On Friday, February 5, 2016 at 5:33:09 AM UTC+3, wrote:
What is the cost of a tow plane and the annual maintenance and cost of employing a tow pilot with insurance? You could buy yourself a grand launching machine and have pennies to spare.

My club in New Zealand has a policy that annual subs pay for admin&clubhouse, glider fees pay for glider maintenance and replacement, and tow fees pay for towplane maintenance and replacement. I think the treasurer does a pretty conservative job on this.

Current tow fees are NZ$15 + $20/1000 ft (up to 3500 ft .. it increases above that). In US$ that's about $10 to start plus $13.33 per 1000 ft.

I think you can reasonably assume that covers the true cost of operating a Pawnee long term.

p.s. we don't pay tow pilots.