Archive for the ‘Towing’ Category

Versatile Towing Solutions

Monday, August 29th, 2011

We are constantly striving to provide new and innovative tow equipment for free flight enthusiasts and this is our latest creation.  This one was developed base on feedback from instructors and clubs around the world who don’t have the expansive desert roads that hydraulic tow winches (read:3500′-4000′ tows) are well suited for.  Instead, we decided to build this unit for those who have somewhat limited space and focus on stationary towing and shorter payout tows…which evidently is a pretty large majority of the folks around the world.  As a result, this unit is equipped with a 13hp Honda engine for a little extra power in stationary towing and utilizes a friction based payout function.  It comes equipped with 3000′ of spectra and a calibrated line tension monitor that operates in both payout and pay-in modes.  The stationary side of things is based on the proven technology already being used on our winches and is commercial grade quality suitable for PG and HG school use.  Although we will never get rid of hydraulic based units for our bigger winches for super high tows,  the friction based unit has proven to be very well suited for shorter payouts to about 1500′ agl.   This winch has no overheating, jerking, etc. commonly associated with friction based units and the tension is remotely controllable from the cab of the vehicle which is a huge safety improvement over those which are designed to be set based on pilot weight beforehand.  All of this in a convenient hitch mount package and quality that you would expect from us…cause we use them all the time.  Now in production!!

8150′ Feet of Spectra

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Its been a long time in the making but it is finally finished, tested, and proven to be a fun little project.  This winch was designed for a customer at www.letsgoparagliding.com who requested a tandem capable stationary tow winch with 8000′ of tow line for his 4000′ field.  Among other requests were a a line guillotine, line tension monitor and a turn around pulley.  We are proud to say mission accomplished!  Yeah Buddy.

BOOM

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Red Bull Winch Sessions has final hit the streets!  A while back Red Bull contacted us to build them a super winch capable of towing just about anything imaginable from flying stuff to wakeboarders and skiers.  We designed, manufactured, and delivered it to them last winter.  They have been hitting all sorts of random locations from flooded areas to runways to cranberry fields over the past year. Armed with paragliders, wakeboards, and snowboards and this machine, they have been killing it. Its amazing to see what some creative folks can come up with given the right tools and some incredible athletes.  Props to goes out to the people involved in putting this one together. Yeah Buddy!!!

MOAB

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

So it turns out cats and dogs can play together pretty easily with a few winches around in the middle of nowhere…The tow weekend in Moab, UT planned by C. Santacroce was a full on success! 15 or so paraglider pilots showed as well as one hang glider pilot and a bunch of base jumpers…and a good time had by all.   The weather was absolutely beautiful and allowed us to tow from the early hours of the morning till sunset which is somewhat unheard of in southern Utah.  When all was said and done we had done over 30 payout tows with a handful of step tows thrown in by paying out in one direction on the road and then using the stationary side of the winch momentarily to take up the slack and boost the pilot up at the end of the road before turning around and heading back the opposite direction on payout again.  I’d be surprised if we had a tow under 3500′ AGL.  Needless to say, the views were pretty amazing.  Hopefully we can make this PG and HG gathering together a trend eh?  The following photos are courtesy of our buddy Kristjan Morgan.  Thanks Kristjan!

Mondays…

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Turns out they can be pretty good sometimes…even at work.  Monday was break-in day for a payout / pay-in winch built for a group of pilots in the northwest.  Fittingly, the day started out slightly overcast but as we drove west to the desert, it began to shape up quite nicely.   I was lucky enough to have another tow tech and driver out there and got to fly around a bit after the initial tows were finished on this machine. This is what it turned out like:

Spokane gets a CSW!

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Our friend Kyle from Spokane received his new winch last week!  We were so pumped to be able to deliver it to him and finally do some towing in the flats of eastern Washington.  Kyle picked up the controls and seemed to be a natural after running 3 tows. Yeah buddy!  Thanks for the tows.

I don’t think you could dream of a better place for towing paragliders and hang gliders.  The miles and miles of road without any power lines or obstructions conjure up limitless thoughts stress free XC flying.  For those who aren’t familiar, Chelan Washington is a mecca for free flight.  The flat lands outside of Chelan are world renowned for long distance cross country flights.  Typically, people launch from a site across the river and glide over to the flats and go on long flights from that point.  Another way to fly there is to go towing in the flats and catch thermals for a flight from there on.  We tried both.

Right off tow…from one of those roads…I lost track of which one tho….

The difference between our launch point on the tow road (upper photo)….vs….Chelan Butte (lower photo):

Big thank you to Super Fly Paragliding for letting me ride new Advance Omega 8 paraglider for the week!  What an awesome wing.  So stable, fast, and what a glide!

Another one hits Australia!

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Curt Warren of Warren Windsports received his brand new CSW and put it to the test right away.  While holding a ground towing clinic for hang gliders, they reportedly did 70 tows in a weekend!  Strong work Curt!  He also wrote a nice little piece about his thoughts on his new hydraulic payout winch.  We are stoked to have two units in the land down under now and boast about another very stoked customer.  Thanks for the support Curt!

Check out his website for more photos and video here


Wings Over Bear Lake

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Despite some pretty wet weather over the weekend, the Wings Over Bear Lake acro competition was a success!  We saw towing on Friday, and Sunday with a short scooter tow or two in a down pour on saturday.  Those that attended were rewarded by being able to witness the first acro pilot in the US perform the Infinity Tumble!  Congrats to Nova Dasalla on a 15.5 turn tumble.  Rough cut video can be seen  here or click on the photo of the winners below.  Nova took first, Max Marion second, and Tommey Suell third.  Becky Brim took first in Womens division.  A few willing spectators got some tandems as well.  Thanks to Blue Water Resort, Red Bull, and Chris Santacroce for putting this event on!  CSW is proud to be able to provide tow equipment to make such events happen!  Until next year……