Definition
The methods used to get a glider airborne and up to a working altitude, since a glider has no engine of its own. The three FAA-recognized launch methods are aero tow (towed by a powered airplane on a rope), ground tow (pulled into the air by a winch or vehicle on a long cable), and self-launch (a glider equipped with a retractable or fixed motor that powers its own takeoff before being shut down for soaring flight). A flight instructor with a glider rating must give specific training and a logbook endorsement for each launch method a student intends to use.
Plain English
The different ways a glider gets into the air. Because a glider has no engine running in flight, it needs help at the start — either being towed up by another aircraft, pulled up by a winch or vehicle on the ground, or using a small built-in motor that switches off once it is high enough.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instructor endorsement material for glider training, where the instructor must document that the pilot has received the required training for the type of launch being used.
Derivation
From 'glider' (an aircraft that flies without continuous engine power) and 'launch' (from Old French lanchier, meaning to throw or hurl forward). The word 'launch' captures the idea well: a glider does not take off under its own steady power — it is sent on its way by an outside force.
Why Pilots Care
An instructor without the proper endorsement cannot legally teach a particular launch method, directly affecting training progress and safety.
Intuition Check
Do not read launch as only the instant the wheels leave the ground. In this context, a glider launch means the whole method and procedure used to get the glider airborne safely.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor gave the student separate endorsements for aero tow and ground tow glider launches after demonstrating proficiency in each.
Example Sentence 2
Different glider launches require separate endorsements because each method has unique handling and emergency procedures.