Words used in soaring markets and clubs

[fred]

Back in 1945 I discovered a glider being towed just above the Merrimac
river near the Missisissipi river south of St Louis. Te airport was
found, Starling airport.
Fwd to 1954. I had gotten mt pvt sel in 1947, and I wanted to fly
gliders again. Where and how to find them? It took more than a year to
find out that the headquarters of the SSA were less than 15 minutes
from my home.
The key word was "Soaring" and I didn't know it. Now it is still
difficult if you don't know the words.
Search for GLIDERS on the amazing internet and you get over a million
hits.
The responce on this group to the subject of declining membership and
business has been overwhelming and of great value.
Some of the Youth Camp Graduates of mine in the 60s and 70s are still
soaring...flying jumbo Jets and on and on.
No matter how the money is collected, investment by a glider school,
a club etc, the bills must be paid. In sunny and prosperous Southern
California, the airport land costs us $3,000 per month alone.
If we make 1 tow, the land cost is $3,000 per tow. If it were 3,000
towsper month, the price is only one dollar.
Go on with this thought. Pay for planes, labor taxes...Prices would be
lower if more people share the fixed costs, everyone would see lower
prices, better equipment and facilities and better people providing
service.
Help with marketing ideas and words that would find those who may be
searching.
Still loving the sport after 60 years. Fred Robinson.

[Nyal Williams]

Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most people
hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.

At 23:48 21 March 2007, Fred wrote:
>Back in 1945 I discovered a glider being towed just
>above the Merrimac
>river near the Missisissipi river south of St Louis.
>Te airport was
>found, Starling airport.
>Fwd to 1954. I had gotten mt pvt sel in 1947, and I
>wanted to fly
>gliders again. Where and how to find them? It took
>more than a year to
>find out that the headquarters of the SSA were less
>than 15 minutes
>from my home.
>The key word was 'Soaring' and I didn't know it. Now
>it is still
>difficult if you don't know the words.
>Search for GLIDERS on the amazing internet and you
>get over a million
>hits.
>The responce on this group to the subject of declining
>membership and
>business has been overwhelming and of great value.
>Some of the Youth Camp Graduates of mine in the 60s
>and 70s are still
>soaring...flying jumbo Jets and on and on.
> No matter how the money is collected, investment by
>a glider school,
>a club etc, the bills must be paid. In sunny and prosperous
>Southern
>California, the airport land costs us $3,000 per month
>alone.
>If we make 1 tow, the land cost is $3,000 per tow.
>If it were 3,000
>towsper month, the price is only one dollar.
>Go on with this thought. Pay for planes, labor taxes...Prices
>would be
>lower if more people share the fixed costs, everyone
>would see lower
>prices, better equipment and facilities and better
>people providing
>service.
>Help with marketing ideas and words that would find
>those who may be
>searching.
>Still loving the sport after 60 years. Fred Robinson.
>
>

[Tony Verhulst]

Nyal Williams wrote:
> Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most people
> hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
> saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.

So what's the problem with the term "sailplane"?

Tony V.

[[email protected]]

On Mar 21, 8:29 pm, Tony Verhulst > wrote:
> Nyal Williams wrote:
> > Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most people
> > hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
> > saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.
>
> So what's the problem with the term "sailplane"?
>
> Tony V.

One or two masts?

(Sorry. Couldn't help it. Your suggestion was excellent.)

[Nyal Williams]

Nothing at all, except that, like soaring, the general
public doesn't think of it. Re-read Fred's remark
about 'soaring.'

At 03:30 22 March 2007, Tony Verhulst wrote:
>Nyal Williams wrote:
>> Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most
>>people
>> hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
>> saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.
>
>So what's the problem with the term 'sailplane'?
>
>Tony V.
>

[fbrahic]

I'm 26, have been flying sailplanes for about a year, and absolutely
love it. I've always been obsessed with wanting to fly, and now that
I'm into sailplanes, I can't imagine doing it with an engine. The
thing is, most people my age who want to learn to fly think that a
cessna is the way to go. They hardly know what a sailplane is, and
even if they do, they think that an engine is clearly better than no
engine. People I know who fly power seem to enjoy it, but after the
initial fun wears off it's more of a practical thing than a real
thrill. Sailplane flying is flying purely for the sake of flying. Oh,
and it's usually much more affordable than power flying. Alot of
people that I know who want to fly don't do it, because they think
it's too expensive. If we could show these people that soaring is more
fun and actually affordable, we would be going great.

We need some great PR work! Someone out there must have some
connections/time/ressources to dedicate to this. I've seen the
articles that got published in the National Geographic decades ago.
What we need now is some fresh and current media coverage. A great
article in the lifestyle section of the NY Times, an episode of a TV
show on the Discovery channel,... Maybe even using Youtube as a
resource. There are already alot of great soaring videos on there. How
do we make sure the right people see them? How do we show these people
that this sport is actually accessible to them?

On Mar 21, 9:02 pm, Nyal Williams
> wrote:
> Nothing at all, except that, like soaring, the general
> public doesn't think of it. Re-read Fred's remark
> about 'soaring.'
>
> At 03:30 22 March 2007, Tony Verhulst wrote:
>
> >Nyal Williams wrote:
> >> Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most
> >>people
> >> hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
> >> saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.
>
> >So what's the problem with the term 'sailplane'?
>
> >Tony V.

[Ralph Jones[_2_]]

On 22 Mar 2007 01:04:22 GMT, Nyal Williams
> wrote:

>Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most people
>hear glider and think hang-glider.

I've heard a talking head say "helium-filled hot-air balloon", so I
guess it's hopeless...;-)

rj

[Andy[_1_]]

On Mar 21, 8:29 pm, Tony Verhulst > wrote:
> Nyal Williams wrote:
> > Excellent commentary. I find, however, that most people
> > hear glider and think hang-glider. I'm loathe to start
> > saying 'glider plane' but I might just do that.
>
> So what's the problem with the term "sailplane"?
>
> Tony V.

The problem with the term sailplane is that people think I go sailing
in it even though they know I I fly in it. Many times on a Monday
morning at work I've been asked if the sailing was good on the
weekend.

Andy