Advice

[Mal S]

Hi Everyone,

I am 47 and have just completed my JAA PPL well converted it from a Cypriot licence. I have approx 120 hours and hope to do my IMC next year and maybe a tail wheel conversion after that.

I enjoy flying but don't want to fly for a career (bit late anyway), however I really would like to do some regular free flying that does not require a CPL. I have been told that I can tow gliders and drop those "mad jumpers" and claim expences without a CPL, is this true? and can any one advise me on the best path towards this sort of flying? I stress I am not hour builder I just love flying and if some one else is prepard to pay for the fuel, well....

Many thanks

Mal

[julian_storey]

It is absolutely true that you can drop skydivers and tow gliders with a PPL to get free flying!

I've dropped lots of skydivers. Initially it was unpaid on a PPL although I eventually got a CPL, moved onto bigger aircraft and then got paid for it.

Dropping jumpers is GREAT fun, is a fantastic way of keeping current, does wonders for your aircraft handling skills and in my case was a fun way of getting enough hours to get a flying job.

To drop jumpers in the UK you will need to get a British Parachute Association Jump Pilot's ticket. You can find out how to go about getting qualified by reading Section 9 of the BPA Ops Manual available here (http://www.bpa.org.uk/opman.htm).

There will be someone on here who can advise you on how to get involved in towing gliders - I've never done that :)

The one thing that I would say is that you mention 'expenses' in your post and if you've only got a PPL, expenses are very dodgy ground. When I was dropping jumpers on a PPL, most places I flew at picked up my food tab at the drop zone canteen on the days that I flew there. Although on a busy, eight hour, flying day I could sometimes eat almost my own body weight in toasted sandwiches (it's hungry work! :) ) - no money ever changed hands and I would advise very strongly that it shouldn't.

[Saab Dastard]

If you search the Private Flying forum for "glider tugging" within the last month you will find this recent thread:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=283455&highlight=glider+tugging

Lots of pertinent information there.

Further searching both extending the time frame and substituting "parachuting" will probably find more threads. It is a topic that comes around quite frequently.

SD

[sternone]

It is a topic that comes around quite frequently.



I just hope they have enough jumpers for all these pilots!

[Saab Dastard]

I just hope they have enough jumpers for all these pilots!

There aren't - that's why the responses are invariably negative, sadly.

SD