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.

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.

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.

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.
> 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.
as

On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> 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.
> > 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.
> as
There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.

Frank Whiteley

On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 7:26:14 PM UTC-4, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> > 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.
> > > 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.
> > as
> There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.
>
> Frank Whiteley

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

On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 3:23:44 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
> On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 7:26:14 PM UTC-4, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> > > 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.
> > > > 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.
> > > as
> > There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.
> >
> > Frank Whiteley
> 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

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'

On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 6:37:39 PM UTC-4, AS wrote:
> On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 3:23:44 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
> > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 7:26:14 PM UTC-4, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> > > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> > > > 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.
> > > > > 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.
> > > > as
> > > There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.
> > >
> > > Frank Whiteley
> > 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
> 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'
Simply making the suggestion that auto tow on a paved runway requires less capital investment
than a winch and one less operator.
JMF

On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 8:22:37 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
> On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 6:37:39 PM UTC-4, AS wrote:
> > On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 3:23:44 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
> > > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 7:26:14 PM UTC-4, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> > > > > 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.
> > > > > > 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.
> > > > > as
> > > > There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.
> > > >
> > > > Frank Whiteley
> > > 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
> > 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'
> Simply making the suggestion that auto tow on a paved runway requires less capital investment
> than a winch and one less operator.
> JMF

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

On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 1:23:44 PM UTC-6, john firth wrote:
> On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 7:26:14 PM UTC-4, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> > On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 2:54:23 PM UTC-6, THEODORE HALLER wrote:
> > > 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.
> > > > 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.
> > > as
> > There was talk of making the winch at Dansville, NY, active again, but I've not heard anything in the past year.
> >
> > Frank Whiteley
> 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
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

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