Sailplane Towing
Completion of the SPL Sailplane Towing course and assessment provides an SPL holder with TMG sailplane towing privileges.
Where completed in an aeroplane, the course and assessment provides a LAPL(A) or PPL(A) with sailplane towing privileges.
Helpful SFCL reference
SFCL.205
The student pilot
To start the course of training, the student pilot must hold an SPL with TMG privileges.
Where completed in an aeroplane, the student pilot must hold a LAPL(A) or PPL(A).
The instructor
The FI(S) carrying out the training must hold SFCL.315 (a) (5) sailplane towing privileges.
Where completed in an aeroplane, the instructor must hold LAPL(A) or PPL(A) sailplane towing instructing privileges.
The aircraft
An aircraft used for sailplane towing training must hold either a valid ARC or NARC and be assessed by the BGA DTO as suitable for towing training. Clubs or instructors can contact the BGA for advice and ‘approval’.
The course programme
The BGA has developed and had approved the its SFCL course programmes for use by BGA clubs that have been approved to operate within the BGA DTO. These course programmes may only be used or reproduced or copied with the written permission of the BGA Ltd. The BGA published DTO course programmes have been accepted by the CAA and must be complied with when carrying out BGA DTO training. If any issues or errors are discovered when using the course programmes, please do highlight that with the BGA office.
The Sailplane Towing course programme is available here.
Training records
Both the student pilot and the instructor should sign for completed training as the training is progressed. These training records need to be stored in a manner that restricts access to those people who are authorised to access them. The BGA DTO requires clubs to hold these records rather than student pilot holding the records and to sensibly restrict access to those involved in the instruction. If a student pilot wants a record of their training as they progress, they can of course take a picture or other copy of their training record. The training records can be electronic or paper.
If a club member moves to another BGA club to complete some SFCL training started at their own club, the relevant CFIs should arrange transfer of a copy of the training records between them. In that case, it is recommended that the club that started the SFCL training keeps the original copy of the record of training they completed.
Additional documents
The Sailplane Towing Generic Risk Assessment checklist is available here.