How many active gliders in USA?

[Dave Nadler]

Anybody know how many gliders are *active* in USA?

As usual, the FAA statistics are garbled (this shows gliders, but lists
all experimentals as a separate category, including experimental gliders):
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2015/media/2015_GA_Survey_Chapter_6_Tables_16SEP2016V2.xlsx

The FAA database is a total mess (as one expects from FAA), and
probably includes many inactive gliders.
Anyway I did a quick sort, and got:

Valid glider registrations 4523
standard registration (not experimental) 2728
experimental or other non-standard 1795

Anybody have any better statistics?

Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave

[Casey[_2_]]

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 6:30:44 PM UTC-5, Dave Nadler wrote:
> Anybody know how many gliders are *active* in USA?
>
> As usual, the FAA statistics are garbled (this shows gliders, but lists
> all experimentals as a separate category, including experimental gliders):
> https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2015/media/2015_GA_Survey_Chapter_6_Tables_16SEP2016V2.xlsx
>
> The FAA database is a total mess (as one expects from FAA), and
> probably includes many inactive gliders.
> Anyway I did a quick sort, and got:
>
> Valid glider registrations 4523
> standard registration (not experimental) 2728
> experimental or other non-standard 1795
>
> Anybody have any better statistics?
>
> Thanks,
> Best Regards, Dave

Where are you going with this Dave? I know of several gliders with active registrations that have not flown in years.

[Frank Whiteley]

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 4:30:44 PM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
> Anybody know how many gliders are *active* in USA?
>
> As usual, the FAA statistics are garbled (this shows gliders, but lists
> all experimentals as a separate category, including experimental gliders):
> https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2015/media/2015_GA_Survey_Chapter_6_Tables_16SEP2016V2.xlsx
>
> The FAA database is a total mess (as one expects from FAA), and
> probably includes many inactive gliders.
> Anyway I did a quick sort, and got:
>
> Valid glider registrations 4523
> standard registration (not experimental) 2728
> experimental or other non-standard 1795
>
> Anybody have any better statistics?
>
> Thanks,
> Best Regards, Dave

Hard to say Dave. The list is down about 2,000 since the three-year renewals commenced, which has made it harder to find used spare parts. I've kept a couple of old FAA databases which have resulted in a couple of parts finds for others. Latest was for a Krosno KR-03a, which was subsequently written off.

Frank Whiteley

[Roy B.]

Dave:
I have a memory that Gliding International published a chart on this subject (by country) about a year and 1/2 ago. I do not know what the sources of their data were.
ROY

[Dave Nadler]

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 7:03:47 PM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
> Where are you going with this Dave?

South, right after I finish snow-blowing the driveway.

> I know of several gliders with active registrations
> that have not flown in years.

Yes, I know, my wife also reminds I should clean out the garage.
Steve?

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 6:52:39 AM UTC-6, Dave Nadler wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 7:03:47 PM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
> > Where are you going with this Dave?
>
> South, right after I finish snow-blowing the driveway.
>
> > I know of several gliders with active registrations
> > that have not flown in years.
>
> Yes, I know, my wife also reminds I should clean out the garage.
> Steve?

What? According to your first number, I own just over one half of one percent of the valid registrations. As to how many are "active", well, not so many recently. Been some crappy soaring years around here lately...

Steve Leonard

[Dave Nadler]

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 10:41:35 AM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 6:52:39 AM UTC-6, Dave Nadler wrote:
> > Yes, I know, my wife also reminds I should clean out the garage.
> > Steve?
>
> What?

Help cleaning out the garage???

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7:37:56 PM UTC-6, Dave Nadler wrote:
> On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 10:41:35 AM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> > On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 6:52:39 AM UTC-6, Dave Nadler wrote:
> > > Yes, I know, my wife also reminds I should clean out the garage.
> > > Steve?
> >
> > What?
>
> Help cleaning out the garage???

Honest Dave's Used Glider Mart?
"What's it gonna take for me to get you into this glider today?"