This article was originally published in Windsock, the Southern Hang Gliding Club's newsletter. Later it was re-worked, updated, submitted and ultimately published in the BHPA's SkyWings October 2009 magazine.
Rewind to 2006. I'm in a field in Norfolk looking at a clever reassembly of what I'm told used to be a VW Beetle; it's a winch used for the tow training of hang glider pilots. I'm at Lejair doing my hang gliding tow endorsement. As a relative low-airtime, hill-rated Club Pilot I'm hoping with a winch endorsement I can gain more confidence and increase my opportunities to fly. With the support of Tony and Rona Webb and a bit of luck with the British summer, eight compulsory winches later I'm signed off and tow rated. On my return to the south coast I start to contemplate how I can make the most of these new skills.