Capt Cook used a Sextant but he only knew latitude and hoped to hit Tahiti. We now have GPS and know within nanoseconds and metres. But more important, where the nearest landing site is, and within glide range.
I was once a winch driver, but there were no gash launches from that end of the field. I was once an OIC of a service gliding club, but it took months to get money from 'Welfare'. I was once a treasurer of Canberra GC, where the banker said, 'gliding has stopped!!!' We will have $x,xxx by Friday. Gliding needs management and money, so why nickel and dime over who is splicing on a winch. The engine on a motor gilder costs perhaps $80k plus maintenance, and that is a lot of tows...... So get an aero tow, check the rope. and get to where the life/lift is..... The GPS has new batteries, and I forgot my maps and charts, indeed my watch and compass.... Plenty of paddocks ahead.... SMFSLT Alan Confused, then get the charts out of the bag. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron Sanders Sent: Thursday, 9 March 2006 9:42 PM To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.' Subject: RE: Re[2]: [Aus-soaring] Re: [pulleylaunch] Knots? I've been a pilot for 38 years and 23,500 hours later I WOULD like to know the difference between a map and a chart??? So what is it please? Ron S -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brett Kettle Sent: Thursday, 9 March 2006 8:54 PM To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.' Subject: RE: Re[2]: [Aus-soaring] Re: [pulleylaunch] Knots? Anyone who can tie a shoelace in 15 seconds can do a splice in a minute, with just a little practice, no splicing tool needed. ...and a sextant is a great way to estimate altitude of a glider from the ground; pilots who don't know the difference between a map and a chart should be keel-hauled; and a cat-o-nine tails keeps the winch retrieve driver on the ball. But plumb bobs are useless when it comes to working out your angle of bank. [working hard on becoming a cantankerous old fart] Cheers Brett Kettle -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael Derry Sent: Friday, 10 March 2006 1:22 PM To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re[2]: [Aus-soaring] Re: [pulleylaunch] Knots? If -it takes 30 seconds to tie a knot -10 minutes to do a splice -you need to carry a splicing tool -you need someone who is trained and wants to do it Why would you bother to splice...unless you used a winch and were therefore forced to do it ! KISS Keep It Simple Stupid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On Thu, 9 Mar 2006 16:38:44 +1300 "Brett Kettle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Why not splice it? > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Michael Derry > Sent: Friday, 10 March 2006 5:38 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: aus-soaring; Winchdesign Yahoogroups > Subject: [Aus-soaring] Re: [pulleylaunch] Knots? > > To: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pulleylaunch/ > cc others > Neil > > I should have expanded a little more about knots. > > A FEATURE THAT OUR COUSINS USING WINCHES CANNOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF > > The knots which we used that worked were reef knots. > > If you look at a reef knot, the knot sticks out one side and the two > lengths of rope line up under pressure. So when you watch a rope with > a reef knot in it go around a pulley at speed and under load the line > of the rope goes right against the pulley and the reef knot sticks out > to the side. > > After watching knots go around pulleys many times under load I was > amazed to see that the line of the rope always went against the pulley > and the knot was on the opposite side. > > Reef knots slip easily so we tied a knot at the end of each peice of > rope to stop it slipping. This worked a treat. > > A knot savy pilot saw a reef knot we had tied before a launch and > replaced it with some other superior knot in terms of strength. > Unfortunately when the knot went through the pulley it snapped. The > reason it snapped was that the two lengths of rope did not line up > when under pressure and the knot did not stick out to the side. The > knot was on the inside of one of the pieces of rope and acted as a > fulcrum placing much stress on the rope at the edge of the knot. > > Has anyone eany other thoughts about knots.....it is a big subject ? > > Regards > > Michael Derry > > "Neil Wolthers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pulleylaunch/ > > > Is there any particular reason you guys are using knots in the rope? > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring __________ NOD32 1.1435 (20060308) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
