Towing gliders

[ozone]

I have about 160 hours in, mostly, powered SEL. I have a brand new tailwheel endorsement as of december 2014. My glider club needs more tow pilots, and I want to fly for free. I have flown almost all my tailwheel in a a cessna 120 and a few hours in a PA-12. The club uses a PA-18. When I try to read the FAR section 61.69a(2), I am confused by the language right after "category, class and type" where there's a comma and "if required, ....

Do I qualify or not? As I read it, it sounds like I need 100 hours in a PA-18 "if required"....required by who? The club or the FAA?

The head instructor advised me that he would be willing to take me up, run me through PA-18 operations and then have me tow with him being present for a few times before cutting me loose to tow solo. My gut tells me that I should do dual flights with several of the other tow pilots first (they are almost all retired military or commercial pilots).

What can I legally do here? As a conservative physician, I will still follow common sense and try to get a bunch of dual before I solo, but i need to know if I have to spend a bunch of time in a PA-18 before i can tow legally.

 

[Claskers]

They "type" they are referring to is if a Type rating is required for the airplane that is used for towing.

I had 100 ASEL PIC in Cubs, Citabrias, 150s, 172, etc. Then I did the actual tows prescribed in 61.69(6)(i) to satisfy the regs (I was an active Glider pilot at the time) so I met all the other requirements already. So that satisfied all the FARs for me.

Then I did 5 "supervised tows" for the club, then was turned loose to tow solo.

 

[Claskers]

This was a thread started a few days ago with some good info as far as actual operations.

http://forums.jetcareers.com/index.php?threads/216919/

 

[bkey79]

My glider club needs more tow pilots, and I want to fly for free.

Sorry, couldn't make it past that statement... If these guys need more tow pilots, MAKE THEM HIRE. People don't get into commercial aviation to not make a living...

 

[ozone]

[QUOTE="bkey79, post: 2425887, member: 22058"

Sorry, couldn't make it past that statement... If these guys need more tow pilots, MAKE THEM HIRE. People don't get into commercial aviation to not make a living...[/QUOTE]
All tow pilots in the club are also club members and active glider pilots. We have had a few people drop out of towing this season because of time commitments elsewhere. The club operates on a lean budget and we focus on maintaining proficiency, safety and maintenance of equipment. Also, all instructors in our club teach for free and are active members as well as very active glider pilots. Therefore, we are not really a commercial operation. The commercial operation, with paid tow pilots, is about 20 miles southwest....and they stay busy 7 days a week, from 9am-8pm, from now until the snow flies.

 

[Claskers]

Sorry, couldn't make it past that statement... If these guys need more tow pilots, MAKE THEM HIRE. People don't get into commercial aviation to not make a living...

I don't want to turn this into a industry detriment discussion.

However, a lot of glider clubs in the US operate as "private" requiring membership. In turn it is up to the pupils to run and maintain the equipment and grounds (read: volunteer). This results in lower flying costs.

This is how my club operated. We had airline guys that towed for us, for free (as we all did).

 

[hammerhat]

Make sure they have a legit insurance policy. Your personal AOPA/Avemco non-owners policy does not cover glider tows. IIRC Costello, the underwriter most glider clubs use through SSA used to require 500 tt minimum and smth like 50-100 tailwheel.

 

[bkey79]

All tow pilots in the club are also club members and active glider pilots. We have had a few people drop out of towing this season because of time commitments elsewhere. The club operates on a lean budget and we focus on maintaining proficiency, safety and maintenance of equipment. Also, all instructors in our club teach for free and are active members as well as very active glider pilots. Therefore, we are not really a commercial operation. The commercial operation, with paid tow pilots, is about 20 miles southwest....and they stay busy 7 days a week, from 9am-8pm, from now until the snow flies.

I don't want to turn this into a industry detriment discussion.

However, a lot of glider clubs in the US operate as "private" requiring membership. In turn it is up to the pupils to run and maintain the equipment and grounds (read: volunteer). This results in lower flying costs.

This is how my club operated. We had airline guys that towed for us, for free (as we all did).

Sorry guys, guess I'm not in the full knowledge of how glider tow pilots are compensated. I've just come across too many brand new commercial pilots that are willing to ferry or haul stuff for free. Not that it affects my livelihood in anyway, just burns something inside the wrong way to hear "I'll do it for free!"

 

[Claskers]

Sorry guys, guess I'm not in the full knowledge of how glider tow pilots are compensated. I've just come across too many brand new commercial pilots that are willing to ferry or haul stuff for free. Not that it affects my livelihood in anyway, just burns something inside the wrong way to hear "I'll do it for free!"

You have a valid point. If its a commercial operator that operates for hire, seems reasonable to prefer them to hire a guy.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Make sure they have a legit insurance policy. Your personal AOPA/Avemco non-owners policy does not cover glider tows. IIRC Costello, the underwriter most glider clubs use through SSA used to require 500 tt minimum and smth like 50-100 tailwheel.

I think that is just what the require to tow without being named on the policy. You do need 200TT. I was added to a policy with 200TT/3TW and a comm glider cert, after a thorough checkout.