Ever wondered about banner towing?

[mcjohn]

Well here you go. If you want to work 3 months on the Jersey Shore they start you at 16.00/hour and offer free (albeit trailer) accomodations. Season begins in early to mid June. They hire 7 pilots per season:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU12Q0D3TEQ&mode=related&search=

 

[Air 1]

Nice Video! I'm wanting to see if I can find a place to tow some banners this summer.

 

[mcjohn]

Wow. Looks like some others are posting their vids. This is my friend M.H. picking up at High Exposure outside of Atlantic city:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUebqVmJ72o&mode=related&search=
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YyMH167rPw&mode=related&search=

And this is one of Van Wagner planes. I recognize the banner. I flew along side it all summer. Probably "Lucky" or "Ramsey" picking it up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NFci4qefjs&mode=related&search=

BTW, all of these PA-18's have 180 horses. Now that's a SUPER cub!

 

[svcta]

Would someone teach that guy how to prop an airplane before he loses his head?

 

[pilotsh]

McJohn, what do you prefer, banner towing or instructing?

 

[mcjohn]

I'd much rather fly myself than watch over a student most of the time. I am a jealous instructor and get tired of sitting idle and only speaking while they do all the flying. I had an intructor once who was the same way but he wanted to work on his skills and have fun on my time and money and that pissed me off. I'd never do that to my students. Consider that instructing is safer than banner towing and it keeps you on the radio and in the system. Banner towing is more on the fringe. You get a waiver from the FAA that allows you to fly dangerously low. You try to stick with as much class G as possible and rarely use the radio. You never climb above 1000'. Also consider that instructing is so admired on resumes because it proves to the employer that your skills go way beyond just flying. But, I hate to say it......instructing sucks. It absolutely positively sucks for one simple reason. You don't get to fly if you have advanced students working toward their private or instrument ratings. Instructing at a huge place where you have many commercial and pre-solo students would be a different story and probably a little more enjoyable. I'm glad I have my CFI and I have learned tons instructing. You'll hear many proclaim there passionate love for instructing. And it's just that. A love for teaching. I'm a little more passionate about the flying.

 

[NJA bound]

I towed for van wagner out of BLM a few years ago, good videos, thanks for the memories. I miss doing those banner pick ups, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQRSziDVdpw&NR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfirxUPNrbc&mode=related&search= nothing like it in the world, fan as he11. Think I am going to do some of that part time on my 7 off this summer.

 

[avbug]

Consider that instructing is safer than banner towing ...

It is? Banner towing isn't safe??

You get a waiver from the FAA that allows you to fly dangerously low.

If this is occuring, you're doing it wrong. What is "dangerously low?" Banner towing is as benign, quiet, and inherently boring as you can possibly get in a flying job, especially in a flying job involving light airplanes. It's supposed to be that way. It's about as safe as you can get, if you're doing it properly.

If you're not practicing risk-elimination, then you're doing it wrong, and all bets are off.

 

[flagshipper]

dont go to paramount. they kill a pilot every year. fly something powerful like a pawnee so you arent picking banners up and the banner wins

 

[NJA bound]

I've towed panels that were 65' high x 35' long http://www.aerialsign.com/images/Jeans.JPG and 40' high x 100' long http://www.aerialsign.com/images/AnnTaylor.JPG with a 180 horse Super Cub, doesn't get any safer than a Cub.

 

[avbug]

I don't know if I've ever heard a Pawnee called "powerful."

Powerful like a pawnee.

Quick like a donkey.

Strong like an accountant.

Just struck me as funny...

 

[LearAv8r]

Agree, the 180hp or 260hp (King Kong cub... N74c) super cub is the way to go. Not so sure about the powerful Pawnee though.

 

[FlyingSkip]

Yeah, where I used to fly we had Cubs running either 160s or 180s, and then a Pawnee that had been re-engined down to a 160. Wow. That thing SUCKED!!! I flew Pawnees dusting that had 235s or 260s and they were never more than just a little under-powered...imagine trying to fly on a high DA day, full fuel to fly a 3 hr banner and everything sitting behind a dinky 160hp plant! Climb rate? Yeah right!

AvBug nailed it---anytime somebody talks about flying in any form being dangerous, they must not be doing it right. There's always an element of inherent danger in any activity, from walking down a flight of stairs to taking a flight cross country, but if you eliminate all of the "variable" dangers that you can control, ie decision making, fuel, maneuvers IAW POH/FAR/SOPs, etc then you should look at flying as no different than any other activity in your life. Banner towing SHOULD be some of the most boring flying you'll ever do in your entire life---but most people don't do it that way!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Banner towing is more on the fringe. You get a waiver from the FAA that allows you to fly dangerously low. You try to stick with as much class G as possible and rarely use the radio. You never climb above 1000'.

Sounds like flying west along the southern Long Island beaches enroute to Manhattan for a city tour. This requires that you stay at or below class B at 500' along the length of the shore and up to about 800-1000' up and down the river itself. You're also talking to NY Appch, JFK, Hudson CTAF, and LGA.

I never considered these as "dangerously low" altitiudes.

 

[mcjohn]

Banner towing is dangerous and low altitude is a factor. I agree with flyingskip and avbug to a certain degree. Banner towing SHOULD be the most boring aviation job you'll do and it is. When flying banners, complacentcy is the problem. All that boredom and over powered super light planes don't mix too well. Next thing you know you're doing steep turns right above the trees and having a blast and then SMACK...you're dead. It SHOULD be boring and if you're having too much fun your days are probably numbered.

The Pinnacle pilot who posted above doesn't know his head from a hole in the ground. Calling a Pawnee powerful (especially the ones used for towing) show flagshipper's lack of knowledge. His statement that Paramount kills a pilot every year is typical of the chodes that are always trying to call the FAA on people. Paramount has been in business for 62 years and have never had a fatality. I'm not saying they have a stellar safety record or anything but his statement couldn't be further from the truth.

Pilots kill people every year. It's not the plane or the company. Paramount is SUPER old school but they ALWAYS respect the PICs decisions. At least now they do, the old man is not running the show like he used to. His son in law's in charge now and he'll say over and over again to you, "If you're not comfortable with anything then stay on the ground and we'll make it right."

And I must state:
Over powered cubs are the safest. Pawnees are not.

Hi Skip...good to hear from you. Where have you been? Haven't seen you at PPW lately.