On Nov 12, 4:48*pm, 150flivver wrote:
On Nov 12, 5:19*pm, Andy wrote:



On Nov 12, 3:59*pm, Grider Pirate wrote:

Wow. *So let me get this straight. Logging flight time IS considered
by the FAA as a form of compensation? Please tell me I got that wrong..

That was the FAA position for a long time and I have not heard that it
has changed. *Years ago *SSA negotiated the waiver for private pilots
to tow for SSA affiliated clubs using a private cert. *At one phase in
the negotiations FAA said ok but the private pilots cannot log the
time as that was compensation requiring a commercial cert. When FAA
was asked how pilots would prove currency they changed their position
to being that such pilots could log the time but that it could not be
used to qualify for any additional rating. *That would have required
private pilots to keep track of towing time separately from other
logged time.

I got a restricted commercial cert so I could tow without dealing with
the stupidity of it all.

Andy

The Chief Counsel's letter (excerpts quoted below) clearly states that
a qualified private pilot can legally accept compensation for towing
gliders. * The preamble to that final rule states, "The FAA is
revising § 61.113(g) to allow a private pilot to act as pilot in
command while towing an unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation
or hire."

The compensation can be flight time, money, or both as the FAA does
not break out compensation into different types of compensation. *"The
text of § 61.113(g) does not limit the compensation that a private
pilot may receive to only the logging of PIC flight time despite a
suggestion to that effect by the Soaring Society of America in a
comment to the 1995 NPRM."

Not sure of the point of your reply. You do not contest the
conclusion that FAA regards earning flight time as "compensation" and
that was the OP's question.

The question you answer is whether that compensation is currently
allowed for a private rated tow pilot, and clearly it is.

Andy