Commercial Rating for Towing Gliders not needed? in US

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