Fatal accident in Scotland

The system of winch launch signalling, in the UK, was
changed so that pilots had their fingers close to the
release on take-off; not sticking two fingers up in
the air. You are not meant to accept the cable until
you are ready to launch, all fiddling complete; you
accept the cable you are ready to go.

At 14:00 04 September 2007, Ian wrote:
>
>We used to have a system in the UK which ensured this:
>the pilot waved
>one finger for 'take up slack' and two for 'all out'.
>Thus the launch
>didn't start until the signaller was assured that the
>pilot had a hand
>free. Now the launch starts when the signaller feels
>like it, and s/he
>just has to hope that the pilot has a hand near the
>release, and not
>scratching himself, adjusting the altimeter, twiddling
>with the GPS -
>or actually on the release, ready for an unwanted pull
>off when the
>wheel hits a bump.
>
>I'm sure it will change back in due course.
>
>Ian
>
>

On 4 Sep, 16:02, Mark Dickson
<REMOVE_TO_REPLY.mark.dicks...@tesco.net> wrote:
> The system of winch launch signalling, in the UK, was
> changed so that pilots had their fingers close to the
> release on take-off; not sticking two fingers up in
> the air. You are not meant to accept the cable until
> you are ready to launch, all fiddling complete; you
> accept the cable you are ready to go.

Not meant to, no. However, I think there is another side: the cable
should not be offered to the glider unless the launch can proceed
immediately. All too often the cable is attached, then there is a
short delay, then the deay gets longer, then the pilot gets
distracted, then ...

The old system ensured that when the launch started, the pilot had a
had free. It may not have been in the right place, but at least it was
guaranteed not to be reprogramming a GPS ...

Ian