Folks
If anyone thinks getting an STC is easy or even moderately difficult you are badly mistaken. Having gone thru the attempt on two separate occasions, I can tell you unless an STC has been approved year’s previously addressing a similar application, your chances of getting an approval are next to nil! The dirty little secret is, the FAA is not interested in helping the process. In fact, they do not want to involve themselves at all. Maybe if you have a very friendly fsdo, you could possibly get a one time field approval but those are even very difficult to obtain nowadays.
Is the schweizer hook an issue? Possibly but Karl Streideck addressed the modifications suggested in a very succinct post earlier. Or switch to a tost hook and move on. We’ve been towing for decades now and once again it comes down to proper airmanship. Get the idiots be they experienced or not OUT of the cockpit or beat some sense into them. As a tow pilot, insist on a release that is easy and immediately at hand, be ready to pop it the very MOMENT someone starts a kiting action. Absolute diligence is required from both glider guy and tow pilot the first 1,000 ft of a tow.
Dan