Re: LS-4? What about 1-26 or making a cheap sailplane?

[Jim Culp]

A Posit:

If a sudden miracle of economics or foreign exchange
rates occurred, and gliders that now cost US $130,000
- $150,000 or more delivered to USA with trailers and
instruments were made available at US $30,000 - $50,000
I do not believe it would substantially increase the
number of glider pilots in the USA.

Think now, for a moment. Is that shocking?

Consider this. This is significant.

The Premise: A hundred thousand dollar reduction on
cost of gliders yet in response to that the glider
population in USA would not increase significantly.


Why?

It is because the appeal of glider flight is to a very
special self- selecting population.

Do you believe that?
I do.

While essentially simple in some respects, glider flight
requires considerable dedication of thought, experience,
practice and frequency, physical risk, equipment risk,
money;

it requires an appreciation of the beauty and forces
of the sky in a way that is appreciated and valued
by very few.

For in this USA most are accustomed to an
Instant Gratification Wo

[Jim Culp]

A Posit:

If a sudden miracle of economics or foreign exchange
rates occurred, and gliders that now cost US $130,000
- $150,000 or more delivered to USA with trailers and
instruments were made available at US $30,000 - $50,000
I do not believe it would substantially increase the
number of glider pilots in the USA.

Think now, for a moment. Is that shocking?

Consider this. This is significant.

The Premise: A hundred thousand dollar reduction on
cost of gliders yet in response to that the glider
population in USA would not increase significantly.


Why?

It is because the appeal of glider flight is to a very
special self- selecting population.

Do you believe that?
I do.

While essentially simple in some respects, glider flight
requires considerable dedication of thought, experience,
practice and frequency, physical risk, equipment risk,
money;

it requires an appreciation of the beauty and forces
of the sky in a way that is appreciated and valued
by very few.

For in this USA most are accustomed to an
Instant Gratification World
and to
Spectator Enjoyments
at no personal risk;

Further, significant gliding requires
time,
patience,
long term ambition,
long term skill building,
mistakes along the way,
skinned knees,
grease on shirts,
lifting wings, putting together, and taking apart
ones good glider daily ordiinarily,
hours and hours in hot sun and glorying in that,
tolerance or encouragement from one's partner (wife
or girlfriend)
or doing without a partner or wife (certainly that
is the easiest way),
a burning desire and need to soar,
to rise up upon the sky
and
to rise with wings like eagles.

It is my opinion that the taste of The Fruits of The
Sky to be squeezed and distilled from gliding are to
be savored and enjoyed much and bountifully by a very
dedicated few who are committed for the long term.


I do not want it that way yet believe it is that way.


We do not want to restrict our joy of gliding and soaring
to ourselves,
and many selflessly share it,
yet it remains scarcely tasted and appreciated.
For few are they who would seek to become vintners
in this joy, willing to plant, to till and to reap
a harvest and to distill it into the cognac of great
excellence after much practice and waiting and even
apparent wasted efforts.

We are who we are welcoming all comers, yet how many
will come?

With kindest regards to all.

Dancing on clouds,

Keep it up!

Jim Culp USA
GatorCity Florida
Asw-20C

[F.L. Whiteley]

"Jim Culp" > wrote in message
...
> A Posit:
>
> If a sudden miracle of economics or foreign exchange
> rates occurred, and gliders that now cost US $130,000
> - $150,000 or more delivered to USA with trailers and
> instruments were made available at US $30,000 - $50,000
> I do not believe it would substantially increase the
> number of glider pilots in the USA.
>
> Think now, for a moment. Is that shocking?
>
> Consider this. This is significant.
>
> The Premise: A hundred thousand dollar reduction on
> cost of gliders yet in response to that the glider
> population in USA would not increase significantly.
>
>
> Why?
>
> It is because the appeal of glider flight is to a very
> special self- selecting population.
>
> Do you believe that?
> I do.
>
> While essentially simple in some respects, glider flight
> requires considerable dedication of thought, experience,
> practice and frequency, physical risk, equipment risk,
> money;
>
> it requires an appreciation of the beauty and forces
> of the sky in a way that is appreciated and valued
> by very few.
>
> For in this USA most are accustomed to an
> Instant Gratification World
> and to
> Spectator Enjoyments
> at no personal risk;
>
> Further, significant gliding requires
> time,
> patience,
> long term ambition,
> long term skill building,
> mistakes along the way,
> skinned knees,
> grease on shirts,
> lifting wings, putting together, and taking apart
> ones good glider daily ordiinarily,
> hours and hours in hot sun and glorying in that,
> tolerance or encouragement from one's partner (wife
> or girlfriend)
> or doing without a partner or wife (certainly that
> is the easiest way),
> a burning desire and need to soar,
> to rise up upon the sky
> and
> to rise with wings like eagles.
>
> It is my opinion that the taste of The Fruits of The
> Sky to be squeezed and distilled from gliding are to
> be savored and enjoyed much and bountifully by a very
> dedicated few who are committed for the long term.
>
>
> I do not want it that way yet believe it is that way.
>
>
> We do not want to restrict our joy of gliding and soaring
> to ourselves,
> and many selflessly share it,
> yet it remains scarcely tasted and appreciated.
> For few are they who would seek to become vintners
> in this joy, willing to plant, to till and to reap
> a harvest and to distill it into the cognac of great
> excellence after much practice and waiting and even
> apparent wasted efforts.
>
> We are who we are welcoming all comers, yet how many
> will come?
>
> With kindest regards to all.
>
> Dancing on clouds,
>
> Keep it up!
>
> Jim Culp USA
> GatorCity Florida
> Asw-20C
>
Yes, it belongs with the seekers.

[Dave Martin]

For once Jim you have made some sense.

Somehow we need to sell the concept that gliding is
about enjoying and experiencing the enviroment we live
in through flight and that whatever your 'flying' aspirations,
gliding and soaring can fulfil most of them.

Dave Martin


At 06:54 14 November 2004, F.L. Whiteley wrote:
>
>'Jim Culp' wrote in message
...
>> A Posit:
>>
>> If a sudden miracle of economics or foreign exchange
>> rates occurred, and gliders that now cost US $130,000
>> - $150,000 or more delivered to USA with trailers
>>and
>> instruments were made available at US $30,000 - $50,000
>> I do not believe it would substantially increase the
>> number of glider pilots in the USA.
>>
>> Think now, for a moment. Is that shocking?
>>
>> Consider this. This is significant.
>>
>> The Premise: A hundred thousand dollar reduction on
>> cost of gliders yet in response to that the glider
>> population in USA would not increase significantly.
>>
>>
>> Why?
>>
>> It is because the appeal of glider flight is to a
>>very
>> special self- selecting population.
>>
>> Do you believe that?
>> I do.
>>
>> While essentially simple in some respects, glider
>>flight
>> requires considerable dedication of thought, experience,
>> practice and frequency, physical risk, equipment risk,
>> money;
>>
>> it requires an appreciation of the beauty and forces
>> of the sky in a way that is appreciated and valued
>> by very few.
>>
>> For in this USA most are accustomed to an
>> Instant Gratification World
>> and to
>> Spectator Enjoyments
>> at no personal risk;
>>
>> Further, significant gliding requires
>> time,
>> patience,
>> long term ambition,
>> long term skill building,
>> mistakes along the way,
>> skinned knees,
>> grease on shirts,
>> lifting wings, putting together, and taking apart
>> ones good glider daily ordiinarily,
>> hours and hours in hot sun and glorying in that,
>> tolerance or encouragement from one's partner (wife
>> or girlfriend)
>> or doing without a partner or wife (certainly that
>> is the easiest way),
>> a burning desire and need to soar,
>> to rise up upon the sky
>> and
>> to rise with wings like eagles.
>>
>> It is my opinion that the taste of The Fruits of The
>> Sky to be squeezed and distilled from gliding are
>>to
>> be savored and enjoyed much and bountifully by a very
>> dedicated few who are committed for the long term.
>>
>>
>> I do not want it that way yet believe it is that way.
>>
>>
>> We do not want to restrict our joy of gliding and
>>soaring
>> to ourselves,
>> and many selflessly share it,
>> yet it remains scarcely tasted and appreciated.
>> For few are they who would seek to become vintners
>> in this joy, willing to plant, to till and to reap
>> a harvest and to distill it into the cognac of great
>> excellence after much practice and waiting and even
>> apparent wasted efforts.
>>
>> We are who we are welcoming all comers, yet how many
>> will come?
>>
>> With kindest regards to all.
>>
>> Dancing on clouds,
>>
>> Keep it up!
>>
>> Jim Culp USA
>> GatorCity Florida
>> Asw-20C
>>
>Yes, it belongs with the seekers.
>
>
>

[Ian Cant]

At 03:30 14 November 2004, Jim Culp wrote:
>
>The Premise: A hundred thousand dollar reduction on
>cost of gliders yet in response to that the glider
>population in USA would not increase significantly.
>
>
>Why?
>
>It is because the appeal of glider flight is to a very
>special self- selecting population.
>
>Do you believe that?
>I do.

I agree. But I also believe that the proportion of
such people in the USA at least equals that in Germany
or Poland. And for some of us, money does make a marginal
difference.

Ian

[Matt Michael]

Dave Martin > wrote in message >...
> For once Jim you have made some sense.
>
> Somehow we need to sell the concept that gliding is
> about enjoying and experiencing the enviroment we live
> in through flight and that whatever your 'flying' aspirations,
> gliding and soaring can fulfil most of them.
snip

Soaring is a wilderness experience. That concept appeals to many.

Matt Michael

[COLIN LAMB]

I would like to suggest why soaring is dwindling. In the modern era of
instant gratification, how many people want to go around in a circle at 40
mph, without going anywhere in particular?

Although I like going low and slow, I admit I am a bit different. I get a
kick out of spending $200 an hour to hover in a helicopter 3 feet way from
where I started while not being able to take my hand off the controls to
wipe my runny nose. Let it drip.

The secret is not to make the sport cheaper, but make it more exciting (I am
a rabble rouser at heart). And, get rid of the tow pilot. What about a
steam catapult, to rocket the passenger up at rocket ship speed, then let
him glide back to earth in a ship with a L/D of 6. The less lift, the
faster they come down and the more often you can rent the ship out to make
money. I would plunk down $200 for a 10 minute ride, then spend 20 minutes
to get it ready for another launch. If they are small, they can have a
ballistic parachute attached when something bad happens. With enough money
coming in, business people will buy then and set up their own parks. We can
promote it by saying that we are getting people ready for space travel.

Or for a more exciting ride, how about a hydrazine rocket - well guess
Germany already tried that.

Colin N12HS


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----------
Dans l'article et>,
"COLIN LAMB" > a écrit :


> ...
> The secret is not to make the sport cheaper, but make it more exciting (I am
> a rabble rouser at heart). And, get rid of the tow pilot. What about a
> steam catapult, to rocket the passenger up at rocket ship speed, then let
> him glide back to earth in a ship with a L/D of 6. The less lift, the
> faster they come down and the more often you can rent the ship out to make
> money. I would plunk down $200 for a 10 minute ride, then spend 20 minutes
> to get it ready for another launch. If they are small, they can have a
> ballistic parachute attached when something bad happens. With enough money
> coming in, business people will buy then and set up their own parks. We can
> promote it by saying that we are getting people ready for space travel.
>
> Or for a more exciting ride, how about a hydrazine rocket - well guess
> Germany already tried that.
> ...

I am doing the best I can to promote our sport, this includes spending money
to get my instructor rating and instructing for free as this is the most
frequent case here in France. However this is in some way completely egoist.
I know that I will be able to continue to fly gliders only if a sufficient
number of pilots continue to do it, so I have to help if I want that our
sport don't vanish. However the kind of flight you are describing in your
post has very few to do with soaring as I like it. It may bring some money
to some commercial operator but I think it has no interest for me nor for
the gliding community as it is presently. It would rather be an
inconvenience for traditional gliding, as it would take some space and some
money which could otherwise be used in our sport.