A winch is used to tow gliders into the air. This method is cheaper than aerotow launching behind an aircraft, but allows reaching
lower altitudes (approx. 200–500 m).
The winch is positioned at one end of the airfield and the glider at the opposite end. A tow cable is stretched across the field. When the winch is started, the cable is wound onto a drum, towing the glider which, after lifting off, climbs steeply, then releases at the highest point above the airfield. The tow cable is then pulled back to the launch point by a retrieve winch.
The displayed Tur Sw4 winch, manufactured in 1962, together with the Ryś retrieve winch, were operated by the Krakow Aeroclub until the mid-1970s. They were restored by Wojciech Sikora. After restoration, the winch was test-run and used to launch gliders. Tur winches were produced at the Sports Aviation Equipment Works in Poznań.
They were built using components from other vehicles manufactured in Poland at the time. The engine came from a Star 660 truck, the suspension from a Warszawa passenger car, and the wheels from a Żuk delivery van.
| TUR winch engine | 6-cylinder four-stroke petrol inline liquid-cooled S47 engine, displacement 4680 cm3, power 105 hp |
| RYŚ retrieve winch engine | Single-cylinder two-stroke S261 engine, air-cooled, power 8.5 hp |
