Mirror installation required?

Our Pawnees have 2 large (5 x 7 in?) truck mirrors mounted inside on either side of the cockpit (above the instruments on the curved "crash pad"). Mounted using RAM ball mounts - no vibration and you can see everything the glider is doing back there. Field of view is through the aft quarter panels and door windows.

We also have a small car mirror mounted externally as part of the Tost internal tow reel system that shows the tow rope so you can watch it retract.

No mirrors, no tow, IMO...

Kirk
St Louis Soaring Assn.

Our Pawnees all have mirrors, I actually prefer to have one on each side. It is always good to be able to see the spoilers if they pop open on take off roll.....among other things. Would not tow without mirrors.

Walt
Seminole Lake

On Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 10:28:49 AM UTC-7, wrote:
I was recently towed by a tow plane that had no mirror installed.
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Can anyone point me to a FAR or Advisory Circular that specifies a mirror is required? I just am curious if its a smart practice or an actual requirement for towing. I'm sure this has been covered before but the proof escapes my research.

Thanks
LB

No FAR requirement. Mirrors are excellent practice. What you carry or mount inside is less likely to attract ramp-inspection attention. What would be more useful is for persons to post N-numbers of airplanes that have 337s for approved installations. Then folks with no mirrors can pursue having approvals for new installations.

In actuality, you don't want to discuss N-numbers with mirrors, unless you KNOW that there is an approved installation. My supposition is that there are a LOT of mirrors out there without an FAA-blessed installation.

There are a couple CAP Alaska machines that have strut-based approved exterior mirrors. I don't recall the link. That might be used as a reference to create a local field approval for other strut equipped towplanes.

All for exterior mirrors,
Cindy B

I think mirrors on each side of the Pawnee's cowl, being closer to the pilot, give a better view than strut mount mirrors. On my Husky, I have a wide mirror inside up high so it looks back out the top skylight. It cannot see below the horizontal stab, but it's okay for the high tow position and better than nothing.

I've heard of, but not used or seen, of tow planes using a rear view camera instead of mirrors.

bumper
Minden
MKIV and QV