Payout

SDI PARAGLIDING ACADEMY

Towing Aloft with a Payout Winch
"I'll lift thee and thee lift me, and we'll ascend together"

What is Pay-out towing?
Pay-out towing involves the use of a moving vehicle such as a
truck boat or even an ATV. The pay-out unit is secured to the
vehicle and a length of line is laid out. Once the pilot has a helmet
on, is in the harness, and attached to the wing, they attach the
tow line to a tow bridal. The bridal is the means to release from
the tow line at altitude
After all preflight checks are complete the tow begins.
A deep bow from the pilot signals ready and the driver
accelerates to 25 mph minus any head wind speed.
Meanwhile the "tow tech" applies the proper tension and the pilot
is lifted gently into the air, usually after no more than 3 steps.
Climb out rate is around 600 feet per min or 3 meters/second
once the available tow road /tow line length is used, the pilot pulls
the release and is now flying free.
The tow line typically has a drogue chute at the end to provide
control and tension when the line is rewound. Tension is desired
for rewinding to ensure a nice tight stacking of the line on the spool
Also the drogue keeps the line in the air during rewind to prevent it
from being drug along the ground and worn prematurely.