Glider Towing

[nick14]

Hi all,

Been searching for a while to try and find some info on flying a tug a/c and cnt seem to find anything, must be my tired brain playing up.:confused:

CPL SE and ME IR with 211 hours 91 PIC/PICUs.

can I tug with that?not realy worried about money just free flying would be great.

Nick

[Nibbler]

Here is the BGA guide for tug pilots detailing the requirements you wanted.

In my experience gliding clubs usually require the tug pilot is also a least a Silver C glider pilot - for obvious reason.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/clubmanagement/documents/aerotownotes.pdf


Hope this helps

[MIKECR]

Nick,

If you check the British Gliding Assosciation website then you will find a map with all the UK clubs. Find out where your nearest is and started making some phonecalls. As far as the legalities go, a PPL is all thats required. Respective clubs however will lay down the their own minimum requirements, which usually entails some sort of gliding experience. Normally a Bronze or Silver C gliding badge will suffice but there are clubs around who will happily accept people without any gliding experience whatsoever. At our club we have roughly 10 tuggies on the rota, only half have any gliding background. As far as tug a/c are concerened, the most common are Pawnee, Super Cub, Chippie, Robin 400 and Rallye. Any time in those aircraft will be a plus.

Good luck! Gliding is very much a 'club' past time. You have to muck in and be part of the team.

Mike

p.s. a slight aside, theres also the British Parachute Assosciation you may wish to look at, assuming your looking to build hours.

[nick14]

I did 40 launches with the CGS at RAF Syerston and went solo.

Unfortunatly I dont yet have a tail wheel rating, been meaning to get one for ages.

I contacted the BPA and they want 700 hours and a SE turbine rating, They dont want anyone who is looking to join the airlines.

Im not looking to hour build, I just want to stay current without spending too much. Selling my sould to the local club tower only gives me 15 min for 1/2 days work.

Nick

[MIKECR]

I wouldnt worry too much about the 700 hours and turbine time, never heard of that one before. My 2 local para clubs quite happily take low hour(less than 250) PPL holders.

[athonite]

alternatively, there is banner towing if your really brave!

[cats_five]

Yes, flying a tug to stay current sounds nice doesn't it? Except you will have to fly it often enough to stay current at doing that, and depending on the club they might want to put you on a rota. I imagine you would be asked to join the club as well, for a variety of reasons including insurance. So, it isn't free flying.

You have the information on the BGA website (all 57 pages of it!), if you are still interested your next move in my view is to go to your nearest club and start talking.

[nick14]

which two para clubs would they be MIKE?

thanks
Nick

[MIKECR]

sent you a pm with some info and links

[Red Top Comanche]

MIKE

Would you let me have the info, I am looking as well.

Thanks

[Genghis the Engineer]

Hi all,

Been searching for a while to try and find some info on flying a tug a/c and cnt seem to find anything, must be my tired brain playing up.:confused:

CPL SE and ME IR with 211 hours 91 PIC/PICUs.

can I tug with that?not realy worried about money just free flying would be great.

Nick

I hate to say it but whilst legally you certainly can glider tow with that, almost certainly any gliding club chief pilot is going to look at that and tell you to go and learn to fly. From their perspective, old fashioned "stick and rudder" flying in gliders, taildraggers, etc. carries much more weight - they're highly likely to regard the Multi and IR as non-experience since it's of little relevance to their sort of flying. Only double figures PiC won't help either.

On the other hand, you've soloed a glider, and that will carry a lot more weight than your commercial training.

My suggestion would be that you join your local gliding club (assuming they aero-tow), fly with them for 6-12 months as a glider pilot, build up some experience and credibility, and then approach the Chief Pilot about doing some towing. If you've come across as a sensible and competent glider pilot then the odds are that at that point you'll get a fair hearing and a good chance of flying.

G

[powerless]

I notice you are in Leicester so suggest you visit The Gliding Centre at Husbands Bosworth (The Gliding Centre - Home (http://www.theglidingcentre.co.uk)) and have a talk the tug master. This mornings weather was certainly hard work for the tug pilots and glider pilots but still great fun!

[Nibbler]

I know, 57 pages is quite a bit ;)