Tow rate increase at HSC.

[Quest@HSC]

Hi everybody,

Beginning on Oct. 1st, (or as soon after that as I can have my
bookkeeper make the changes in my accounting software), there will be
an increase in the tow rates at Hollister Soaring Center LLC. Also,
beginning with the most recent aero-retrieve, the tow plane hourly
rate for a retrieve has been raised from $150/hr to $165/hr (tach.
time). This new rate is also comparable to what is being charged for
such services by Soar Truckee and Soaring NV at Minden. I know because
I paid for a retrieve from each of these operators while working
toward my Silver and Gold Badges a few weeks ago!

The reasons for this increase are because:

1) The price of 100 LL aviation fuel has just risen again, and is now
at the highest rate it has ever been. For the entire time period since
my last rate increase I have been able to handle the slight,
incremental increases that occurred every once in a while. But I can
no longer ignore the reality of the extremely high rates that I am
paying for avgas.

2) As many of you know, I am in the process of getting the engine in
Cherokee N9076W overhauled, and it has been grounded with this engine
problem since late May. The engine overhaul is almost complete, and
N9076W should be up and towing for Gliderpalooza. The total cost for
the overhaul is approaching $30,000, and will likely exceed this
figure before all is said and done. I have borrowed $$$ from everyone
who will lend me money and have also gone into high-interest credit
lines, so I now need to take in some more funds from the soaring
community to help with this financial burden. The "Tow Plane Club"
funds have helped with all sorts of work on all three tow planes, but
this new and unexpected expense far outstrips what I have taken in
from those pilots who've joined "The Club". (Just FYI, the engine
which needed to be overhauled had just 1150 hours on it when it
developed its problem. The recommended time between overhauls on this
engine is 2,000 hours, and many of them far exceed this amount of time
in service. Also, the $30k was based on the LOWEST quote from several
reputable engine shops.)

The new rates will be: $27/per 1,000 feet of tow for the first 2,000
feet and $37/1,000 feet of tow after that. (This is up from $25 and
$35, respectively). "Tow Plane Club" Members will still receive $10
per 1,000 feet off of the listed retail price.

I am not planning to raise the rates for Flight Instruction at HSC,
nor the glider rental rates for the 2-32s at this time.

The rates for a Panoche/Cross Country tow and aero-retrieve will stay
the same: $83 for the initial tow and $123 for a retrieve. Because of
the fact that cross-country glider flying out of Hollister is still
the "brass ring" which attracts many glider pilots to soaring in this
area, I have left this rate unchanged. I hope that these rates will
encourage more pilots to work toward becoming proficient in XC, and to
enjoy this challenging aspect of the sport. Besides, as it is, HSC can
still boast to having lower rates than Williams for long tows to areas
of good cross-country soaring conditions.

Happy soaring and engine overhauling,
Quest