is the US sailplane fleet shrinking?

[[email protected]]

I have found a very interesting article by Paul Schweizer in the
September 1990 issue of Soaring, titled "Is the U.S. Sailplane Fleet
Shrinking?" In it, the author discussed his fear that the answer is
Yes. He based this on a survey of the number of sailplanes that were
imported, and another survey of the number of classified ads for
sailplanes published in Soaring. In the first case, the number of
sailplanes imported had dropped precipitously from more than 140 in
1984 to less than twenty in 1989. The number of ads had also dropped
form a high of about 2000 in 1986 to less than 1000 in 1989.

According to the author, in 1989, there were 20 sailplanes exported
(with zero domestic production), 14 were lost to attrition, and 15 were
imported, for a net loss to the fleet of 19 aircraft. He cautioned that
accurate figures were not available for homebuilts, but he doubted that
the number of completed projects was even close to enough to make up
that number.

The article was written in 1990. Does anyone have more recent
information about this?

Johan Larson

[Ian Cant]

To my mind, the important number is not how many sailplanes
there are in the country, but how many have flown in
the last year or so. The ranks of the trailer queens
seem to be expanding.

Ian




At 03:24 08 May 2006, wrote:
>I have found a very interesting article by Paul Schweizer
>in the
>September 1990 issue of Soaring, titled 'Is the U.S.
>Sailplane Fleet
>Shrinking?' In it, the author discussed his fear that
>the answer is
>Yes. He based this on a survey of the number of sailplanes
>that were
>imported, and another survey of the number of classified
>ads for
>sailplanes published in Soaring. In the first case,
>the number of
>sailplanes imported had dropped precipitously from
>more than 140 in
>1984 to less than twenty in 1989. The number of ads
>had also dropped
>form a high of about 2000 in 1986 to less than 1000
>in 1989.
>
>According to the author, in 1989, there were 20 sailplanes
>exported
>(with zero domestic production), 14 were lost to attrition,
>and 15 were
>imported, for a net loss to the fleet of 19 aircraft.
>He cautioned that
>accurate figures were not available for homebuilts,
>but he doubted that
>the number of completed projects was even close to
>enough to make up
>that number.
>
>The article was written in 1990. Does anyone have more
>recent
>information about this?
>
>Johan Larson
>
>

[[email protected]]

Its true ! Due to the import of many 13-meter ships.
We aim however to stop the trend by importing lots
of Antares 20E at 20-meter span.

See ya, Dave ;-)

> I have found a very interesting article by Paul Schweizer in the
> September 1990 issue of Soaring, titled "Is the U.S. Sailplane Fleet
> Shrinking?" In it, the author discussed his fear that the answer is
> Yes.

[GK]

With the dollar being so low comparing to anything else - except maybe
Peso. I doubt if We buy much of anything made in EU...

[[email protected]]

I've been reminded that fleet shrinkage is also
due to the Sparrowhawk...

See ya, Dave...

[Frank Whiteley]

A PIK-20B from our club is headed for Canada to join another PIK-20B
that departed our club 3-4 years ago.

Frank Whiteley
Colorado

[Frank Whiteley]

The Collegiate Soaring Association will find a happy home for those.

Frank

Ian Cant wrote:
> To my mind, the important number is not how many sailplanes
> there are in the country, but how many have flown in
> the last year or so. The ranks of the trailer queens
> seem to be expanding.
>
> Ian
>
>
>
>
> At 03:24 08 May 2006, wrote:
> >I have found a very interesting article by Paul Schweizer
> >in the
> >September 1990 issue of Soaring, titled 'Is the U.S.
> >Sailplane Fleet
> >Shrinking?' In it, the author discussed his fear that
> >the answer is
> >Yes. He based this on a survey of the number of sailplanes
> >that were
> >imported, and another survey of the number of classified
> >ads for
> >sailplanes published in Soaring. In the first case,
> >the number of
> >sailplanes imported had dropped precipitously from
> >more than 140 in
> >1984 to less than twenty in 1989. The number of ads
> >had also dropped
> >form a high of about 2000 in 1986 to less than 1000
> >in 1989.
> >
> >According to the author, in 1989, there were 20 sailplanes
> >exported
> >(with zero domestic production), 14 were lost to attrition,
> >and 15 were
> >imported, for a net loss to the fleet of 19 aircraft.
> >He cautioned that
> >accurate figures were not available for homebuilts,
> >but he doubted that
> >the number of completed projects was even close to
> >enough to make up
> >that number.
> >
> >The article was written in 1990. Does anyone have more
> >recent
> >information about this?
> >
> >Johan Larson
> >
> >

[Shawn]

Frank Whiteley wrote:
> A PIK-20B from our club is headed for Canada to join another PIK-20B
> that departed our club 3-4 years ago.

My Mosquito headed there in January.

Shawn

[Charles Petersen]

The Canadian $ has appreciated from US$0.62 in 2000, to a recent high of
US$0.90 +. Makes those used US gliders cheaper. Keep 'em coming...


"Shawn" <sdotherecurry@bresnannextdotnet> wrote in message
...
> Frank Whiteley wrote:
>> A PIK-20B from our club is headed for Canada to join another PIK-20B
>> that departed our club 3-4 years ago.
>
> My Mosquito headed there in January.
>
> Shawn