On Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 10:41:41 AM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
I'd suggest you sell the Pawnee and buy a nice clean 182.
In my soaring operation in west Texas I've used Cessna 182's for decades. I grew up towing with Cubs in Miami but I'm instructing in the sailplane most of the time so I wanted towplanes that most any proficient pilot could fly. (Even so, not all qualify when attempting my towpilot initial and recurrent endorsements.) The tricycle gear 1958 or 1959 "square tail" C-182 handles crosswinds and dust devils better than a tailwheel towplane for the obvious reasons and tows very well at our high elevation at Marfa (5,000' msl plus density altitude.) No cooling issues. My west Texas "winter towplane" is a tricycle gear Cessna 150 with a 180 HP Lycoming engine. Not your momma's 150 and fun to fly!
Towing is not for everybody. It can be dangerous flying mostly due to inattention of the sailplane pilot behind you, occasionally flying too high and kiting on tow. Ask me how I know.
While I'm at it . . . Diving the towplane after release is quite dangerous especially to sailplanes below release altitude. Lost a good friend in 1980 who was hit in his ASW-20 by a towplane diving down from above. Cut his elevator off with the towrope. Towpilot didn't see him against the ground clutter and was diving so fast he could not turn at the last moment. (It's a vector thing.) What's the rush, anyway? Are we flying the US Mail or on a military mission?
Most of the towplanes I launch behind in Europe are tricycle gear Robins & Rallyes.
"The Towpilot Manual" is concise booklet on towing available at
www.bobwander.com
Inexpensive and now in the 7th printing.
Also refer to the 24 month re-currency requirements of FAR 61.69. Read it carefully!
Bless the towpilots. I feed, water and pay mine very well so they fly "my way." No rushing to tow, no fast taxiing, no diving. Safe and fun.