Got some at home Cath - will send to your email address tonight.
Dave
________________________________
From: Catherine Conway <[email protected]>
To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
<[email protected]>
Sent: Wed, 25 November, 2009 12:02:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Reflex car launching
Any pics Dave?
-Cath
On 25/11/2009, at 9:41 AM, Dave Donald wrote:
At Boonah we use an Auto-tow system with a 2-to-1 reduction and rope. The rope
goes from the glider, around a fixed pulley (fixed in the ground but spins),
under the F250 which has a pulley mounted horizontally and then back to a fixed
point (the bottom of the fixed pulley) and attached by a shackle that can
rotate. The launch vehicle is an F250 v8 that does the launch effortlessly. The
rope is 10mm poly and absorbs any surges/thermals and provides a very smooth
launch. The good thing about this system is that the launch vehicle actually
heads towards the glider (from the other end of the strip) as part of the
launch. The glider is always visible during the launch. When the glider
releases the launch vehicle continues on and lays the rope at the launch point
for the next launch. The impact on the surface of the strip (grass) due to the
rope is minimal as are the sand tyres on the F250. While not as strictly
'reflex' launching as requested, it is still a
very useful way of getting aircraft in the air (for $8).
>
>Regards,
>
>Dave
>
>
>
>
________________________________
From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
>To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
><[email protected]>
>Cc: [email protected]
>Sent: Wed, 25 November, 2009 8:38:59 AM
>Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Reflex car launching
>
>Ron,
>
>I'm doing some work with synthetic helicopter long lines that have zero
>stretch so there is no stored energy in case they break.
>
>Will ask some questions about the rope suitability. it is far better than
>steel cables.
>
>Was looked at as an alternate for aerotow at a couple of nsw clubs. I did a
>lot of work with Eric Sweet at one site using a pully system to keep the
>vehicle speed down and using the mechanical advantage.
>
>There was some postings or pictures on a chat site, possibly this one in the
>early days showing pulley systems and synthetic rope.
>
>Cheers
>
>Peter Heath
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