA). We have mixed traffic - anything
from home-built single engine planes to business jets, helicopters and
anything inbetween. Works well so far.

Uli Neumann
'CSA's Winchmeister'

[RAS56]

'Karl Striedieck[_2_ Wrote:
> ;789192']We need examples of glider winch operations in the US at

The folks down in Boerne, Texas have winch ops intermingled with power
traffic.

Non-towered airport, Boerne Stage Field...5C1

http://www.5c1.net/sass.html

Dave White is the main instructor, good guy, can give you more info on
their ops.

http://www.salsaaviation.com/aboutsalsa.html




--
RAS56

[uline...@yahoo.com]

Today, about 8-10 business jets came into KSPA since there is a
republican presidential debate at a local college tonight, all while
we were winching. It works since we all talk to each other and the
winch launch announcements are being made on the unicom frequency.
Only once did I have to tell one of the jet-jock's to hold their take-
off since the line was not on the ground, yet.
Uli Neumann

[Herbert kilian]

Uli,
I still have my Windenfahrerschein back from the 80's in Germany.
There were over 3,000 winch launches that I did at our Bisperode Ith
location (near Hamelin) from the winch drivers seat. Since you
probably need a relief driver now and then, it may be time for Renate
and me to relocate to Spartanburg.
Herb, J7

[uline...@yahoo.com]

> Herb, J7- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Hello Herbert,

that makes two with a 'Windenfahrerschein'! :-) And yes, I could use a
relief now and then despite having trained a number of operators by
now, so come on down this winter.

Uli

[Frank Whiteley]

#Caprock Soaring Club, Littlefield, TX

[Randy]

We just purchased a winch this past weekend and are planning to use it
at the Pryor/ MidAmerica Airport (H71). We still need to get
permission
to use it here. There is very little power traffic except for about 6
active
local pilots and a few transitional pilots coming in for fuel.


Randy

Tulsa, OK

http://tulsasoaring.com/
http://talihinasoaring.com/

[Walter Wissmann]

Hi Uli ,

I need some Windenfahrer in the Yukon ,Canada . I have a Toast winch and a Blanik L23 in annual .Would be nice to get some pilots together for a camp . To get a club started here . Please advertise to all . I , too have a Windenfahrer Schein.

Uli Klausing

[AS]

Hallo Uli - schick mir bitte eine email an moc.oohay@nnamuenilu

Uli

[william feiges]

[youngbl...@gmail.com]

Rose City Soaring out of Quitman , Georgia has a winch but it is not operational and winch tows have not been done in years. Old Bob, The Purist

[Walter Wissmann]

[Walter Wissmann]

Ich scheine nicht durch zu kommen meine e mail ukla...@northwestel.net

[Lynn Alley]

Utah Soaring Association operates a winch at Nephi, which has power traffic. We use the grass (actually weeds and dirt) adjacent to the runway.

L.

[Piet Barber]

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 10:58:19 PM UTC-4, lall...@gmail.com wrote:

Eastern Soaring Center operates out of Petersburg WV (Grant Count Airport W99). The geography of the region makes wave lift very common at this particular location. The winch routinely gets 2000 feet of altitude with each launch, and when there is a westerly wind, you can go back to Charlie's Knob and use ridge lift. That can be used to connect to the secondary wave.

[John Foster]

On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 9:26:43 AM UTC-6, p...@pietbarber.com wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 10:58:19 PM UTC-4, lall...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Eastern Soaring Center operates out of Petersburg WV (Grant Count Airport W99). The geography of the region makes wave lift very common at this particular location. The winch routinely gets 2000 feet of altitude with each launch, and when there is a westerly wind, you can go back to Charlie's Knob and use ridge lift. That can be used to connect to the secondary wave.

Greg Mecklenburg has a winch at the Flying Y airport in Pray, MT, just north of Yellowstone National Park. There is also the occasional power traffic in an out of that airport, but it is mostly a glider operation.

[THEODORE HALLER]

On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 1:13:50 PM UTC-4, johngf...@gmail.com wrote:
As a former member of the Mohawk Soaring Club I don't think there is a winch operation at North Adams MA. We did have a winch operation at the Saratoga NY airport in the 70's but liability insurance required by the county priced it out of business.

as

[Frank Whiteley]

There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.

Frank Whiteley

[john firth]

Given a runway of at least 3000ft, how about a tow with vehicle carrying a a drum which can
wind the cable after the launch; nothing left on the runway to be snagged.
Vehicle drives back to start and if a glider is ready, unrolls the cable by driving back to the starting
point.
Anybody heard of this?
John F

[AS]

Yes - has been discussed in length in the winchdesign forum but it was found to be highly impractical having another heavy vehicle moving back and forth over the field. If there was any merit to it, the Europeans would have been practicing it for the last 5 decades already.
>> .... nothing left on the runway to be snagged. << What do you mean? A good winch driver drops the tackle right in front of the winch where the retrieve car driver picks it up and takes it back to the launch point.

Uli
'AS'

[john firth]

Simply making the suggestion that auto tow on a paved runway requires less capital investment
than a winch and one less operator.
JMF

[AS]

For auto-tow, your suggestion is correct. For winching, not so much. ;-)
Uli
'AS'

[Frank Whiteley]

Gary Boggs has/had a payout winch, which allowed the rope to be paid out during the vehicle run and recovered after release. 3000ft length is a bit short for auto tow or winch launch. Gary's system worked pretty well on 5000ft runways. 2500ft launches at the Alvord Desert. To use the payout and retrieve, someone operated the winch from the truck bed, so two persons required.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMWTJgWhWHA
Frank Whiteley

[ASM]

Last year I went to Hawaii’s Dillingham Field at Oahu with couple guys who bought the Roman winch and brought it to Washington state. So, one winch is here I just don’t know the present status. Jacek