{"id":1906,"date":"2010-10-07T19:27:59","date_gmt":"2010-10-08T02:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=1906"},"modified":"2010-10-09T14:05:32","modified_gmt":"2010-10-09T21:05:32","slug":"go-skynch-yourself-%e2%80%93-and-smile-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/go-skynch-yourself-%e2%80%93-and-smile-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Go Skynch Yourself \u2013 And Smile About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jack Lambie, an early hang-glider pilot, wrote in a mid-seventies’\u00a0Soaring Magazine<\/em>\u00a0of a dream cross-country using ultralight sailplanes with self-launching devices that allowed high launches from flat ground when foot launching was not practical.\u00a0 Lambie would be proud of recent developments in Denmark.<\/p>\n

Three\u00a0years ago, we first noted the Skynch<\/a>, a paraglider (potentially hang glider) self-launching device under development.\u00a0 Then it seemed to disappear from view, only to re-emerge as a fully-developed electric winch with a remote for the pilot.\u00a0 The self-controlled nature of the setup allows a pilot to literally pull him or herself into the blue.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Skynch electric winch with remote control unit (inset)<\/p><\/div>\n

The video<\/a>, which the Skynch people do not allow to be embedded here, gives a convincing demonstration of the system’s ease of use and functionality.<\/p>\n

Admittedly a bit pricey, the basic winch costs 6,700 Euros (about $9,300), and allows tows for 85 kilogram (187 pound) pilots on 1,000 meters (about 3,200 feet) of line.\u00a0\u00a0Interestingly, a 100 kg (220 pound) pilot could be launched on a 2,000 meter (6,400 feet) line, indicating a shallower climb.\u00a0 Since the winch itself is limited to 200 Amperes, the 48 Volt batteries will allow 9.6 kilowatts total output. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Skynch uses four Panasonic LC-XB12100P, 12Volt, 100-Amp-hour batteries to produce the 48 Volts necessary to pull a paraglider. Communicating through an antenna attached to the stationary part of the system, the pilot controls takeoff through a 490 gram remote hand control.\u00a0 This communicates commands through the antenna to a controller, \u201cthe heart of the system,\u201d which translates the pilot\u2019s commands to the winch,\u00a0automatically takes care of details such as shutting down the winch when the end of line is reached, protecting against overloads, and allows the pilot to concentrate solely on speed control.<\/p>\n

Mads Syndergaard<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0reported on using the Skynch to achieve a formidable cross-country flight of over two hours between Odense and Nyborg \u2013 especially impressive for a paraglider.<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday (July 2, 2010) we did a very important \u201ctest\u201d, where more than one pilot was in the paddock hoping for an XC flight. We currently have only one remote control (although you can have as many as you need), so we needed to do the first tow in the traditional manner, where a winch operator on the ground controls the winch. The second tow was then done as per the Skynch principle, with the pilot in charge of the throttle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn added benefit of the Skynch in this situation is that the winch operator can stand right next to the pilot (rather than 1200m away, as it is normally done with other stationary winching designs) and thus be in much better control of the critical start phase.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway, it all worked a song, and I got a nice 2-hour flight out of it: http:\/\/www.paraglidingforum.com\/leonardo\/flight\/347775<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n