Vaughn:

I agree that tow pilots must have a much higher degree of
competency and experience and 61.69 established the higher
standards for knowledge, experience and training that the
FAA thought necessary for glider towing.

The FAA thought it important that tow pilots know about
speeds, safety matters , and signals etc, that are pertinent
to glider operations, none of which subjects are covered in
the training for commercial pilots. That's one of the
primary reasons that a tow pilot must get ground and flight
training by a CFIG and make at least three tows while
accompanied by a tow "qualified" pilot.

The FAA's assumption is that certificated pilots can fly
airplanes but don't know much about glider ops without
additional training. Hence it requires the the training and
experience that is unique to gliders towing ops. Have you
ever been towed by a thoroughly competent commercial pilot
who strictly maintains the runway heading in a stiff
crosswind instead of drifting downwind (when field
conditions permit) because he is unaware of the
complications for a glider in the event of a low rope break
? Or been dragged down wind too far because the pilot is not
as sensitive to those conditions as we glider pilots?

The FAA further requires a unique towing currency provision
for tow pilots. A tow pilot towing every day for a year must
make at least three flights while accompanied by "qualified"
tow pilot or make three flights as PIC in a glider to remain
current for the coming year. Flying commercially every day
as a charter pilot or shooting instrument approaches does
not solve the legal or practical requirements of maintaining
tow pilot currency.

All of these requirements reflect the fact that the FAA
appropriately recognized that towing required a unique set
of skills and experience.



Vaughn wrote:
"Pete Brown" wrote in message ...

Safety was not the issue.


Huh? Commercial pilots are tested to a higher standard and must have more
flight hours to even qualify to be tested. I agree that pilot competency is a
very individual thing, but having passed the requirements for the Commercial
does establish a certain minimum.

Vaughn



--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/