Commercial Rating for Towing Gliders not needed? in US

On Oct 31, 1:58*pm, chris wrote:
Some of the recent contests I've attended in the US had trouble
getting tow pilots and enough towplanes. *One issue was the
controversial issue of do towpilots need commercial ratings to tow at
a contest.

I did just read an article that I wanted to share. I'm a bit behind on
my reading but the Feb 2010 issue of AOPA Pilot had a relevant
article. *Page 42, Pilot Counsel, by John S. Yodice, AOPA general
counsel. *"Complex private priviledges".
It discusses FAR 61.113.
"...the general part of the rule, a private pilot may not act as pilot
in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for
compensation or hire"...

The six exceptions to the rule are 1) a flight incidental to a
business or employment; 2) a shared expense flight; 3) a charitable
flight; 4) search and location operations; 5) sales demonstration; and
6) glider and ultralight towing.

So does that last bit mean we can have contest towpilots using their
private ticket?
I don't know how this issues was resolved otherwise but thought this
exception might have been overlooked by some contest organizers.

Also I don't know what the insurance companies require.

Chris

I specifically got my commercial single engine land so that I could
fly for free towing gliders for a commercial operator in the
operator's tow plane. No compensation to me. Later at our club
operation a couple of tow pilots were only private-rated even though
the club was charging members and guests for tows. Seems clear that a
friend towing up their buddy at no charge or gas only, such as as two
residents at a private strip not offering service to the public, could
be private rated. Seems to me that if a tow pilot is getting any
compensation for towing in their own aircraft or someone else's beyond
pro-rata gas money it is a commercial flight. That is my opinion based
on all the restrictive rulings I have seen on sharing expenses on
power flights and that even consider free use of an airplane to build
time as compensation. Private-rated pilots have been towing gliders
for a long time, but if there is an accident the private-rated tow
pilot may be in trouble. Not sure anybody really wants a definitive
FAA ruling. In my opinion, getting a commercial rating is not really
too hard if you are serious about doing tows.

Stuart

On Nov 1, 12:49*pm, "rec.aviation.soaring"
wrote:
Seems to me that if a tow pilot is getting any
compensation for towing in their own aircraft or someone else's beyond
pro-rata gas money it is a commercial flight. That is my opinion based
on all the restrictive rulings I have seen on sharing expenses on
power flights and that even consider free use of an airplane to build
time as compensation.

Stuart,
What you wrote seems to be in accordance to the GENERAL part of the
rule but seems to completely ignore the freedom allowed by the
specific exception for glider towing. I have a sense that a lot of
people are overlooking the possibilities that the exception allows.
Chris

On Nov 1, 7:35*pm, chris wrote:
On Nov 1, 12:49*pm, "rec.aviation.soaring"
wrote:

Seems to me that if a tow pilot is getting any
compensation for towing in their own aircraft or someone else's beyond
pro-rata gas money it is a commercial flight. That is my opinion based
on all the restrictive rulings I have seen on sharing expenses on
power flights and that even consider free use of an airplane to build
time as compensation.

Stuart,
What you wrote seems to be in accordance to the GENERAL part of the
rule but seems to completely ignore the freedom allowed by the
specific exception for glider towing. *I have a sense that a lot of
people are overlooking the possibilities that the exception allows.
Chris

I got my commercial rating about 11 years ago. I just looked at the
old rules versus the current regulations and I am now convinced that
the FAA DOES allow private-rated pilots to tow gliders and ultralights
for compensation. Insurance is a separate matter. Even though I am
commercial-rated I am not covered by my standard aircraft insurance if
I tow gliders in my Cessna 180.

Stuart