Tow Pilots wanted

Come Fly our Piper Pawnee!


Photo credit: Stephen Kempf

Southern Eagles Soaring is a friendly club based in Butler, GA.
We are growing, Come Join us!

If you have at least a private pilots certificate and (100-500 hours - TBD) pilot in command time, this is an excellent opportunity to gain more experience.

You can log hours for free every day we operate.
Fly a well maintained Piper Pawnee. We will train you in both the tow plane and our sailplanes. We also have a Cessna C-175 available for training tow pilots and as backup towplane.
We are now flying Saturdays & Sundays at the Roosevelt Memorial Airport (5A9).


Dependable, Safe pilots are encouraged to apply.

 

  Tow Pilot Requirements

- 10 takeoffs and landings in the Pawnee. - Necessary endorsements in your logbook:(none for C-175, tailwheel & hi-perf for Pawnee).
current medical and flight review
- You must comply with: FAR part 61.69 Glider and unpowered ultralight vehicle towing: Experience and training requirements. FAR part 91.309 Towing: Gliders. - You must have logged in your logbook instruction in gliders. - Cockpit familiarization in the Pawnee. - Simulated or actual dual tows. - You must have logged in your logbook an endorsement for towing gliders from another qualified tow pilot.
The following were previously required to tow per our insurer,
(but currently under review by our the board): - 500 hours pilot in command time. - 100 hours tail wheel.
If you are interested, lets get the ball rolling. The above requirements are subject to change.
Contact one of us:

Wally Berry
b:e:r:r:y: w: d: @ a:u:b:u:r:n .e:d:u Dont cut and paste
3:3:4: :7:4:0:-:1:9:9:4:0:0:1:1:

 

Tim McGowin
T:J:J:M:c:G:o:w:i:n: @ a:o:l: .c:o:m Dont cut and paste
3:3:4: :7:0:3:-:3:9:8:4:00:00::

pawnee
Photo by Chris Ruf


Learn more about Aerotow

SES Tow Procedures (PDF)

FAR part 61.69 Glider and unpowered ultralight vehicle towing: Experience and training requirements.

FAR part 91.309 Towing: Gliders

Tow Pilots Wanted Poster (PDF)

American Soaring Signals PDF summary

View the Soaring Safety Foundation Signals Video here and on their site you can find Ground Signals, and Airborne Signals.

Tow Pilot Course - The SSF has joined forces with Headquarters Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to bring you an on-line Tow Pilot Course. The scope and purpose of this course is to provide standardized tow pilot training producing safe and competent tow pilots. The course is open to all in the soaring and CAP community.

Tow pilot training list (PDF) developed by the civil air patrol.

Wing Runner Course - Safe soaring operations depend upon good coordination between the glider pilot, tow pilot, and ground crew. The following pages comprise a web-based course on wingrunning--from ground handling through the actual launch of the glider.

Tow Log Sheet.pdf also .doc

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In 2018 our tug was beautifully refinished in white & blue. (Click photos to enlarge).

pawnee
A beautiful tug, with great Cumulus in background. Photo by Chris Ruf

pawnee
Photo by Chris Ruf

pawnee
Photo by Chris Ruf

pawnee
Photo by Chris Ruf

 

pawnee
Tow release, the business end of this machine. Photo by Chris Ruf

pawnee
The office. Photo by Chris Ruf

pawnee
Photo by Mark Blace

pawnee
Photo by Mark Blace

pawnee
Photo by Mark Blace

pawnee
Photo by Mark Blace

PA-25-235 Piper Pawnee unofficial

General Description

Specifications unofficial

  • Wingspan: 36 ft. 2.5 in.
  • Length: 24 ft. 9 in.
  • Height: 7 ft. 2 in.
  • Wing area: 183 sq. ft.
  • Empty weight: 1288 Ibs
  • MTOW: 2900 Ibs
  • Description: Low-wing braced monoplane. The fuselage consists of a welded steel-tube structure covered with fabric.
  • Power plant: 235 H.P. Lycoming 0-540-B2B5 flat 6 cylinder piston engine

Performance unofficial

  • Max. speed: 102 kt
  • Cruise speed: 91 kt
  • Rate of climb: 630 fpm
  • Service ceiling 13000 ft

The Pawnee was designed specifically for agricultural duties, and production deliveries commenced in August 1959. The fuselage is so designed that, in a low-speed crash of a type usually associated with crop spraying, the fuselage will fail progressively from the front to reduce the deceleration of the cockpit. All heavy objects or loads are forward of the cockpit. The Pawnee is a popular glider tug.

Pawnee Type Certificate (unofficial)

Tow Log Sheet.pdf also .doc

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Last modified November 29, 2020 1:38 PM by CR