Flying the San Diego Coastline at 15 Knots | Chancy Arnold

Flying the San Diego Coastline at 15 Knots | Chancy Arnold

From Pilot to Pilot by Justin Siems

February 11, 2026 · 43 min · Season 1 · Episode 353

About this episode

Chancy Arnold shares his experiences as a banner tow pilot along the San Diego coastline, discussing the unique aspects of the job and his journey in aviation.

Ever wonder what it's like to fly slower than freeway traffic — on purpose? Chancy Arnold is a banner tow pilot flying a Super Cub up and down the San Diego beaches, and in this episode he breaks down everything about the job. From the dive-and-hook pickup technique to four-hour flights strapped into a tiny seat with no breaks, Chancy gives an honest look at one of aviation's most unique time-building gigs. We talk about what it's really like flying at 50 knots indicated (and 15 knots ground speed in a headwind), how he built connections on the FBO ramp that got him the job, the territory system between banner towing companies, and flying over Padres games, golf tournaments, and gender reveals. Chancy also shares why he skipped the CFI route, why IFR was actually his favorite phase of training, and how he's stacking hours toward the airlines. Plus — look for Chancy in Volume 2 of the Pilot to Pilot Magazine with a full spread on building your time through banner towing.

People in this episode

Host: Justin Siems

Guest: Chancy Arnold

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pilot to Pilot Magazine

Places: San Diego, San Diego beaches

More episodes of Pilot to Pilot

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Pilot to Pilot podcast page.