Need Help with Towplane Insurance!

[[email protected]]

Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!

I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?

Thanks!
Bruno - B4

[Bill T]

If Costello knows of none. I'd be willing to bet there is none.
If there were, I would expect a restriction that both operations can not occur on the same flight.
BillT

[Bob T]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 10:30:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
>
> I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?
>
> Thanks!
> Bruno - B4


Have you tried LL Johns?

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 8:35:07 PM UTC-7, Bob T wrote:
> On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 10:30:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> > Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
> >
> > I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Bruno - B4
>
>
> Have you tried LL Johns?

Thanks Bill. Yes, I tried them too. Both said that you can not get dual insurance policies, one for the skydiving operations and one for the tow ops. Frustrating. We will keep digging and thinking of possible solutions.

Bruno - B4

[SoaringXCellence]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 9:19:30 PM UTC-8, wrote:
> On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 8:35:07 PM UTC-7, Bob T wrote:
> > On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 10:30:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> > > Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
> > >
> > > I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > > Bruno - B4
> >
> >
> > Have you tried LL Johns?
>
> Thanks Bill. Yes, I tried them too. Both said that you can not get dual insurance policies, one for the skydiving operations and one for the tow ops.. Frustrating. We will keep digging and thinking of possible solutions.
>
> Bruno - B4

Hey Bruno, maybe it's time to pony-up for a tow=plane!

[[email protected]]

Thanks for offering! When can you purchase one and have it delivered to us? Please also provide a few tow pilots. Thanks!!! ;)

Bruno - B4

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 12:30:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
>
> I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?
>
> Thanks!
> Bruno - B4

At $350 per for 80 pilots and $60 per tow I'd say you guys are making enough for a new Turbo AG Cat
Glen

[[email protected]]

Right Glen, only we need five planes to make 80 tows per day.

SF

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 12:30:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
>
> I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?

Oh, you can use the Logan camp money to have a full time ATP pilot on staff to fly the Ag Cat "turbo"

>
> Thanks!
> Bruno - B4

[Dan Marotta]

Have you thought of a winch? Higher up front cost but waaaaaaay lower
operating expenses and tow costs.

On 3/3/2015 10:19 PM, wrote:
> On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 8:35:07 PM UTC-7, Bob T wrote:
>> On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 10:30:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
>>> Long story short, our current tow plane solution is with a jump operation where we take tows in between their doing skydives. The jump operator apparently did not check on insurance last year when he agreed to do this for us and he just went ahead and starting towing us. He has now checked for this year and can't find any insurance provider who will insure a plane who will both take jumpers and tow gliders. Yikes!
>>>
>>> I called Costello and they were very sympathetic but they said that they are not aware of anyone who would either insure both activities or make it possible for you to get two policies, one for the jumps and one for the tows. Before we have to go start looking for our own tow plane (groan!) is anyone aware of an operation that does both and found insurance somewhere?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> Bruno - B4
>>
>> Have you tried LL Johns?
> Thanks Bill. Yes, I tried them too. Both said that you can not get dual insurance policies, one for the skydiving operations and one for the tow ops. Frustrating. We will keep digging and thinking of possible solutions.
>
> Bruno - B4

--
Dan Marotta

[[email protected]]

I might not have been clear at the beginning. Our camps that we are doing have all the tow planes (6 for Nephi and 4 for Logan) and pilots already worked out. We are great there. This search is for the rest of the year for when we want to fly Nephi and all of you want to come outside of a camp week and come fly with us. :)

With Parowan having quieted down glider operations over the last 5 years, and I am not sure of the future plans in Ely - I've heard some tow planes are for sale, Nephi can and will become a prime destination for many who want to come visit with their gliders and come soar Utah and the Great Basin. We just need to get you all up in the air.

We are very interested in winching and are planning on doing winching in Nephi very heavily some day. We need critical mass though. We are planning on having 5 gliders (4 private ships and one club ship) based there for the 2015 season. We just don't have critical mass yet of local pilots to effectively do a winch operation. In 2-3 years, we should have 20+ private ships based there and we will be to the point where the local pilot numbers can support a winch. It is in the plan!

Thanks,
Bruno - B4

[Tom Kelley #711]

On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 12:13:27 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> I might not have been clear at the beginning. Our camps that we are doing have all the tow planes (6 for Nephi and 4 for Logan) and pilots already worked out. We are great there. This search is for the rest of the year for when we want to fly Nephi and all of you want to come outside of a camp week and come fly with us. :)
>
> With Parowan having quieted down glider operations over the last 5 years, and I am not sure of the future plans in Ely - I've heard some tow planes are for sale, Nephi can and will become a prime destination for many who want to come visit with their gliders and come soar Utah and the Great Basin. We just need to get you all up in the air.
>
> Thanks,
> Bruno - B4

Just spoke with James at the Ely Jet Center. 3-04-2915 12:15 pm MST.

They plan on a normal operation for the summer of 2015. They will have 2 tow planes/2 tow pilots available for a 7 day/week summer operation.

Hint..., he said "jokingly", if someone came along and offered him US $70K for a tow plane, consideration would be given. Deal might even include a years insurance!!

Best. #711.

[John[_36_]]

Winch..Winch..Winch..Winch..Winch..Winch! I have an unfulfilled dream of a Aircraft Carrier Catapult launch which is almost equivalent to my dream of a $15 tow. Cheap tows would help with the wife negotiations as a tow cost is pushing above a round of golf. If a tow fee and the cost of fast food dinner were closer, I would have a slam dunk cheap hobby argument, not factoring all the ancillary costs of course which are lost with my fuzzy accounting. Now if only the glider God's would drop a new Roman's winch out of the clouds carried by thermal and wave lift from his factory in California to Nephi Utah, we would be in business. I guess it is the classic chicken and egg problem.

John Ackerson
DG-303 Acro with CG hook ready and waiting!