Banner Towing?

[tangodelta21]

Get your tailwheel and go talk to Jim Butler at Aerial Sign at North Perry Airport in Hollywood, Fl. Like the above post stated they are a class act as far as banner towing goes. You would get to travel all over with them and they pay you pretty decient. I would go see him in the next 5 or 6 weeks and see if you can get set up for the summer. I might see you there.

As far as the TSA pulling our waivers for the stadiums and open air events we have them back and are going strong. We all had to do a federal background check and that's all. And that is fine by me, as long as it makes the public happy. The NFL, NCAA, MLB...thats a different story.

 

[Rich Man]

have his #?

Do you have his Phone #?

I have some tailwheel time and would love to do some towing...

Heck anything to get back in the air!!!


Rich!

 

[F9 Driver]

I towed for Sky Signs back in the mid 90's under diferent management.

They were a good company and flew a fairly safe operation (two accidents the summer I was there -a ground loop, and a pilot induced touch down during a banner training pickup that flipped the plane in the middle of a soy bean field and broke it in half - no injuries.)

That being said - you have to do the math. At 10$/hour you are working for the summer FOR FREE less room and board if they want you to PFT.

Times have changed, and I paid for my tailwheel training in college, and about four hours of time @ ~50$/hr picking up banners "training" for my first job out of college in NJ, but 2K for banner training - NO WAY!

Also, unless things have changed, you don't get anything from the F'n AA when you are allowed to tow. The operator gets your name added to THEIR waver. If you do this make sure that you get a photocopy of their waver with your name on it for your $$.

Do a good preflight/postflight and remember - you can always find a new job if you are alive to do so! No amount of hours are worth dieing for!

Good luck!

 

[LearAv8r]

Aerial Sign Company in Hollywood FL

954-989-2086

good luck

LearAv8r-

 

[avbug]

I started and ran a banner operation about ten years ago. It used two airplanes, a Cessna 172 (180 horse), and a Cessna 182A. I also had a Cessna 150 with a 0-320 available to use. It went well, and served it's purpose; it was to supplement other business affairs, and it did that just fine.

I can't imagine what someone could talk about or teach for 25 hours of training, while putting an employee on line flying banners. It's just not rocket science.

I did two tows on my own, then a couple of tows for the FAA. I had several others tow for the FAA, and none of them had ever picked up or towed a banner in their life. Their next tow was for revenue, and they had no problems. Charging two grand for that is outrageous highway robbery.

Is banner towing something you want to do? You have to answer that for yourself. You also have to ask yourself if you have anything else in the works right now. No? Then banner towing is probably great, if you get the chance. I have long maintained that the greatest airplane in the world is the one I'm privileged to fly right now, whatever that may be. If you can find work flying, find it, period. Beggars can afford to be choosers only with respect to safety issues; beyond that, if towing banners is the only job available to you, then it's the best job in the world, and you should jump at it.

Towing banners isn't exciting. It isn't particularly challenging, and it isn't a deep, meaningful experience. It is flying, and whatever flying is to you, that is what banner towing will be for you. You can waste your hours towing building hours, or you can gain a wealth of understanding by building experience...it's up to you what you get from it. Beyond that, it's a paycheck. In a time when a paycheck isn't to be taken for granted (has it ever been??), then you have something more to be grateful for. Add to that the fact that it's a paycheck for flying an airplane instead of sitting behind a desk or mopping floors, and you have a great deal to be thankful for.

I wouldn't pay two grand to buy that opportunity, but if you can find an employer willing to hire you, then take what you can find, and smile. It's a good day.

 

[PA-44Typed]

test

test, new to the site and just getting setup -sorry

 

[EMcx2]

Never done it... but I know that most of the operators have crappy reputations. It's a hard business to make a profit at so any where they can cut costs they do...maintenance, pay, insurance. The place in Myrtle Beach, as stated above, basically you're flying for free. The insurance story, just makes it easier to get low time pilots to pay them up front. I know two guys who flew for a guy out of Long Beach. One went with out getting paid for about 7 months, the other had to make a dead stick emergency landing on the Pasadena freeway during rush hour.

Good Luck

 

[luvz2fli]

I was wondering what the hour requirements are for the job of aerial signs in hollywood, fl. I am working on my cfi at the moment but should be done within the next 2 months at the most. I am looking at building time up and thought this would be a good way to do it quickly. Please let me know.

 

[RightPedal]

The one that I worked for was Aerial Sign Company out of Hollywood, Florida. They are a class act and I loved working there.
LearAv8r-

LearAv8r,
Is ther a red headed guy name Dinnis still there? I knew him in the late 80's early 90's. Worked for ASC ten to twelve years then.
This guy was a real clown, dang good pilot to. Can't remember exactly, but I think he had a few thousand hours pulling rags at ASC. A chronic rag dragger I'd call him. I've seen him do some amazing things in those aircraft.

 

[Bryan D]

Towing banners isn't exciting. It isn't particularly challenging, and it isn't a deep, meaningful experience.

Avbug, either you haven't flown many banner tows or you were doing it wrong.

 

[avbug]

At eight hundred hours you have airline training and experience, and now you're thinking that perhaps the baner work might be beneath you, or a step backward.

Hello! You have eight hundred hours. You can't even qualify for an ATP yet...go get your flight experience. Walk before you run.

 

[barnyard]

There is no such thing as a banner tow 'endorsement'...


so don't pay for one!!!!!

 

[Groundpounder]

Get your tailwheel and go talk to Jim Butler at Aerial Sign at North Perry Airport in Hollywood, Fl. Like the above post stated they are a class act as far as banner towing goes. You would get to travel all over with them and they pay you pretty decient. I would go see him in the next 5 or 6 weeks and see if you can get set up for the summer. I might see you there.

I don't have any tailwheel time, and only about 350 hours, would I be able to get on after I get a tailwheel endorsement? I'm looking to find some way to build time until I get enough money for my CFI.

 

[LearAv8r]

RightPedal:


<LearAv8r,
Is ther a red headed guy name Dinnis still there? I knew him in the late 80's early 90's. Worked for ASC ten to twelve years then.
This guy was a real clown, dang good pilot to. Can't remember exactly, but I think he had a few thousand hours pulling rags at ASC. A chronic rag dragger I'd call him. I've seen him do some amazing things in those aircraft.>


No Dennis is no longer there he left a long time ago. I remember going with him over to Big Daddy's across the street (Ship's Bar) and hanging around Club 47 alot. Is that the same Dennis you are talking about. The one with Lois? If it is send me a PM and I will fill you in as to what I know about his whereabouts. He's a great guy!!

Lear-

 

[avbug]

Avbug, either you haven't flown many banner tows or you were doing it wrong.

This is based on what? Not only did I fly banners, but started a banner operation, did the initial tows for the FAA, sold the banners, and ran it for a year, as well as doing regular tows.

You're troubled by the assertion that banner towing isn't exciting, isn't complicated, isn't difficult, and that it's boring? Sorry to break the news, but that's the truth. If the only thing you've ever done is ride around the patch with your student while "building hours," then perhaps the banner pickup will be wildly exciting to you.

If you're doing it "right," it shouldn't be exciting, and no...it's not rocket science.