Safe Winch Launches

Abstract

This paper describes the process by which the British Gliding Association has sought to educate all pilots and instructors in safe winch launching and compares winch accident rates before and after the inception of the educational programme in 2006. In the 7 years from 2006–2012 there were 5 fatal or serious injury winch accidents compared with 21 in the previous 7 years and a 7-year average of 21 from 1974 to 2005. Two of the 5 fatal or serious injury winch accidents from 2006–2012 involved a stall or spin in comparison with 17 in the previous 7 years and a 7-year average of 17 from 1974 to 2005. The other 3 recent accidents were from a wing drop and cartwheel. The educational programme continues, with an emphasis on continuing to avoid stall/spin accidents and avoiding wing drop/cartwheel accidents.