AeroTow Course

This course introduces aero-towing to Certified pilots. It includes all ground-school (theory), a brief written exam and wheel or cart launch winch towing to introduce Student or Novice certified pilots to aero-towing.

To take this course, pilots should have their own equipment to solo (including approved glider, harness and parachute) and MUST have their own HPAC insurance. We recommend having your own tow bridle and aero-tow release so if you don't have your own yet, be sure to make sure there is a loaner/rental one lined up for you...you will want your own once you are through this course anyways!

Once this course is successfully completed and you are approved, you are eligible to join the SOGA Aero-Towing club. By the end of this course, if you are still not Novice rated, you may have to continue to be accompanied by an instructor and regardless, the conditions you aero-tow in will be restricted to your level of abilities. SOGA is a separate entity from Instinct Windsports but we work in close partnership with them (we're members ourselves!). Their fees are a $250 annual membership plus $25/tow to 2000'.

The prerequisite listed is Instinct's Certification course....it by all means does NOT have to be our training. We will train any rated pilot to aero-tow. This course does take time to plan so please contact us with plenty of lead-time to plan for the training.

Instinct's requirements before taking this Aero-Tow course is:

• complete all of the HPAC Novice rating requirements (including written test) except for the airtime requirement (4 hours), ground handling requirements (ability to do so in 25km/h winds) and the requirement to perform smooth transition from running to flying.
• have individual HPAC insurance (not school insurance)
• have 20 minutes of UNASSISTED air time (no tow line attached, tandem ok)
• have 20 solo flights above 250m

* a key skill in the success of aero-towing is having the experience flying your glider at its full speed and having 100% control over altering its course to the desired heading. Aero-towing makes us fly FAST on our hang glider....so prior to this course, practice flying VERY fast and carving fast, controlled turns to a desired direction.

What this course includes:

• Instinct's AeroTow ground-school discussion
• Instinct's AeroTow written test
• dolly launching or built-in landing gear (castering front wheels + tail-wheel) experience

We have removed the inclusion of an aero-tow tandem within this course as some attendees may be competent and not benefit from a tandem. Aero-tow tandems for enrolled students if needed or wanted are $75 this weekend.