Banner tow pilot training

jspeed87

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for a good place in NJ to get a tailwheel endorsment and banner towing training. I heard companies make pilots pay for training, so is it better to do it on your own. Also need 60 hours for my commercial, would it be a good idea to do it in a piper cub for 50 hours, and then do it in a cessna?
 
Do the tailwheel training is whatever tailwheel plane interests you. Or really do it in as many different types you can. I try to fly as many different tailwheels as possible to get a broad experience base. But most likely you will be towing in a cub or something simliar.
 
Do the tailwheel training is whatever tailwheel plane interests you. Or really do it in as many different types you can. I try to fly as many different tailwheels as possible to get a broad experience base. But most likely you will be towing in a cub or something simliar.

Cool, do you know the minimums to get hired. Would I stand a chance with a fresh commercial and 50 hours tailwheel?
 
I dont tow banners so I have no idea really. I've seen adds though and most seem to want between 50 and 100 hours of tailwheel time.
 
I dont tow banners so I have no idea really. I've seen adds though and most seem to want between 50 and 100 hours of tailwheel time.

You know, I've never really understood why tailwheel time makes any difference. Tailwheel landings are what really matter.

You could have 100 hours tailwheel time and only do 20 landings.

For what it is worth, I had 2.6 hours tailwheel time before I started towing with the Pawnee...
 
You know, I've never really understood why tailwheel time makes any difference. Tailwheel landings are what really matter.

You could have 100 hours tailwheel time and only do 20 landings.

For what it is worth, I had 2.6 hours tailwheel time before I started towing with the Pawnee...

So what's the best way to get a banner towing job? I can a good deal time building in a 152 for 65 an hour for a 50 hour block.. but I think 50 hours in a tailwheel will help me getting a job.
 
Get tailwheel time, and for EFF sakes don't pay for "banner training" it's a scam. Find a reputable company. It'll only take about 2-3 attempts at a pick up to catch on. So $1500-3000, for the "course", your paying his over head for a few months.

With more tow's it'll become more precise.
 
Get tailwheel time, and for EFF sakes don't pay for "banner training" it's a scam. Find a reputable company. It'll only take about 2-3 attempts at a pick up to catch on.

:yeahthat:

"Banner tow training" is always a scam, the only thing involved is having someone from the FSDO watch you fly from his car for half an hour.
 
You know, I've never really understood why tailwheel time makes any difference. Tailwheel landings are what really matter.

You could have 100 hours tailwheel time and only do 20 landings.
True, you could. But most people will have many more landings than that in their first 100 hours of tailwheel flying. The bottom line is more hours equals more experience. Period.

For what it is worth, I had 2.6 hours tailwheel time before I started towing with the Pawnee...
But you do realize that you're the exception not the rule, right? There are very good reasons that insurance companies want to see the tailwheel mins that they do. It takes most people 10 hours to be safe. It takes them about 30 or so more to get really proficient and be able to keep the plane on the runway in conditions that are just a little beyond what they think they can handle. IOW, of the people who bend wings in tailwheel birds, most of them will do it in their first 50 hours.
 
Yea not sure. Insurance wanted me to have 100 hours of tailwheel to tow in pawnee but they have agree to 50 hours now.
 
Cool, do you know the minimums to get hired. Would I stand a chance with a fresh commercial and 50 hours tailwheel?

50 hours and wet ink on your ticket used to be enough to get a banner gig most places. But with the industry being what it is these days, I think 400-600 total is probably competitive at most of the places that are worth working for. There are a few companies out there who will probably still hire a guy with 10 hours of tailwheel and wet ink on their ticket. But they'll charge you training and they'll put you in some of the most un-airworthy and/or illegal crap that you'll ever see. In fact most of those companies will only hire guys with wet ink on their ticket and won't hire anyone who has over 500 hours and/or has worked for any other company. That's because they know guys with more time and experience will quit after a week because they know that they don't have to put up being treated like crap and being forces to fly death traps. That alone should tell you why you don't want to work there.

I well understand (and remember) what its like to be in that catch-22 area of needing job to get experience and needing experience to get a job. So I know how tempting it is to go to the one guy who will hire you even though everyone who has worked in the industry is telling you to stay away. Still, stay away from them if you can at all find a way to do it. It ain't easy to do, but do whatever you can to find a way. You'll be much better off in the long run if you do.
 
50 hours and wet ink on your ticket used to be enough to get a banner gig most places. But with the industry being what it is these days, I think 400-600 total is probably competitive at most of the places that are worth working for. There are a few companies out there who will probably still hire a guy with 10 hours of tailwheel and wet ink on their ticket. But they'll charge you training and they'll put you in some of the most un-airworthy and/or illegal crap that you'll ever see. In fact most of those companies will only hire guys with wet ink on their ticket and won't hire anyone who has over 500 hours and/or has worked for any other company. That's because they know guys with more time and experience will quit after a week because they know that they don't have to put up being treated like crap and being forces to fly death traps. That alone should tell you why you don't want to work there.

I well understand (and remember) what its like to be in that catch-22 area of needing job to get experience and needing experience to get a job. So I know how tempting it is to go to the one guy who will hire you even though everyone who has worked in the industry is telling you to stay away. Still, stay away from them if you can at all find a way to do it. It ain't easy to do, but do whatever you can to find a way. You'll be much better off in the long run if you do.

Cool, thanks for the info. I'm still doing my CFI's after I get my CPL. I just want to do banner towing for the extra money and experience.
 
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