Banner Towing

[dkelly]

Banner Tow Pilot
Farmingdale NJ US
Pilot needed for Banner Towing on the New Jersey shore for this summers season. Applicants must be tail wheel qualified with tail wheel sign-off, and have experience in operating the Citabria. Pilots who have not previously towed banners are required by FAA to take our training program for which there is a fee of $1500.00. Pilots taking our training program are guaranteed a job. Salary is $20.00/Hr. This is seasonal employment that starts with Memorial Weekend and ends in mid Sept.

Not familiar with banner towing, but is this statement true, it would take weeks just to pay for the fee. Otherwise, sounds like a decent summer job to build time.

 

[gkrangers]

You don't want to risk your life with this operator. Just move on.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I've been there.

1. Maintenance is limited. Fly at your own risk.
2. EMPLOYMENT IS NOT GUGARATEED!! (even after you pay the $1500)

The guy's name is Gary Freidman. His company has quite a few accidents.
You will also set up and wrap up your own banners. As of a few years ago,
housing was provided at a cheap rent, but it is a COMPLETE $hithole. You
won't even have reliable water, and FORGET A/C. You have to provide
your own hotplate for cooking.

You can plan on 15-40 hours a week (average 25) depending on weather
and the number of people on the beach. If you can get in the Pawnee,
DO IT!. It has longer legs and longer days (but it's hot as hell in there).

I suggest Aerial Sign if you HAVE to fly banners. They are the most
professional (They might have changed their name). And Aerial Sign has
several locations and the potential for year around employment. Oh, the
maintenance is also better by far.

CE

 

[gkrangers]

Aerial Sign is in Lakewood now I think, Gary (United Aerial Advertising) is the only one left at BLM I think. There is also PAramount down in Cape May, and they seem pretty good too.

I got my private with Gary's flight school...scary times...

 

[momalley81]

Paramount in Cape May is good for 25-40 hours a week, depending on weather, and the only time you have to setup your own banners is when they send you on a one-way tow. And you're paid flight pay for that work anyway. They used to charge $500 for training, but you got it back on Labor Day. I spent a few seasons out there and enjoyed it. Great "corporate culture" and a private strip to operate out of.

Aerial Sign is now out of Lakewood, but is a differant company now, though still a good operator. VanWagner Aerial Media is the old Aerial Sign, and operates nationally year-round. Great company to get on with, and possibly the best pay in that segment of the industry.

 

[mcjohn]

Aerial Banners at HWO in south Florida is the worst of the worst. If you get involved with these crooks you will be very sorry. Van Wagner across the field at HWO is the way to go. They are a well respected company and a great group of guys. Also, you can tow all up and down the eastern seaboard for Van Wagner. $40 an hour plus $30 per diem if you're towing on the road for them.

Right now is high season for banner companies hiring all up and down the eastern seaboard. Timing is everything. Just to name a few - In Conway S.C. (Myrtle Beach) there is Sky Signs and Barnstormers (pay for training). Up in New Jersey there is Paramount Air Service and High Exposure (no pay for training.) Paramount gave me a free travel trailer to stay in at the field for their 3 - 4 months summer season. If your timing is right you can get the same.

For more info on Aerial Banners see my post in the Employment Intel/Contacts forum.

 

[Aerosurfer]

Stay away from Gary. I was there in 01. His pay was actually descent 20/hr, but I did such little flying I couldnt afford to stay and was working more hours at the mall. I had 85 hours logged by the beginning of august, when I quit. his signs were major advertisiers (z101, jetblue, Nat'l Guard, NJonline) so they only flew on weekends and holidays and they flew the entire Jersey coast and most of long island. Everytime it was overcast or cool, Gary would just cancell the flight for the day and say we'll make it up later in the summer on a better day. Which helps me None, all the while Aerial Sign was flying for local bars on 10 miles of beach, rain or shine, all day- everyday!

The 'Housing' was atrocious... part time water, no A/C, bad Rabbit ears for tv reception, hell... I had to pay my own phone service for internet. and he charged me like 200 a month. I dont remember the planes being as bad as others had said, but doing your own ground work SUCKS!!! especially when its unpaid!

On a positive note, I did do and pay his training course, and he really dumbed down the banner training, and did a great job, that I dont see how people always seem to kill themselves in planes.

There are others out there

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Gary doesn't do inspections or maintenance!
There is a wing spar and wing attachment AD (can't remember the #)
for the Citabria that MUST be completed periodically for ALL category
aircraft. He claims since the planes are restricted class that the inspections
do not apply. NOT TRUE! That's why the wing fell off one of his planes.
The compression is almost always low on his engines because he has NEVER
overhauled his engines.

If you go with Van Wagner (Aerial Sign?), just remember to do a detailed
preflight!! Yes the maintenance is good but the planes take a beating.
ALWAYS check and re-check the engine mounts (I've had a tube break in the
middle) rock the wings for looseness and creaks, and triple check the
horizontal stabilizer leading edge where the strut attaches. It will commonly
crack there (it happened to me).

2001 has at least 5 downed aircraft (I'm including all companies) with one
fatality.

Just be diligent!

CE

 

[mcjohn]

High Exposure in NJ is still in need of a couple good tail wheel pilots. Dave is the guy in charge and is a very cool guy. The company is HQed on some private land near Atlantic City. He pays a salary and even offers benefits I believe. I got to know him when I was working at Paramount Air Service (his competitor who is also hiring.) We would go up to his field on a regular basis to drink beer and cookout etc. I highly recommend High Exposure. It's the most fun a banner pilot can have on planet earth (so it Paramount but you will fly some very crappy equipment.) High Exposure's fleet includes a Bird Dog and a Stinson just to name a few.

www.usairads.com = High Exposure
www.paramountair.com = Where I flew last summer and logged 380 hours in 3.5 months.

AND REMEMBER, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!! AND DON"T LET ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS GET INVOLVED THERE EITHER:
:uzi: www.aerialbanners.com

 

[mcjohn]

For a close up look at some banner towing check these out.
The first two my buddy put together from High Exposure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUebqVmJ72o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YyMH167rPw


This is one from Paramount Air Service that I helped put together:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU12Q0D3TEQ

ENJOY!