Grasshopper Winch Operating Guide


The remarkable mechanical winch

Operating guide

Abbreviated operating instructions. More detailed instructions including tips and safety instructions will be shipped with your unit.

Setup

Bring your plane, equipment, winch toolbox, and winch to the field. Using your transmitter streamer, check wind direction periodically for a few minutes to get an average direction. Bring the winch and winch toolbox to the edge of the field walking into the wind. Hammer the stake into the ground with the head about 1" above the surface. Place the winch stake hole over the stake. Kneel behind the winch. Sight in the tow line direction and select a landmark from which you will later launch. Remove the nylon bolt from the spring leader so the tow spool can turn freely. Insert the tow line guide posts in a slightly diagonal orientation (this helps the line wind uniformly). Pull out slack line. Pull out line under tension.

Launch

Turn your plane and transmitter on and test. Holding the plane above your head, attach the key ring to the plane tow hook. Wait for acceptable wind direction and stability. Release your plane with a very slow very gentle push. If you throw the plane as with a hi-start it will likely overshoot the winch and pop off the line. If early pop-off occurs a few times, use the supplied 10 ft elastic between the parachute and the plane and/or shorten the parachute riser lines by knotting the bundle of lines. The elastic is not needed if there is some wind. Like an electric winch, the plane will have extra energy when released from the line. Use up elevator to climb further and take advantage of that energy and then aggressive down elevator to level out. If you are coming from a hi-start this may be new to you.

Rewinding

At the end of the day, remove any metal hardware from the tow line so the line can pull easily over the ground during rewinding. Walk to the winch. Remove the winch from the stake. Pull the stake from the ground. Detach the spring leader nylon bolt. Kneel on the tow spool side of the winch. Spin the spool to wind the line.

Happy flying!