God I wish everyone was a towpilot

hey chris, get your tailwheel endorsement finished yet?
 
tonycondon said:
and didnt have to work. Soaring in Iowa is looking AMAZING tomorrow. Most of our towpilots have frickin jobs. Im praying that the one guy who does IT tech support can get out for one tow. Im hoping to do my 5 hour duration leg of the silver badge, and will likely get silver altitude (1000 meter altitude gain). could be incredible.
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Now you've got me curious -- what is the demand for towplane pilots? And what rating is required? Do you need a commercial?

Just asking since I've got my IFR rating and tailwheel endorsement (in a Citabria), and would love to find a legal way of having someone pay for some of or all of my flying, even if it was towing others... :-)

Chris
 
towing gliders is one of the few kinds of flying that a private pilot can do for compensation. you will need to fly with a current and qualified towpilot to receive a towpilot endorsement.

As far as training requirements the basics are spelled out in Part 61. I'd recommend you buy Burt Compton's Towpilot Manual, available at www.bobwander.com if you are serious about getting into towing. It is a fun way to get some flight time, but not without its risks.
 
tonycondon said:
It is a fun way to get some flight time, but not without its risks.
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One of my first "pilot friends who died in an aircraft accident" was killed while flying a towplane when he collided with a sailplane on final.
 
tonycondon said:
i prove it with a barograph, which is basically a pen connected to an altimeter that draws on a rotating drum with a piece of paper on it. this proves continutity of flight. i "notch" it after tow release to show that I am no longer on tow. then the time is measured from that point.

i havent gotten to do any soaring with GPS. Many many many glider pilots use SeeYou and other similar programs though.
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Two years ago we were the only club in the country to submit a badge claim using a barograph and turn point camera. The newest FIA rules will eliminate barogrpahs and turn point cameras. Will have to be with an approved GPS data logger soon. Maybe now. Check with the Badge Lady.

Yes.. continous obersvation for duration can be done. We did that here this summer.
 
gismo said:
One of my first "pilot friends who died in an aircraft accident" was killed while flying a towplane when he collided with a sailplane on final.
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So being a tow pilot had nothing to do with the accident as the glider was no longer on tow. It could have happened any time.

Most tow pilots have control problems when the glider on the other end of the rope looses control. That can kill tow pilots, especially with the Schweizer hook.:yikes:
 
tonycondon said:
hey chris, get your tailwheel endorsement finished yet?
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Wow.. Dredging up OLD stuff to add to my list of stuff I haven't finished yet. Thanks! ;) :D

And no, I haven't finished my TW endorsement yet. :( And I haven't finished my Comm, and obviously I haven't done my CFI, and I haven't done multi, and... and... and...

Such is life... and then you die.
 
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