Building Time as a Glider Tow Pilot?

[piperdriver]

You can definitely tow at a club that charges for tows with a PPL. And you can definitely log those hours towards the total time and PIC requirements of a CPL.

The club just has to be registered as a non-profit.... no profit, no “reward”.. and you can’t accept pay for flying.

I’ve known lots of pilots who have done this for time building, and Transport Canada has shown zero interest in the organization that did this. They also sell rides and lessons by basically making passengers members of the club.

Transport Canada considers these types of operations “grass roots aviation activities” and won’t treat them the same way as a chisel charter.

Agreed. It never ceases to amaze me why so many pilots have this unfounded fear of Transport Canada.

[ahramin]

The minister can (and does) tacitly approve of lots of activities that appear to contradict the regulations.

Such as?

Such as for profit glider operations giving rides to the paying public without an OC.

[Bede]

The minister can (and does) tacitly approve of lots of activities that appear to contradict the regulations.

Such as?

Such as for profit glider operations giving rides to the paying public without an OC.

There is no FTUOC available for glider operations, just like there isn't one available for ultralights. It's an intro training flight.

The wording in the CAR's consistently is "aeroplanes and helicopters" of which a glider is neither. Now, if the club took paying passengers in the tow plane, that would be a different story.

[photofly]

Agreed. It never ceases to amaze me why so many pilots have this unfounded fear of Transport Canada.

I know three people who have had enforcement action against them by TC officials. It can be a years long process, there's no sense of fairness, and when it happens to you it can leave you feeling victimized and bullied by the gub'mint.

Fear is exactly what TC wants you to feel.

[co-joe]

I explored this option when I finished my CPL and found that most glider schools had a line up of pilots to fly the tow plane, and they were all really high timers. Most were only flying the tow plane for free tows themselves. Getting one free glide for every 3 you flew yourself was fairly common, so no money changed hands. They certainly didn't look for outsiders to fly the tow plane.

The only way in is to get your glider license, and then from the inside get checked out on the Scout, or Pawnee or whatever taildragger they're using.

That said you can log some of your PIC on gliders towards the ATPL, and it will make you a better pilot.

[Bede]

Most were only flying the tow plane for free tows themselves. Getting one free glide for every 3 you flew yourself was fairly common, so no money changed hands.

Now that could get you in trouble...

[goingnowherefast]

Agreed. It never ceases to amaze me why so many pilots have this unfounded fear of Transport Canada.

I know three people who have had enforcement action against them by TC officials. It can be a years long process, there's no sense of fairness, and when it happens to you it can leave you feeling victimized and bullied by the gub'mint.

Fear is exactly what TC wants you to feel.

My next call would be to the Transportation Appeal Tribunal, and to do it within ear shot of the TC inspector. https://www.tatc.gc.ca/en/home.html

Unless you did something blately wrong. Got caught intentionally flying overweight or some other dumb shit move.