Soaring, a non-communal sport.

[plasticguy]

Hi Guys.
There is a long post on why soaring is declining.
It's hard to put the finger on a problem when it is structural and
not procedural.
The plain fact is that soaring is a sport for individuals, not teams.
The participant needs the help of people who can't participate.
The best soaring happens out of the view of all non-participants.
There is a limited availability of equipment to do it.
The sites are not convienently located compared to soccer fields.
There are federally mandated barriers to entry, you can't just "do it".

This virtually gaurantees that only really dedicated people will
take up the sport. The structure of the sport forces the participants
to choose between themselves and doing "family things".

Thats how I see it.

Scott.

[mrw]

"plasticguy" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Guys.
> There is a long post on why soaring is declining.
> It's hard to put the finger on a problem when it is structural and
> not procedural.
> The plain fact is that soaring is a sport for individuals, not teams.
> The participant needs the help of people who can't participate.
> The best soaring happens out of the view of all non-participants.
> There is a limited availability of equipment to do it.
> The sites are not convienently located compared to soccer fields.
> There are federally mandated barriers to entry, you can't just "do it".
>
> This virtually gaurantees that only really dedicated people will
> take up the sport. The structure of the sport forces the participants
> to choose between themselves and doing "family things".
>
> Thats how I see it.
>
> Scott.

Agreed that's why I have always said the ssa should go after power pilots.I
started as a sel/ses and really became inactive after 9-11. I find flying
gliders to be refreshing , exciting way to remain in aviation.After a
point, the $100. hamburger gets old.
>
>

[John H. Campbell]

>> This virtually gaurantees that only really dedicated people will
>> take up the sport.

Agreed and that's why I have always said the SSA should have a systematic
and broad public awareness program, soaring does not appeal to the most
common demographics and should expect a low response let alone enrollment
rate. This applies within people 'who are already pilots' (like satisfied
mrw) but also in the much larger general population, who have the powerful
added incentive of learning to fly in the first place, hence I have always
also said the SSA should not JUST go after power pilots.