"William W. Plummer" wrote in message
news:041ac.28579$gA5.396231@attbi_s03...

"Victor" wrote in message
om...
I have a friend that is purchasing a plane and will start a business
of tow banner. He said I could fly the plane for him without been paid
, this way I can get many hours on my logbook.

Is it legal to do banner towing on a PP license without receiving
payment for it?
From what I've read, banner towing is very dangerous. There are several
operators at LWM in MA, and I remember a pilot getting killed a few years
ago while picking up a banner. It's exhausting work because you are alway
flying on the edge of a stall and need to talk to the other banner planes in
the area for coordination. When I looked into that work, they wanted at
least 500 hours.

Well, I wouldn't call it VERY dangerous, but it is more hazardous than Sunday
morning coffee runs. Unless you fly those in a 60 year old airplane at 300'
while on the edge of a stall, day in and day out :-)

I've spent a few seasons towing in Jersey, and for one, I would NOT be doing it
for free! Aside from it not being legal (see previous posts), you have the
problem of getting on his waiver. You see, once your friend get's a waiver from
the FAA saying his company can tow, every one of his pilots has to have a
checkride with the feds before they're allowed to work for him. I know of only
one person who is on a banner tow waiver with a private, and he was the owner of
said company.

And remember, in additon to flying low and slow all day, day in and day out,
pickups aren't exactly the most natural thing to get used to as well. We'd dive
at the ground at about a 30-40 degree dive (Cubs are DRAGGY airplanes) to get
the required airspeed, and smoothly pull out at the right time, around 10-15'
AGL to snag the banner with our tow hook. Transitioning to a steep zoom climb
(40-50 degrees nose up) and leveling off at 200-300' AGL almost at stall.

In the two summers I worked for this company, I saw 6 accidents of varying
severity, from taxiing mistakes (12 hour days are a LONG time to be in a Cub,
and mistakes happen towards the end) to planes being flipped on their back, no
fatals or serious injuries thank god. That was just at our company. There were
another few others at other companys, one crashing on takeoff and fireballing
(80 gallons of avgas in a Super Cub stalling on climbout is NOT a good
combination)

Don't get me wrong, it was a fun job and I loved every minute of it. But I
wouldn't want to go back and try it again at 100TT, I probibly wouldn't have
survived it.

--
Mike
(and, yes, I plan on going back for a 3rd season)