SSA Convention - Memphis [Archive]

Nyal Williams

February 12th 07, 12:07 AM

For my money, the biggest piece of news was a discussion
in the club and chapters meeting.

The users' fees is a really big threat this time and
the AOPA officer who made the presentation did a good
job of pointing out that traffic reporting, angel flights,
police helicoptering, hospital helicoptering, crop
dusting, and all sorts of other flying outside military/airline
aviation will be drastically affected and that all
of this will have huge effect on the non-flying public.

Get ready to bombard senators and representatives with
a huge letter campaign a few weeks before voting on
this issue takes place!

At 19:42 11 February 2007, Bumper wrote:
>I just got back to Nevada from the convention at 1AM
>this morning. It was
>sure good to see so many friends, soaring people, gliders
>and stuff - - best
>part seeing so many friends!.
>
>I know Kempton Izuno will be writing a piece on the
>convention, along with
>video and pics. Since I'm still tired, and in no way
>could I ever compete
>with Kemp's writing style . . . I'll wait for his input
>(grin).
>
>all the best,
>
>bumper
> wrote in message
oups.com...
>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update
>>on the SSA
>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance?
>>How were the
>> seminars and of course, was there any 'breaking news'
>>on new
>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>
>
>
>

Nyal Williams

February 12th 07, 12:11 AM

Join AOPA if you are not already a member. This organization
is on top of this issue and perhaps offers our best
hope if we cooperate with them. They have the news
in real time and will make suggestions about how to
proceed.

Besides that, if you are a member at $40 you can get
a 5% discount on your insurance.

At 19:42 11 February 2007, Bumper wrote:
>I just got back to Nevada from the convention at 1AM
>this morning. It was
>sure good to see so many friends, soaring people, gliders
>and stuff - - best
>part seeing so many friends!.
>
>I know Kempton Izuno will be writing a piece on the
>convention, along with
>video and pics. Since I'm still tired, and in no way
>could I ever compete
>with Kemp's writing style . . . I'll wait for his input
>(grin).
>
>all the best,
>
>bumper
> wrote in message
oups.com...
>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update
>>on the SSA
>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance?
>>How were the
>> seminars and of course, was there any 'breaking news'
>>on new
>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>
>
>
>

ContestID67

February 12th 07, 12:45 AM

My highlights were as follows;

- The Antarres battery powered motorglider. Very quiet and incredibly
easy to use along with being a great glider. Will their use in a
contest be problematic as the motor doesn't make enough noise to be
recorded?

- The Sinha deturbulator testing. Just the opposite of a tubulator
strip. This is a thin strip of mylar with embedded capillary tubes.
You place it on the upper wing right where laminar flow separates.
Dick Johnson reported something like a 7% increase in L/D on an older
wing profile. It even worked on a mini-van. This could be something
very big.

- The EW Microrecorder. A great little self contained FAI recorder
which is perfect for club use.

- The WWII Glider Pilot's dinner and movie. Great stuff!

- Picking up a Diana2 wing. Wow, is that light.

- All the vintage gliders on the floor.

- 501 (c) 3 Charity designation for a glider club.

- Old friends and new friends.

Frank Whiteley

February 12th 07, 03:21 AM

On Feb 11, 5:45 pm, "ContestID67" > wrote:
> My highlights were as follows;
>
> - The Antarres battery powered motorglider. Very quiet and incredibly
> easy to use along with being a great glider. Will their use in a
> contest be problematic as the motor doesn't make enough noise to be
> recorded?
>
> - The Sinha deturbulator testing. Just the opposite of a tubulator
> strip. This is a thin strip of mylar with embedded capillary tubes.
> You place it on the upper wing right where laminar flow separates.
> Dick Johnson reported something like a 7% increase in L/D on an older
> wing profile. It even worked on a mini-van. This could be something
> very big.
>
> - The EW Microrecorder. A great little self contained FAI recorder
> which is perfect for club use.
>
> - The WWII Glider Pilot's dinner and movie. Great stuff!
>
> - Picking up a Diana2 wing. Wow, is that light.
>
> - All the vintage gliders on the floor.
>
> - 501 (c) 3 Charity designation for a glider club.
>
> - Old friends and new friends.

Much of the above and the I liked the simulator demo and thoughts
behind it by YSA. Must say our Canadian cousins were very much
involved this year.

[email protected]

February 12th 07, 06:43 PM

On Feb 11, 9:21 pm, "Frank Whiteley" > wrote:
> On Feb 11, 5:45 pm, "ContestID67" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > My highlights were as follows;
>
> > - The Antarres battery powered motorglider. Very quiet and incredibly
> > easy to use along with being a great glider. Will their use in a
> > contest be problematic as the motor doesn't make enough noise to be
> > recorded?
>
> > - The Sinha deturbulator testing. Just the opposite of a tubulator
> > strip. This is a thin strip of mylar with embedded capillary tubes.
> > You place it on the upper wing right where laminar flow separates.
> > Dick Johnson reported something like a 7% increase in L/D on an older
> > wing profile. It even worked on a mini-van. This could be something
> > very big.
>
> > - The EW Microrecorder. A great little self contained FAI recorder
> > which is perfect for club use.
>
> > - The WWII Glider Pilot's dinner and movie. Great stuff!
>
> > - Picking up a Diana2 wing. Wow, is that light.
>
> > - All the vintage gliders on the floor.
>
> > - 501 (c) 3 Charity designation for a glider club.
>
> > - Old friends and new friends.
>
> Much of the above and the I liked the simulator demo and thoughts
> behind it by YSA. Must say our Canadian cousins were very much
> involved this year.

yes i really enjoyed the convention again this year. Met a lot of
people who said "oh, you're that guy from RAS!" My StrePla badge
thing finally quit blinking, I put new batteries in it right before
Kempton's talk and when he turned out the lights I was nearly
blinded. Has been running non stop since and finally quit sometime
between 9AM and 12 noon today.

Richard[_1_]

February 14th 07, 02:00 AM

I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.

The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
Convention would be every two years.

Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
attendence figures?

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni

[email protected]

February 14th 07, 02:28 AM

On Feb 13, 8:00 pm, "Richard" > wrote:
> I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>
> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
> Convention would be every two years.
>
> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
> attendence figures?
>
> Richardwww.craggyaero.com
>
> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>
> > As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
> > convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
> > seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
> > equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
> > Thanks - Renny Rozzoni

I've heard that as well. Too bad really, I enjoy seeing friends every
year.

IMO if they would lower the cost for the thing they would draw a lot
more people. That is the single biggest thing that holds me back.
Usually I am able to secure a free airplane ride to wherever the
convention is and crash in someones hotel room or a friends house.

The 50 dollar suppers are great to attend, but dang, 50 bucks is
usually what I budget for more than a weeks worth of eating, not one
meal. In the past, when astronauts have been speaking, ive swallowed
the cost. not this year.

-Broke College Kid, CFI

[email protected]

February 14th 07, 02:46 AM

Annual Conventions are not helping to grow the sport....they consume
time, energy and money that the SSA could probably be used elsewhere.
No one is getting less busy these days, and soaring is time consuming
enough just trying to get out to the airport and commit aviation.
It's not as if there exists tremendous advances from one year to the
next. I know this has been batted around before, but I think the
sport could survive with a convention every 24 months.

And while we are on the subject of sacred cows, does the SSA really
need a hard-copy magazine? I get 95% percent of my information on
soaring online, and glancing over the mag does not hold the same
interest it once did. OLC, BlipMaps, RAS, the SSA website, the
various websites for clubs and national organizations, the Yahoo
Groups...all seem to prosper online, as well as commercial vendors.
Why is "Soaring" and exception to this?

[email protected]

February 14th 07, 05:27 AM

There were discussions at the SSA board meeting in Albuquerque last
fall regarding a convention every two years, but I am not aware of any
final board decision. As far as I know, the 2008 Albuquerque
Convention is still "on" and hopefully, we will have a successful and
well attended convention in the "Land of Enchantment."
Thanks - Renny Rozzoni - Albuquerque, NM

On Feb 13, 7:00 pm, "Richard" > wrote:
> I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>
> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
> Convention would be every two years.
>
> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
> attendence figures?
>
> Richardwww.craggyaero.com
>
> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>
>
>
> > As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
> > convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
> > seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
> > equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
> > Thanks - Renny Rozzoni- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Tim Mara

February 14th 07, 04:35 PM

You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
that matter the past few conventions..
I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard the
same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4 years
ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very much in
favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past management
(Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big (only) event and
fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs don't fall on the SSA
but on the vendors and members and though in past history the local
sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from the conventions, the SSA
pretty much took this over and collected these funds (who knows where these
went since the SSA is essentially broke and begging for more member and
advertiser funds and costs...)
The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries need
immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years re-do's for
the most part. Few of these are little more than a few hocking their
products and tend to be more late night infomercials than comparisons or
help sessions.
The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like myself
are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to leave
behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made up
somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere down the
line which I would prefer not to do.
If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job of
their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and attendance
will certainly improve making these better events.....
Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who then
might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used glider sales
and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to put soaring
interest back into the hands of the members and businesses that keep things
rolling the other 362 days a year!
Tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

"Richard" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>
> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
> Convention would be every two years.
>
> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
> attendence figures?
>
> Richard
> www.craggyaero.com
>
>
>
> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>
>

Bill Daniels

February 14th 07, 07:12 PM

I agree with what Tim said.

However, it should be noted that not every member attends every convention.
I tend to go every three or four years and then only if it is in the western
US. If it were to be held bi-annually, this may mean that I go only every
five or six years. A risk is that with bi-annual conventions, regions would
step in and hold off-year affairs that vendors might feel compelled to
attend which would increase their business cost. We need to be careful what
we wish for.

I like one idea Tim proposed which is to locate conventions at glider
operations where fllight demonstrations are possible. If this could be an
inexpensive location in the central US, so much the better.

Bill Daniels

"Tim Mara" > wrote in message
...
> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
> that matter the past few conventions..
> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard the
> same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4 years
> ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very much in
> favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past management
> (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big (only) event
> and fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs don't fall on the
> SSA but on the vendors and members and though in past history the local
> sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from the conventions, the
> SSA pretty much took this over and collected these funds (who knows where
> these went since the SSA is essentially broke and begging for more member
> and advertiser funds and costs...)
> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries
> need immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years
> re-do's for the most part. Few of these are little more than a few hocking
> their products and tend to be more late night infomercials than
> comparisons or help sessions.
> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like myself
> are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to leave
> behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made up
> somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere down the
> line which I would prefer not to do.
> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job
> of their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and
> attendance will certainly improve making these better events.....
> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who then
> might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used glider
> sales and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to put
> soaring interest back into the hands of the members and businesses that
> keep things rolling the other 362 days a year!
> Tim
> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com
>
> "Richard" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>
>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>> Convention would be every two years.
>>
>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>> attendence figures?
>>
>> Richard
>> www.craggyaero.com
>>
>>
>>
>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>>> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>
>>
>
>

[email protected]

February 14th 07, 07:59 PM

Excellent comments! We've had some discussions in recent months about
the idea of having a convention at an "actual" soaring site where
gliders can easily be displayed and actual demo rides could be
conducted. For example, we've always thought that Moriarty, NM could
be a great location. We have a large airport with plenty of room for
gliders, displays, room for tents, glider tie-downs, etc, etc. only 30
miles from Albuquerque. We also have the US Southwest Soaring Museum
with 2 buildings on the airport property that could be used for
seminars. In addition, we have the huge main SW Soaring museum
building in town (3 miles away) that could be used for various
functions and displays. There are also numerous hotels and restaurants
in Moriarty (again 3 miles from the airport) where folks could stay
and eat at very reasonable prices. Finally, as you know, we also have
fairly "decent" soaring at Moriarty..... Food for thought!
Thanks - Renny

On Feb 14, 9:35 am, "Tim Mara" > wrote:
> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
> that matter the past few conventions..
> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard the
> same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4 years
> ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very much in
> favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past management
> (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big (only) event and
> fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs don't fall on the SSA
> but on the vendors and members and though in past history the local
> sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from the conventions, the SSA
> pretty much took this over and collected these funds (who knows where these
> went since the SSA is essentially broke and begging for more member and
> advertiser funds and costs...)
> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries need
> immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years re-do's for
> the most part. Few of these are little more than a few hocking their
> products and tend to be more late night infomercials than comparisons or
> help sessions.
> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like myself
> are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to leave
> behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made up
> somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere down the
> line which I would prefer not to do.
> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job of
> their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and attendance
> will certainly improve making these better events.....
> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who then
> might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used glider sales
> and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to put soaring
> interest back into the hands of the members and businesses that keep things
> rolling the other 362 days a year!
> Tim
> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website atwww.wingsandwheels.com
>
> "Richard" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
>
>
> >I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
> > as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>
> > The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
> > Convention would be every two years.
>
> > Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
> > attendence figures?
>
> > Richard
> >www.craggyaero.com
>
> > On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
> >> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
> >> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
> >> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
> >> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
> >> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Tim Mara

February 14th 07, 09:27 PM

sounds like a great way to move things "forward" !
best regards
tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Excellent comments! We've had some discussions in recent months about
> the idea of having a convention at an "actual" soaring site where
> gliders can easily be displayed and actual demo rides could be
> conducted. For example, we've always thought that Moriarty, NM could
> be a great location. We have a large airport with plenty of room for
> gliders, displays, room for tents, glider tie-downs, etc, etc. only 30
> miles from Albuquerque. We also have the US Southwest Soaring Museum
> with 2 buildings on the airport property that could be used for
> seminars. In addition, we have the huge main SW Soaring museum
> building in town (3 miles away) that could be used for various
> functions and displays. There are also numerous hotels and restaurants
> in Moriarty (again 3 miles from the airport) where folks could stay
> and eat at very reasonable prices. Finally, as you know, we also have
> fairly "decent" soaring at Moriarty..... Food for thought!
> Thanks - Renny
>
> On Feb 14, 9:35 am, "Tim Mara" > wrote:
>> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
>> that matter the past few conventions..
>> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard
>> the
>> same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4
>> years
>> ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very much in
>> favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past management
>> (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big (only) event
>> and
>> fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs don't fall on the SSA
>> but on the vendors and members and though in past history the local
>> sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from the conventions, the
>> SSA
>> pretty much took this over and collected these funds (who knows where
>> these
>> went since the SSA is essentially broke and begging for more member and
>> advertiser funds and costs...)
>> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
>> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries
>> need
>> immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years re-do's
>> for
>> the most part. Few of these are little more than a few hocking their
>> products and tend to be more late night infomercials than comparisons or
>> help sessions.
>> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like
>> myself
>> are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to leave
>> behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made up
>> somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere down
>> the
>> line which I would prefer not to do.
>> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job
>> of
>> their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and
>> attendance
>> will certainly improve making these better events.....
>> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
>> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
>> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who
>> then
>> might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used glider
>> sales
>> and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to put soaring
>> interest back into the hands of the members and businesses that keep
>> things
>> rolling the other 362 days a year!
>> Tim
>> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website atwww.wingsandwheels.com
>>
>> "Richard" > wrote in message
>>
>> oups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> >I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>> > as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>
>> > The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>> > Convention would be every two years.
>>
>> > Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>> > attendence figures?
>>
>> > Richard
>> >www.craggyaero.com
>>
>> > On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>> >> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>> >> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>> >> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>> >> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>> >> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>

Berry

February 14th 07, 10:12 PM

In article . com>,
wrote:

> On Feb 13, 8:00 pm, "Richard" > wrote:
> > I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
> > as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
> >
> > The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
> > Convention would be every two years.
> >
> > Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
> > attendence figures?
> >
> > Richardwww.craggyaero.com
> >
> > On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
> >
> > > As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
> > > convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
> > > seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
> > > equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
> > > Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>
> I've heard that as well. Too bad really, I enjoy seeing friends every
> year.
>
> IMO if they would lower the cost for the thing they would draw a lot
> more people. That is the single biggest thing that holds me back.
> Usually I am able to secure a free airplane ride to wherever the
> convention is and crash in someones hotel room or a friends house.
>
> The 50 dollar suppers are great to attend, but dang, 50 bucks is
> usually what I budget for more than a weeks worth of eating, not one
> meal. In the past, when astronauts have been speaking, ive swallowed
> the cost. not this year.
>
> -Broke College Kid, CFI

SSA board of directors discussed this at the convention. SSA is going to
go with the convention every other year, starting AFTER the Albuquerque
convention and to fall on years when the Europeans are not having their
big sport aviation convention. This is to make life easier on the
vendors in the U.S. and abroad.

It is likely that an off year meeting of some sort will be held, maybe
with limited vendor participation, or not (I need my notes from the BOD
meeting to remember correctly). The off year meeting will consist of
presentations and may be called, get this, "Soaring Symposia" after the
famous Ed Byars/Bill Holbrook symposia (as suggested by Cindy Brickner).
I think this would be a wonderful idea.

SSA'ers can contact their regional directors for more information. I
would also urge SSA'ers to go to the SSA website and subscribe to the
SSA email news updates. If all 12k members were subscribed, it would
save the organization many thousands of dollars in mailing costs. SSA is
very judicious about sending these out, so don't worry about a bunch of
crap in your inbox. Here's the url to subscribe:

http://www.ssa.org/members/enewsletter/enewsletter.asp

Berry

February 14th 07, 10:32 PM

In article . com>,
wrote:

> Annual Conventions are not helping to grow the sport....they consume
> time, energy and money that the SSA could probably be used elsewhere.
> No one is getting less busy these days, and soaring is time consuming
> enough just trying to get out to the airport and commit aviation.
> It's not as if there exists tremendous advances from one year to the
> next. I know this has been batted around before, but I think the
> sport could survive with a convention every 24 months.
>
> And while we are on the subject of sacred cows, does the SSA really
> need a hard-copy magazine? I get 95% percent of my information on
> soaring online, and glancing over the mag does not hold the same
> interest it once did. OLC, BlipMaps, RAS, the SSA website, the
> various websites for clubs and national organizations, the Yahoo
> Groups...all seem to prosper online, as well as commercial vendors.
> Why is "Soaring" and exception to this?

I think the handwriting is on the wall. Most hardcopy publications are
going to go away in favor of electronic versions. SOARING will not be an
exception. I just don't think that day is yet at hand. Heck, the NY
Times says they may not be publishing hard copy in 5 years! I rather
doubt that, but that is the trend. At present though, I don't think we
are at the point of going totally electronic...yet. I too get the vast
majority of my information from electronic media, though I still
subscribe to my local daily fishwrapper and I still (irrationally) like
getting that copy of SOARING in the mail. Physical books and magazines
still hold some advantages over electronic media in ease of use,
portability, access, and longevity. I can read SOARING by candle light
when my rural electric co-op goes out (which it does a least twice a
month). The hard copy mag still arguably has some recruiting value as
well. Most of the electronic media related to soaring are aimed at those
of already in the know. The hardcopies of SOARING cluttering coffee
tables at FBO's are a good thing in that they grab an outsider's
attention and maybe encourage that person to try out soaring. Not that
an electronic version of SOARING could not be made yet more valuable as
a recruiting tool. But, that is already happening to an extent with the
great improvements in the SSA website.

Fly safely and have fun!

Wallace Berry

Ramy

February 15th 07, 12:14 AM

On Feb 13, 6:46 pm, wrote:
> And while we are on the subject of sacred cows, does the SSA really
> need a hard-copy magazine? I get 95% percent of my information on
> soaring online, and glancing over the mag does not hold the same
> interest it once did. OLC, BlipMaps, RAS, the SSA website, the
> various websites for clubs and national organizations, the Yahoo
> Groups...all seem to prosper online, as well as commercial vendors.
> Why is "Soaring" and exception to this?

Here goes my restroom reading... I guess I will have to bring my
laptop...

Ramy

Eric Greenwell

February 15th 07, 12:27 AM

Berry wrote:

>
> It is likely that an off year meeting of some sort will be held, maybe
> with limited vendor participation, or not (I need my notes from the BOD
> meeting to remember correctly). The off year meeting will consist of
> presentations and may be called, get this, "Soaring Symposia" after the
> famous Ed Byars/Bill Holbrook symposia (as suggested by Cindy Brickner).
> I think this would be a wonderful idea.

I like this idea of a off year symposia. If you don't need the exhibit
space the way current conventions do, there are a lot more, and cheaper,
places it could be held.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

309

February 15th 07, 06:04 AM

Tim Mara wrote:

> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who then
> might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used glider sales
> and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to put soaring
> interest back into the hands of the members and businesses that keep things
> rolling the other 362 days a year!
>

How about trying for a compromise?

Since Soaring is usually fairly distant from city centers (for obvious
reasons) and city centers draw more people/spectators (for silly
reasons), why not try to find a balance, with a soaring site (even if
it's a "limited" soaring site) within a few minutes of a "city
center?"

Yeah, I'm in SoCal, and I like the Ontario (CA) center...why not
consider using the Long Beach Convention Center and make arrangements
with the Los Alamitos JFTB CAP club for winching and towing? They're
maybe 15 minutes (okay, call it 20 or 30) from the Long Beach
Convention Center (where AOPA and other organizations have held
wonderful conventions), Disneyland, Universal Studios, Hollywierd and
Beverly Hills are not too far away (for spouses and such). Heck, the
Society of Experimental Test Pilots is holding their annual symposium
at Disneyland now, since the Boneventure got ridiculous...and it
works, since it's a family setting!!! Think of it: a time for glider
pilots to repay the crews for the (otherwise) thankless service!!!

Tim is on to something: put the convention where the PILOTS aren't
stuck in workshop seats all weekend long, and get a chance to put
their butts in seats they're more accustomed to: Glider Seats!

Then again, that would make too much sense.

Thanks anyway, Tim...in my mind, YOU belong in the Soaring Hall of
Fame for the service you've provided to thousands of us glider
pilots...common sense being one of many commodities you give to the
sport.

-Pete
#309

Vaughn Simon

February 15th 07, 11:07 AM

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> And while we are on the subject of sacred cows, does the SSA really
> need a hard-copy magazine?

Yes.

It is the only regular, tangible benefit of membership. Without it, I
would not even consider being an SSA member. I read about 1% of the online
"newsletters" available to me, but I am pretty good about reading my monthly
print magazines.

Vaughn

February 15th 07, 04:19 PM

On Feb 14, 11:04 pm, "309" > wrote:
> Since Soaring is usually fairly distant from city centers (for obvious
> reasons) and city centers draw more people/spectators (for silly
> reasons), why not try to find a balance, with a soaring site (even if
> it's a "limited" soaring site) within a few minutes of a "city
> center?"

Tucson Soaring Club put on a convention back in 197? and we had all
day ops at the airport while to convention was in progress. Drive was
about 20 minutes between convention center and Ryan Field. I recall
an acro show with Pilatus and the American Eaglet doing a demo. Rest
of the time was just folks going up for a ride, so the target audience
was not exactly what we're talking about, but I also saw a few
seasoned pilots at the airport.

-Tom

Jack[_1_]

February 15th 07, 04:45 PM

Tim,

I heartily agree. I hope that your suggestions will bear fruit,
especially the last one about reestablishing the connection between
soaring and the rest of aviation by using an airport site in future.

Jack

--------------

Tim Mara wrote:

> ...change these to every two years.

> ...very little changes in Soaring over the course of one year.

> The costs for vendors is very high...and that means higher
> costs for our customers.

> ...more new and exciting products will be displayed and attendance
> will certainly improve making these better events.

> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or
> soaring site...we can...have flying exhibits and shows, make these
> inviting for [others] who then might become interested in soaring,
> we could have on-site used glider sales...and start to put soaring
> interest bacl into the hands of the members and businesses that
> keep things rolling the other 362 days a year!

Mike Schumann

February 15th 07, 05:53 PM

I would have gone this year, but I was in Europe.

What would really get me to go is if it was located somewhere where flying
was part of the program. In particular, I would be interested in doing some
hands on winch launching.

Mike Schumann

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Feb 13, 8:00 pm, "Richard" > wrote:
>> I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>
>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>> Convention would be every two years.
>>
>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>> attendence figures?
>>
>> Richardwww.craggyaero.com
>>
>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>
>> > As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>> > convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>> > seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>> > equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>> > Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>
> I've heard that as well. Too bad really, I enjoy seeing friends every
> year.
>
> IMO if they would lower the cost for the thing they would draw a lot
> more people. That is the single biggest thing that holds me back.
> Usually I am able to secure a free airplane ride to wherever the
> convention is and crash in someones hotel room or a friends house.
>
> The 50 dollar suppers are great to attend, but dang, 50 bucks is
> usually what I budget for more than a weeks worth of eating, not one
> meal. In the past, when astronauts have been speaking, ive swallowed
> the cost. not this year.
>
> -Broke College Kid, CFI
>

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Mike Schumann

February 15th 07, 05:55 PM

The frustrating thing is that the SSA doesn't even have pdf versions
on-line, so that those of us who don't keep our copies, can't go back and
look up old articles. As a first step, all new issues should be available
on-line as pdfs.

Mike Schumann

"Berry" > wrote in message
...
> In article . com>,
> wrote:
>
>> Annual Conventions are not helping to grow the sport....they consume
>> time, energy and money that the SSA could probably be used elsewhere.
>> No one is getting less busy these days, and soaring is time consuming
>> enough just trying to get out to the airport and commit aviation.
>> It's not as if there exists tremendous advances from one year to the
>> next. I know this has been batted around before, but I think the
>> sport could survive with a convention every 24 months.
>>
>> And while we are on the subject of sacred cows, does the SSA really
>> need a hard-copy magazine? I get 95% percent of my information on
>> soaring online, and glancing over the mag does not hold the same
>> interest it once did. OLC, BlipMaps, RAS, the SSA website, the
>> various websites for clubs and national organizations, the Yahoo
>> Groups...all seem to prosper online, as well as commercial vendors.
>> Why is "Soaring" and exception to this?
>
> I think the handwriting is on the wall. Most hardcopy publications are
> going to go away in favor of electronic versions. SOARING will not be an
> exception. I just don't think that day is yet at hand. Heck, the NY
> Times says they may not be publishing hard copy in 5 years! I rather
> doubt that, but that is the trend. At present though, I don't think we
> are at the point of going totally electronic...yet. I too get the vast
> majority of my information from electronic media, though I still
> subscribe to my local daily fishwrapper and I still (irrationally) like
> getting that copy of SOARING in the mail. Physical books and magazines
> still hold some advantages over electronic media in ease of use,
> portability, access, and longevity. I can read SOARING by candle light
> when my rural electric co-op goes out (which it does a least twice a
> month). The hard copy mag still arguably has some recruiting value as
> well. Most of the electronic media related to soaring are aimed at those
> of already in the know. The hardcopies of SOARING cluttering coffee
> tables at FBO's are a good thing in that they grab an outsider's
> attention and maybe encourage that person to try out soaring. Not that
> an electronic version of SOARING could not be made yet more valuable as
> a recruiting tool. But, that is already happening to an extent with the
> great improvements in the SSA website.
>
>
> Fly safely and have fun!
>
> Wallace Berry

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Mike Schumann

February 15th 07, 05:59 PM

Winch launching should be a standard feature at every such convention!

Mike Schumann

"Bill Daniels" <bildan@comcast-dot-net> wrote in message
...
>I agree with what Tim said.
>
> However, it should be noted that not every member attends every
> convention. I tend to go every three or four years and then only if it is
> in the western US. If it were to be held bi-annually, this may mean that
> I go only every five or six years. A risk is that with bi-annual
> conventions, regions would step in and hold off-year affairs that vendors
> might feel compelled to attend which would increase their business cost.
> We need to be careful what we wish for.
>
> I like one idea Tim proposed which is to locate conventions at glider
> operations where fllight demonstrations are possible. If this could be an
> inexpensive location in the central US, so much the better.
>
> Bill Daniels
>
>
> "Tim Mara" > wrote in message
> ...
>> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
>> that matter the past few conventions..
>> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard the
>> same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4
>> years ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very
>> much in favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past
>> management (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big
>> (only) event and fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs
>> don't fall on the SSA but on the vendors and members and though in past
>> history the local sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from the
>> conventions, the SSA pretty much took this over and collected these funds
>> (who knows where these went since the SSA is essentially broke and
>> begging for more member and advertiser funds and costs...)
>> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
>> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries
>> need immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years
>> re-do's for the most part. Few of these are little more than a few
>> hocking their products and tend to be more late night infomercials than
>> comparisons or help sessions.
>> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like
>> myself are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to
>> leave behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made
>> up somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere down
>> the line which I would prefer not to do.
>> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job
>> of their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and
>> attendance will certainly improve making these better events.....
>> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
>> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
>> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who
>> then might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used
>> glider sales and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start to
>> put soaring interest back into the hands of the members and businesses
>> that keep things rolling the other 362 days a year!
>> Tim
>> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com
>>
>> "Richard" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>>
>>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>>> Convention would be every two years.
>>>
>>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>>> attendence figures?
>>>
>>> Richard
>>> www.craggyaero.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>>>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>>>> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>>>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>>>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Bill Daniels

February 16th 07, 08:22 PM

That might actually happen at Moriarty (Albuquerque) in '08. We need to get
a modern winch there.

Bill Daniels

"Mike Schumann" > wrote in message
.. .
> Winch launching should be a standard feature at every such convention!
>
> Mike Schumann
>
> "Bill Daniels" <bildan@comcast-dot-net> wrote in message
> ...
>>I agree with what Tim said.
>>
>> However, it should be noted that not every member attends every
>> convention. I tend to go every three or four years and then only if it is
>> in the western US. If it were to be held bi-annually, this may mean that
>> I go only every five or six years. A risk is that with bi-annual
>> conventions, regions would step in and hold off-year affairs that vendors
>> might feel compelled to attend which would increase their business cost.
>> We need to be careful what we wish for.
>>
>> I like one idea Tim proposed which is to locate conventions at glider
>> operations where fllight demonstrations are possible. If this could be
>> an inexpensive location in the central US, so much the better.
>>
>> Bill Daniels
>>
>>
>> "Tim Mara" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and for
>>> that matter the past few conventions..
>>> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard
>>> the same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and 4
>>> years ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were very
>>> much in favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past
>>> management (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big
>>> (only) event and fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs
>>> don't fall on the SSA but on the vendors and members and though in past
>>> history the local sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from
>>> the conventions, the SSA pretty much took this over and collected these
>>> funds (who knows where these went since the SSA is essentially broke and
>>> begging for more member and advertiser funds and costs...)
>>> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
>>> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries
>>> need immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years
>>> re-do's for the most part. Few of these are little more than a few
>>> hocking their products and tend to be more late night infomercials than
>>> comparisons or help sessions.
>>> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like
>>> myself are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to
>>> leave behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made
>>> up somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere
>>> down the line which I would prefer not to do.
>>> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better job
>>> of their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and
>>> attendance will certainly improve making these better events.....
>>> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or soaring
>>> site away from the downtown convention centers we can really move ahead,
>>> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for outsiders who
>>> then might become interested in saoring, we could have on site used
>>> glider sales and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!) and start
>>> to put soaring interest back into the hands of the members and
>>> businesses that keep things rolling the other 362 days a year!
>>> Tim
>>> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com
>>>
>>> "Richard" > wrote in message
>>> oups.com...
>>>>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>>>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>>>
>>>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>>>> Convention would be every two years.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>>>> attendence figures?
>>>>
>>>> Richard
>>>> www.craggyaero.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>>>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>>>>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>>>>> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>>>>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>>>>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>

Nyal Williams

February 16th 07, 08:47 PM

Will it be in Albuquerque (Why don't we just call it
Whitechurch) or in Moriarty? I'd sure like to see
the H125-Integrale winch in operation; My club might
buy one!

At 20:24 16 February 2007, Bill Daniels wrote:
>That might actually happen at Moriarty (Albuquerque)
>in '08. We need to get
>a modern winch there.
>
>Bill Daniels
>
>
>'Mike Schumann' wrote in message
.. .
>> Winch launching should be a standard feature at every
>>such convention!
>>
>> Mike Schumann
>>
>> 'Bill Daniels' wrote in message
>> ...
>>>I agree with what Tim said.
>>>
>>> However, it should be noted that not every member
>>>attends every
>>> convention. I tend to go every three or four years
>>>and then only if it is
>>> in the western US. If it were to be held bi-annually,
>>>this may mean that
>>> I go only every five or six years. A risk is that
>>>with bi-annual
>>> conventions, regions would step in and hold off-year
>>>affairs that vendors
>>> might feel compelled to attend which would increase
>>>their business cost.
>>> We need to be careful what we wish for.
>>>
>>> I like one idea Tim proposed which is to locate conventions
>>>at glider
>>> operations where fllight demonstrations are possible.
>>> If this could be
>>> an inexpensive location in the central US, so much
>>>the better.
>>>
>>> Bill Daniels
>>>
>>>
>>> 'Tim Mara' wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest
>>>>at this and for
>>>> that matter the past few conventions..
>>>> I made the suggestion to change these to every
>>>>two years and heard
>>>> the same from several others at the last conventions
>>>>I attended 3 and 4
>>>> years ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I
>>>>spoke with were very
>>>> much in favor of this idea, the SSA was not since
>>>>under the past
>>>> management (Management!!????) they saw the convention
>>>>as the SSA's big
>>>> (only) event and fat cow....However the sweat equity,
>>>>and most costs
>>>> don't fall on the SSA but on the vendors and members
>>>>and though in past
>>>> history the local sponsoring clubs stood to make a
>>>>decent profit from
>>>> the conventions, the SSA pretty much took this over
>>>>and collected these
>>>> funds (who knows where these went since the SSA is
>>>>essentially broke and
>>>> begging for more member and advertiser funds and costs...)
>>>> The fact remains though that very little changes
>>>>in Soaring over the
>>>> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions
>>>>or discoveries
>>>> need immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend
>>>>to be last years
>>>> re-do's for the most part. Few of these are little
>>>>more than a few
>>>> hocking their products and tend to be more late night
>>>>infomercials than
>>>> comparisons or help sessions.
>>>> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring
>>>>vendors like
>>>> myself are small operators (I do 100% of everything
>>>>here with no one to
>>>> leave behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The
>>>>costs have to be made
>>>> up somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers
>>>>somewhere
>>>> down the line which I would prefer not to do.
>>>> If conventions were done every other year vendors
>>>>can do a better job
>>>> of their end, more new and exciting products will
>>>>be displayed and
>>>> attendance will certainly improve making these better
>>>>events.....
>>>> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to
>>>>an airport or soaring
>>>> site away from the downtown convention centers we
>>>>can really move ahead,
>>>> have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting
>>>>for outsiders who
>>>> then might become interested in saoring, we could
>>>>have on site used
>>>> glider sales and even auctions (one of my really big
>>>>ideas!) and start
>>>> to put soaring interest back into the hands of the
>>>>members and
>>>> businesses that keep things rolling the other 362
>>>>days a year!
>>>> Tim
>>>> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 'Richard' wrote in message
>>>> oups.com...
>>>>>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were
>>>>>excellent, but
>>>>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence
>>>>>numbers.
>>>>>
>>>>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008
>>>>>convention, the
>>>>> Convention would be every two years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish
>>>>>the
>>>>> attendence figures?
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard
>>>>> www.craggyaero.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>>>>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an
>>>>>>update on the SSA
>>>>>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance?
>>>>>>How were the
>>>>>> seminars and of course, was there any 'breaking
>>>>>>news' on new
>>>>>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>>>>>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>>
>
>
>

Mike Schumann

February 16th 07, 10:12 PM

Even an older, well maintained, safe winch would be a huge plus.

Mike Schumann

"Bill Daniels" <bildan@comcast-dot-net> wrote in message
. ..
> That might actually happen at Moriarty (Albuquerque) in '08. We need to
> get a modern winch there.
>
> Bill Daniels
>
>
> "Mike Schumann" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Winch launching should be a standard feature at every such convention!
>>
>> Mike Schumann
>>
>> "Bill Daniels" <bildan@comcast-dot-net> wrote in message
>> ...
>>>I agree with what Tim said.
>>>
>>> However, it should be noted that not every member attends every
>>> convention. I tend to go every three or four years and then only if it
>>> is in the western US. If it were to be held bi-annually, this may mean
>>> that I go only every five or six years. A risk is that with bi-annual
>>> conventions, regions would step in and hold off-year affairs that
>>> vendors might feel compelled to attend which would increase their
>>> business cost. We need to be careful what we wish for.
>>>
>>> I like one idea Tim proposed which is to locate conventions at glider
>>> operations where fllight demonstrations are possible. If this could be
>>> an inexpensive location in the central US, so much the better.
>>>
>>> Bill Daniels
>>>
>>>
>>> "Tim Mara" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> You're not alone in reporting a general lack of interest at this and
>>>> for that matter the past few conventions..
>>>> I made the suggestion to change these to every two years and heard
>>>> the same from several others at the last conventions I attended 3 and
>>>> 4 years ago. Even at that time most of the vendors I spoke with were
>>>> very much in favor of this idea, the SSA was not since under the past
>>>> management (Management!!????) they saw the convention as the SSA's big
>>>> (only) event and fat cow....However the sweat equity, and most costs
>>>> don't fall on the SSA but on the vendors and members and though in past
>>>> history the local sponsoring clubs stood to make a decent profit from
>>>> the conventions, the SSA pretty much took this over and collected these
>>>> funds (who knows where these went since the SSA is essentially broke
>>>> and begging for more member and advertiser funds and costs...)
>>>> The fact remains though that very little changes in Soaring over the
>>>> course of one year. Few really new products, inventions or discoveries
>>>> need immediate attention....Talks and seminars tend to be last years
>>>> re-do's for the most part. Few of these are little more than a few
>>>> hocking their products and tend to be more late night infomercials than
>>>> comparisons or help sessions.
>>>> The costs for vendors is very high and most soaring vendors like
>>>> myself are small operators (I do 100% of everything here with no one to
>>>> leave behind to mind the store when I'm gone) The costs have to be made
>>>> up somewhere and that means higher costs for our customers somewhere
>>>> down the line which I would prefer not to do.
>>>> If conventions were done every other year vendors can do a better
>>>> job of their end, more new and exciting products will be displayed and
>>>> attendance will certainly improve making these better events.....
>>>> Now if we can only get the conventions moved to an airport or
>>>> soaring site away from the downtown convention centers we can really
>>>> move ahead, have flying exhibits and shows, make these inviting for
>>>> outsiders who then might become interested in saoring, we could have on
>>>> site used glider sales and even auctions (one of my really big ideas!)
>>>> and start to put soaring interest back into the hands of the members
>>>> and businesses that keep things rolling the other 362 days a year!
>>>> Tim
>>>> Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com
>>>>
>>>> "Richard" > wrote in message
>>>> oups.com...
>>>>>I thought the displays, the gliders and the talks were excellent, but
>>>>> as a vendor I was dissapointed with the attendence numbers.
>>>>>
>>>>> The rumor was floating around that after the 2008 convention, the
>>>>> Convention would be every two years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone have thoughts on this idea? Will the SSA publish the
>>>>> attendence figures?
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard
>>>>> www.craggyaero.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 11, 9:00 am, wrote:
>>>>>> As I was unable to attend, does anyone have an update on the SSA
>>>>>> convention? How did it all go? How was attendance? How were the
>>>>>> seminars and of course, was there any "breaking news" on new
>>>>>> equipment, software, sailplanes, etc?
>>>>>> Thanks - Renny Rozzoni
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>>
>
>

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