n Texas we often rely upon the Non-powered payout winch system to tow up to find the thermals we need to stay aloft.   We take special pride in the Truck / Trailer Tow Winch System that was designed here in Texas by Jerry Foreburger and Mike Haley of Air Time of Lubbock (ATOL).  This system has become the winch system standard to compare all others against.   I had the pleasure of watching and occasionally test flying the different stages of the system in West Texas during the mid 80's.    While other winches were around earlier, no others combined the center of mass towing system with a frictional payout from a prone platform launch.   The Center of Mass towing theory was also developed by a Texan-- Donnell Hewett,  a physics professor from Corpus Christi Texas.   The world's record for cross country (over 300 miles) is held by Larry Tutor using a payout winch system.

nother Texas original invention is the Scooter Tow Winch System.   This system was designed by Dave Broyles of Allen Texas.   He had the idea to combine the concepts of a powered pay-in tow winch system with the center of mass towing .  The powered system he chose was a cheap used motor scooter that is mounted to a trailer for portability and the rear wheel is replaced with a reel for the tow rope.   He uses a  return pulley system to place the scooter and take off point next to each other to eliminate the distant communications problem with the older style of powered winches that put you far away from the tow operator.   This system is gaining in popularity throughout the country.    It is used with both hang gliders and paragliders.   Dave has used it enough to now use it for training in his hang gliding business--Kite Enterprises.   Having experienced it and observed his classes I can endorse the method as a viable alternative to the training hill-- only accelerated because of quick turn around.