Private Pilots are allowed to be paid to tow gliders!

Inverted25

Inverted25

Well-Known Member
Private pilots will like this. A new FAA LOI says that private pilots can be compensated to tow gliders.

One of the challenges facing many soaring clubs and commercial operators in recent years has been the difficulty in finding qualified tow pilots. Until very recently, most of the soaring community was under the impression that a glider tow pilot was required to hold a Commercial level certificate with their Single Engine Land (SEL) power rating unless he or she was towing without compensation or other financial benefit. As a result, the decline in the number of Commercial tow pilots has posed difficulties for many soaring operations and, in particular, for many soaring contests.

SSA is pleased to report that this situation has now changed. SSA recently obtained a legal opinion from the FAA office of Chief Counsel stating that pilots who carry only a Private, Single Engine Land (SEL), pilot's certificate may tow gliders or ultralights for compensation or hire. On the basis of this FAA legal opinion, we have now obtained a modification of our SSA group insurance program that provides insurance coverage for glider tows by tow pilots with only a Private pilot certificate where the soaring operation and the tow pilots meet certain qualifications. To view the full document and the FAA opinion, please visit our homepage. You may access the website by clicking here. SSA Homepage
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90% of the time, a PSEL pilot towing gliders will also be an experianced glider pilot himself.
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Very true. Trust me if your flying gliders, you want a glider pilot flying the tow plane. You can usually tell if your tow pilot is a glider pilot himself. The good tow pilots will find a good thermal and thermal with you on tow if they trust your skills. Now thats fun!
 
I imagine there will be a minimum hour requirement. Similar to how a private pilot needs 200 hrs in order to demonstrate their aircraft to a prospective buyer.
 
OldTownPilot said:
I know of at least one that has done it in the past.

Based on that, its just a way to cheapen costs for tour operators. I don't like this one bit.
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Well....Like they say, you get what you pay for. I was a god awful pilot at 60 hours, still marginal at best at 210 TT :crazy:
 
Yeah, this is nuts. Don't take passengers or you'll have to pay the pro rata share of the operating expenses of the flight... Which you're being compensated for... Huh? :crazy:
 
A150K said:
Well....Like they say, you get what you pay for. I was a god awful pilot at 60 hours, still marginal at best at 210 TT :crazy:
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Heh, I'm still a god awful pilot at 3400hrs, it doesn't get any better, you just get more scared.
 
I imagine there will be a minimum hour requirement. Similar to how a private pilot needs 200 hrs in order to demonstrate their aircraft to a prospective buyer.
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Theres always been minimums

61.69 Glider and unpowered ultralight towing experience requirements​
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(a) No person may act as pilot in command for towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle unless that person—
(1) Holds a private, commercial or airline transport pilot certificate with a category rating for powered aircraft;
(2) Has logged at least 100 hours of pilot-in-command time in the aircraft category, class and type, if required, that the pilot is using to tow a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle;
(3) Has a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who certifies that the person has received ground and flight training in gliders or unpowered ultralight vehicles and is proficient in—
(i) The techniques and procedures essential to the safe towing of gliders or unpowered ultralight vehicles, including airspeed limitations;
(ii) Emergency procedures;
(iii) Signals used; and
(iv) Maximum angles of bank.
(4) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, has logged at least three flights as the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft while towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle, or has simulated towing flight procedures in an aircraft while accompanied by a pilot who meets the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.
(5) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, has received a logbook endorsement from the pilot, described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, certifying that the person has accomplished at least 3 flights in an aircraft while towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle, or while simulating towing flight procedures; and
(6) Within 24 calendar months before the flight has—
(i) Made at least three actual or simulated tows of a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle while accompanied by a qualified pilot who meets the requirements of this section; or
(ii) Made at least three flights as pilot in command of a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle towed by an aircraft.
(b) Any person who, before May 17, 1967, has made and logged 10 or more flights as pilot in command of an aircraft towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle in accordance with a certificate of waiver need not comply with paragraphs (a)(4) and (a)(5) of this section.
(c) The pilot, described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, who endorses the logbook of a person seeking towing privileges must have—
(1) Met the requirements of this section prior to endorsing the logbook of the person seeking towing privileges; and
(2) Logged at least 10 flights as pilot in command of an aircraft while towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle.
(d) If the pilot described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section holds only a private pilot certificate, then that pilot must have—
(1) Logged at least 100 hours of pilot-in-command time in airplanes, or 200 hours of pilot-in-command time in a combination of powered and other-than-powered aircraft; and
(2) Performed and logged at least three flights within the 12 calendar months preceding the month that pilot accompanies or endorses the logbook of a person seeking towing privileges—
(i) In an aircraft while towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle accompanied by another pilot who meets the requirements of this section; or
(ii) As pilot in command of a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle being towed by another aircraft.
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I'm indifferent.
Even though the FAA says a 60hr guy can tow gliders, does not mean the insurance company sees it the same way.
 
At out glider club our tow pilots are all glider pilots with 1000+ hours - one has 10,000 hours. I certainly would not want a rookie towing me.
 
Our outfit can not insure anyone with less than 100 hours tail-wheel time, so unless a person gets their ppl in a citabria (which would be major cool points) this doesn't really mean much. There are some operators that use 182's to tow with, so this might help them out some...
 
Even though the FAA says a 60hr guy can tow gliders, does not mean the insurance company sees it the same way.
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First off if you read the requirements I posted from the FARS it says you need 100 hours of PIC time. So there wont be any 60 hr guys towing.

Our outfit can not insure anyone with less than 100 hours tail-wheel time, so unless a person gets their ppl in a citabria (which would be major cool points) this doesn't really mean much. There are some operators that use 182's to tow with, so this might help them out some...​
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If you use Costello that rule went out the door in January. Costello took off the tail wheel requirement at the begging of this year when they changed underwriters. Clubs can now add any pilot that they feel can safetly tow regardless of total time and tail wheel time. Call Pat Costello for more details if your clubs tow plane is insured by Costello. Most clubs have now changed to 25 hours of tail wheel time to open the door to more tow pilots.

I am not sure who is hurting for tow pilots though. Our club is similar to DV8Pilots club where we have plenty of tow pilots who all have over 1000 hours of flight time. All but one of them is a active glider pilot as well. In fact most of our tow pilots besides me fly for a living.
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Inverted25 said:
If you use Costello that rule went out the door in January. Costello took off the tail wheel requirement at the begging of this year when they changed underwriters. Clubs can now add any pilot that they feel can safetly tow regardless of total time and tail wheel time. Call Pat Costello for more details if your clubs tow plane is insured by Costello. Most clubs have now changed to 25 hours of tail wheel time to open the door to more tow pilots.

I am not sure who is hurting for tow pilots though. Our club is similar to DV8Pilots club where we have plenty of tow pilots who all have over 1000 hours of flight time. All but one of them is a active glider pilot as well. In fact most of our tow pilots besides me fly for a living.
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The commercial outfit where I fly out of (SkySailing.com) is pretty solid on the tail-wheel time (100 hrs min)... we tend to bend less metal that way.
 
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