What percentage of USA glider pilots compete?

[Jeremy Zawodny]

I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
that's anywhere close to being accurate.

Jeremy
HpH 304C #62

[[email protected]]

Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
> are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
> amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
> that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>
> Jeremy
> HpH 304C #62

Do you mean "compete", or "fly in contests" ?
Best Regards, Dave "YO" ;-)

PS: Remember that competition drives the glider technology and
the used ships available to the market...

[Udo]

592 ranked pilots are listed

[Jeremy Zawodny]

wrote:
> Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
>> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
>> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
>> are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
>> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
>> amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
>> that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>>
>> Jeremy
>> HpH 304C #62
>
> Do you mean "compete", or "fly in contests" ?

Good point. :-) Just because one flies in a contest does not mean he's
competitive, I guess.

>
> PS: Remember that competition drives the glider technology and
> the used ships available to the market...

The same has been true for gaming and the personal computer industry for
a long time.

FWIW, I'm not trying to dispute the validity of that coverage or
discourage anyone from documenting contests, I'm simply trying to find
the reality behind it.

Jeremy

[Marc Ramsey]

Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
> FWIW, I'm not trying to dispute the validity of that coverage or
> discourage anyone from documenting contests, I'm simply trying to find
> the reality behind it.

Udo already provided half of the answer (592 pilots/teams have
participated in at least one SSA sanctioned contest in the past 3
years). Now all you need to do is figure out how many active glider
pilots there are in the US...

Marc

[HL Falbaum]

I have no factual data, but this is r.a.s. afterall!

The number I keep hearing is about 10-15 thousand.

Why is it important to know the percentage?

To quote from (IIRC) Morris Garage (MG) "Competition improves the breed!"
Flying technique and Technology benefit.

--
Hartley Falbaum
DG800B "KF" USA




"Marc Ramsey" > wrote in message
...
> Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
>> FWIW, I'm not trying to dispute the validity of that coverage or
>> discourage anyone from documenting contests, I'm simply trying to find
>> the reality behind it.
>
> Udo already provided half of the answer (592 pilots/teams have
> participated in at least one SSA sanctioned contest in the past 3 years).
> Now all you need to do is figure out how many active glider pilots there
> are in the US...
>
> Marc

[toad]

On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
> > FWIW, I'm not trying to dispute the validity of that coverage or
> > discourage anyone from documenting contests, I'm simply trying to find
> > the reality behind it.
>
> Udo already provided half of the answer (592 pilots/teams have
> participated in at least one SSA sanctioned contest in the past 3
> years). Now all you need to do is figure out how many active glider
> pilots there are in the US...
>
> Marc

The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
2005.

Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.

Now how many of those members were active ?

Todd Smith
3S

[Stewart Kissel]

And also factor in that there are active glider pilots
who don't belong to the SSA.

[Tim Mara]

I'd bet this number is less than 1%!
tim

"Jeremy Zawodny" > wrote in message
...
> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests are
> less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the amount
> of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if that's
> anywhere close to being accurate.
>
> Jeremy
> HpH 304C #62

[[email protected]]

On Mar 28, 2:38 pm, "HL Falbaum" > wrote:
> To quote from (IIRC) Morris Garage (MG) "Competition improves the breed!"

Improved so much that what happened ?
Hint: Check the past day's news for a reminder...

[Jeremy Zawodny]

toad wrote:
> On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
> 2005.
>
> Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>
> Now how many of those members were active ?

Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
that 30-40% of them are inactive.

Jeremy

[Jeremy Zawodny]

HL Falbaum wrote:
> I have no factual data, but this is r.a.s. afterall!
>
> The number I keep hearing is about 10-15 thousand.
>
> Why is it important to know the percentage?

It is not important.

Jeremy

[HL Falbaum]

OK--just curious.

--
Hartley Falbaum
"Jeremy Zawodny" > wrote in message
...
> HL Falbaum wrote:
>> I have no factual data, but this is r.a.s. afterall!
>>
>> The number I keep hearing is about 10-15 thousand.
>>
>> Why is it important to know the percentage?
>
> It is not important.
>
> Jeremy
>

[Eric Greenwell]

> "Jeremy Zawodny" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
>> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests are
>> less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
>> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the amount
>> of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if that's
>> anywhere close to being accurate.

Tim Mara wrote:
> I'd bet this number is less than 1%!

If Udo's count of 592 pilots is correct, that would suggest 60,000 USA
based glider pilots, truly good news for the sport!

In Region 8, about 20-30 pilots show up for our Regional. I'm sure there
aren't 2000-3000 glider pilots in the Region, but more like 300, perhaps
400.

--
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

[[email protected]]

If anything I think you are underestimating the percentage who are
inactive.

My estimates are 5 to 6 thousand active glider pilots in the US.


On Mar 28, 12:35 pm, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
> toad wrote:
> > On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> > The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
> > 2005.
>
> > Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>
> > Now how many of those members were active ?
>
> Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
> that 30-40% of them are inactive.
>
> Jeremy

[Papa3]

A potentially more interesting (and much less knowable) number would
be what percentage of the total time flown is flown by competition
pilots. I think that might give a more accurate picture. Or
not...

P3

On Mar 28, 5:08 pm, wrote:
> If anything I think you are underestimating the percentage who are
> inactive.
>
> My estimates are 5 to 6 thousand active glider pilots in the US.
>
> On Mar 28, 12:35 pm, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
>
>
>
> > toad wrote:
> > > On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> > > The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
> > > 2005.
>
> > > Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>
> > > Now how many of those members were active ?
>
> > Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
> > that 30-40% of them are inactive.
>
> > Jeremy- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[[email protected]]

An even better metric would be percentage of miles flown.

On Mar 28, 5:56 pm, "Papa3" > wrote:
> A potentially more interesting (and much less knowable) number would
> be what percentage of the total time flown is flown by competition
> pilots. I think that might give a more accurate picture. Or
> not...
>
> P3
>
> On Mar 28, 5:08 pm, wrote:
>
> > If anything I think you are underestimating the percentage who are
> > inactive.
>
> > My estimates are 5 to 6 thousand active glider pilots in the US.
>
> > On Mar 28, 12:35 pm, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
>
> > > toad wrote:
> > > > On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> > > > The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
> > > > 2005.
>
> > > > Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>
> > > > Now how many of those members were active ?
>
> > > Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
> > > that 30-40% of them are inactive.
>
> > > Jeremy- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -

[[email protected]]

On Mar 28, 12:54 pm, wrote:
> Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
> > I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> > pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
> > are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> > pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
> > amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
> > that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>
> > Jeremy
> > HpH 304C #62
>
> Do you mean "compete", or "fly in contests" ?
> Best Regards, Dave "YO" ;-)
>
> PS: Remember that competition drives the glider technology and
> the used ships available to the market...

Excellent Point Dave. You get guys like me, with state of the art
gliders, and top notch piloting skills. Better watch out at the
Region 7 Sports Class. Im going to put big Slow Moving Vehicle Orange
triangles on the rudders and then fly in a sideslip the whole time so
that you can see me way out in front. If your battery dies and you
have to land out Ill come get you dont worry :)

And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.

[Bruce]

Papa3 wrote:
> A potentially more interesting (and much less knowable) number would
> be what percentage of the total time flown is flown by competition
> pilots. I think that might give a more accurate picture. Or
> not...
>
> P3
>
> On Mar 28, 5:08 pm, wrote:
>
>>If anything I think you are underestimating the percentage who are
>>inactive.
>>
>>My estimates are 5 to 6 thousand active glider pilots in the US.
>>
>>On Mar 28, 12:35 pm, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>toad wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
>>>>The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
>>>>2005.
>>
>>>>Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>>
>>>>Now how many of those members were active ?
>>
>>>Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
>>>that 30-40% of them are inactive.
>>
>>>Jeremy- Hide quoted text -
>>
>>- Show quoted text -
>
>
>
Maybe not significant - I am a "casual" competitor in that I only fly regionals,
and have a club class ship.

I fly one day most weekends - am an instructor at a little club, so will put in
at least two or three instruction flights per day at the field. When I get a
chance, I strap the Std Cirrus on and go XC.

I do have the GNSS logger and PDA and contest number abnd FAI license so I
suppose I am not that much of a dilletante but - basically I am a non-contest
pilot who occasionally competes.

Taking total flying time in last year an dividing by the time for the little bit
of competition flying I managed.

Contest Hours 51.92%
Contest Launches 14.29%

Contest flight duration 381.82% of Average

Contest flying pushes your boundaries. Teaches you things and most importantly
gets me flying - long challenging flights, instead of around the goldfish bowl
in a 30-40 year old vintage trainer.

Some are in a better position I am sure at their clubs.

[Al Eddie]

Jeremy.

I assume by 'coverage', you mean how much attention
comps get in the soaring press..?

That speaks for itself because competition is a big
happening in soaring, wherever we are.

It would be interesting to get some feedback from the
editors of Soaring, and/or S&G as to what percentage
of column inches is given to competition reports over
a year's worth of issues.

Just my 10c worth...

;o)





At 17:30 28 March 2007, Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
>I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage
>of USA based glider
>pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual
>club contests
>are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal
>contacts (the
>pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15%
>but given the
>amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting
>to wonder if
>that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>
>Jeremy
>HpH 304C #62
>

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand Binary, and those who don't.

[SAM 303a]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
> ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
> to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
> competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>

Hey, I resemble that remark! I did my Silver distance a few months before
my first contest. I did have an absolute ball and finished at the top of
the bottom quartile.

I don't understand the yahoo/crazy part of your comment. IMHO it is crazy
to compete against anyone but yourself. Maybe I'm crazy to think this, but
isn't it possible that some/many/all top competitors are always competing
against themselves and contests are just situations where many people are
gathered together, competing against themselves and comparing their
outcomes? I encourage folks to enter contests as early in their XC careers
as their comfort allows--not to win, that can come later, but to observe and
talk with more experienced pilots and to have the experience of flying to
your personal limits on several consecutive days--that alone will improve
your skills dramatically and you can't get that with weekend flying.

I suppose Dave Stevenson in his Fokka resembles the antique part of your
comment, but I imagine he's had his silver for quite some time and typically
finishes at the top of the top quartile.

[kirk.stant]

> I don't understand the yahoo/crazy part of your comment.

I think you may have missed the tongue in cheek part of Cherokee3's
remarks!

While I totally agree that during early contests, one should primarily
compete against themselves while learning from others, after some
experience is gained then one definetely competes against others
(while still learning on every flight)!

Which is why some of us dislike the recent trend towards short, AAT/
PST tasks on days that should call for a nice long AST. It dilutes
the experience of competing head to head agains other excellent
pilots.

Kirk
66

[[email protected]]

On Mar 29, 10:14 am, "SAM 303a" <brentDAHTsullivanATgmailDAHTcom>
wrote:
> > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
>
>
> > And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
> > ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
> > to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
> > competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>
> Hey, I resemble that remark! I did my Silver distance a few months before
> my first contest. I did have an absolute ball and finished at the top of
> the bottom quartile.
>
> I don't understand the yahoo/crazy part of your comment. IMHO it is crazy
> to compete against anyone but yourself. Maybe I'm crazy to think this, but
> isn't it possible that some/many/all top competitors are always competing
> against themselves and contests are just situations where many people are
> gathered together, competing against themselves and comparing their
> outcomes? I encourage folks to enter contests as early in their XC careers
> as their comfort allows--not to win, that can come later, but to observe and
> talk with more experienced pilots and to have the experience of flying to
> your personal limits on several consecutive days--that alone will improve
> your skills dramatically and you can't get that with weekend flying.
>
> I suppose Dave Stevenson in his Fokka resembles the antique part of your
> comment, but I imagine he's had his silver for quite some time and typically
> finishes at the top of the top quartile.

yea the comment was totally tongue in cheek. I actually do not have a
modern high performance ship OR expert piloting skills. But I am
putting Slow Moving Vehicle signs on the Rudder. In fact I fly a 1965
Cherokee II. Me and you both are flying low performance antiques in
contests. High Five! And I dont have my silver badge yet, but plan
to have it by the end of May so I can fly Region 7 Sports.

Dave doesnt have a Foka anymore, one of my good friends in our club
here bought it a few years ago. He is also a new XC pilot and also
plans to fly Region 7 this year in the Foka, his first contest as
well. Guys like Dave are our heroes though, didnt he rock a contest
out east last year in a Ka-6?

Tony

[Bruce Greef[_2_]]

wrote:
> On Mar 29, 10:14 am, "SAM 303a" <brentDAHTsullivanATgmailDAHTcom>
> wrote:
>
> wrote in message
>>
ups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
>>>ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
>>>to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
>>>competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>>
>>Hey, I resemble that remark! I did my Silver distance a few months before
>>my first contest. I did have an absolute ball and finished at the top of
>>the bottom quartile.
>>
>>I don't understand the yahoo/crazy part of your comment. IMHO it is crazy
>>to compete against anyone but yourself. Maybe I'm crazy to think this, but
>>isn't it possible that some/many/all top competitors are always competing
>>against themselves and contests are just situations where many people are
>>gathered together, competing against themselves and comparing their
>>outcomes? I encourage folks to enter contests as early in their XC careers
>>as their comfort allows--not to win, that can come later, but to observe and
>>talk with more experienced pilots and to have the experience of flying to
>>your personal limits on several consecutive days--that alone will improve
>>your skills dramatically and you can't get that with weekend flying.
>>
>>I suppose Dave Stevenson in his Fokka resembles the antique part of your
>>comment, but I imagine he's had his silver for quite some time and typically
>>finishes at the top of the top quartile.
>
>
> yea the comment was totally tongue in cheek. I actually do not have a
> modern high performance ship OR expert piloting skills. But I am
> putting Slow Moving Vehicle signs on the Rudder. In fact I fly a 1965
> Cherokee II. Me and you both are flying low performance antiques in
> contests. High Five! And I dont have my silver badge yet, but plan
> to have it by the end of May so I can fly Region 7 Sports.
>
> Dave doesnt have a Foka anymore, one of my good friends in our club
> here bought it a few years ago. He is also a new XC pilot and also
> plans to fly Region 7 this year in the Foka, his first contest as
> well. Guys like Dave are our heroes though, didnt he rock a contest
> out east last year in a Ka-6?
>
> Tony
>
One of my better memories is Brian mate's face when he worked out he had won the
day in his vintage Phöbus B at 97.5Km/h (OK it is largely glass and
theoretically 1:36 but still at only 85Km/h)

I remember him repeating, "I flew the paint off her" - with a seemingly
indelible grin on his face.
That day I averaged 95.4km/h and came sixth - 300 points adrift.

Here's the day.
http://www.sssa.org.za/GTR2006/results/69U_Club.htm

Club/sport class is a great place to learn , and it can get very competitive.
Which is also fun.

[J. Nieuwenhuize]

On 28 mrt, 19:27, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
> are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
> amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
> that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>
> Jeremy
> HpH 304C #62

In the Netherlands my estimate is we have about 200 pilots who have
flown multiple competitions in the past two years, including some
regional comps. That'd amount to 5% of the gliding community (those
who have the insurance) and about 10% of those with a gliding license.
Not too bad, but then we do have a lot of clubs with glass/carbon
where it is very common to take the club's ships to competitions.

J. Nieuwenhuize.

[Mike the Strike]

On Mar 28, 11:27 am, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
> I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
> are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
> amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
> that's anywhere close to being accurate.

As a member of the Arizona Soaring Association Contest Committee, I
can give you an estimate for our state. We have around 20 pilots who
regularly compete and perhaps somewhat fewer than 200 active pilots -
that's around 10%.

Mike

[[email protected]]

On Mar 29, 1:07 am, wrote:
> On Mar 28, 12:54 pm, wrote:
>
>
>
> > Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
> > > I'm curious to know if anyone knows what percentage of USA based glider
> > > pilots fly in official contests (less formal individual club contests
> > > are less interesting to me). If I were to use my personal contacts (the
> > > pilots I fly with), I'd put the number around 10-15% but given the
> > > amount of coverage given to competitions, I'm starting to wonder if
> > > that's anywhere close to being accurate.
>
> > > Jeremy
> > > HpH 304C #62
>
> > Do you mean "compete", or "fly in contests" ?
> > Best Regards, Dave "YO" ;-)
>
> > PS: Remember that competition drives the glider technology and
> > the used ships available to the market...
>
> Excellent Point Dave. You get guys like me, with state of the art
> gliders, and top notch piloting skills. Better watch out at the
> Region 7 Sports Class. Im going to put big Slow Moving Vehicle Orange
> triangles on the rudders and then fly in a sideslip the whole time so
> that you can see me way out in front. If your battery dies and you
> have to land out Ill come get you dont worry :)
>
> And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
> ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
> to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
> competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.

Careful, or I'll leave the Antares home and dust off the whale !
Flew that in the sports nationals a couple times but not
for a few years now...

[Wayne Paul]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> On Mar 29, 1:07 am, wrote:
>> On Mar 28, 12:54 pm, wrote:

>>
>> And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
>> ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
>> to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
>> competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>
> Careful, or I'll leave the Antares home and dust off the whale !
> Flew that in the sports nationals a couple times but not
> for a few years now...
>

David,

When you say "whale" are you referring to your RHJ-8?

I'd love to see it flying in a contest!

How about having someone take pictures of your 1.200 handicap RHJ-8 the next
time it is flown? It would be a nice addition to my RHJ picture collection?
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RHJ/C-FAJS/C-FAJS.htm
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RHJ/C-FAJT.html

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder

[[email protected]]

On Mar 31, 3:15 pm, "Wayne Paul" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> > On Mar 29, 1:07 am, wrote:
> >> On Mar 28, 12:54 pm, wrote:
>
> >> And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
> >> ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
> >> to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
> >> competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>
> > Careful, or I'll leave the Antares home and dust off the whale !
> > Flew that in the sports nationals a couple times but not
> > for a few years now...
>
> David,
>
> When you say "whale" are you referring to your RHJ-8?
>
> I'd love to see it flying in a contest!
>
> How about having someone take pictures of your 1.200 handicap RHJ-8 the next
> time it is flown? It would be a nice addition to my RHJ picture collection?http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RHJ/C-FAJS/C-FAJS.htmhttp://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RHJ/C-FAJT.html
>
> Wayne
> HP-14 "6F"http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder

Hi Wayne - Yup, but the RHJ-8 hasn't flown in some years and is
in bad need of a paint job ! IIRC last time was the Mifflin Sports
Nats in 1998 ? Highlight was getting George Moffat to sign my
copy of Winning the day I beat him ! I've not enough time to
work on it...
See ya, Dave

[[email protected]]

On Mar 31, 3:18 pm, wrote:
> On Mar 31, 3:15 pm, "Wayne Paul" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> > > On Mar 29, 1:07 am, wrote:
> > >> On Mar 28, 12:54 pm, wrote:
>
> > >> And of course you get these yahoos with 25:1 antique wood and fabric
> > >> ships who are crazy enough to sign up for a contest while only hoping
> > >> to get their silver badge in the next few months. Not gonna be
> > >> competitive, but I suppose they'll have fun.
>
> > > Careful, or I'll leave the Antares home and dust off the whale !
> > > Flew that in the sports nationals a couple times but not
> > > for a few years now...
>
> > David,
>
> > When you say "whale" are you referring to your RHJ-8?
>
> > I'd love to see it flying in a contest!
>
> > How about having someone take pictures of your 1.200 handicap RHJ-8 the next
> > time it is flown? It would be a nice addition to my RHJ picture collection?http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RHJ/C-FAJS/C-FAJS.htmhttp://www.soa...
>
> > Wayne
> > HP-14 "6F"http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder
>
> Hi Wayne - Yup, but the RHJ-8 hasn't flown in some years and is
> in bad need of a paint job ! IIRC last time was the Mifflin Sports
> Nats in 1998 ? Highlight was getting George Moffat to sign my
> copy of Winning the day I beat him ! I've not enough time to
> work on it...
> See ya, Dave

dont worry about it Dave. ill let you fly the Cherokee, I'll fly the
Antares. Itll be perfect.

Off to get that motorglider endorsement...

[[email protected]]

On Mar 28, 3:35 pm, Jeremy Zawodny > wrote:
> toad wrote:
> > On Mar 28, 2:13 pm, Marc Ramsey > wrote:
> > The soaring safety foundation website claims 12,512 SSA members in
> > 2005.
>
> > Which gives 4.7 % of SSA members competed in the last 3 years.
>
> > Now how many of those members were active ?
>
> Got it. For reasons I cannot justify, I'd make the wild-ass assumption
> that 30-40% of them are inactive.
>
> Jeremy

My first flight in a sailplane was in 1970. The argument about
competition coverage was going on in the 70's and it will probably pop
up as long as we have a Soaring magazine. There's a few points i'd
like to make.

If you have ever taken a history course, you've learned a lot about
wars. They are the most historical events, even if they are not
indicative of most of our daily lives.
The same can be said for the coverage of sailplane competitions. They
are the most newsworthy events in the sailplane world. When I think
of flying sailplanes, I think of lazy summer afternoon flights and
that's probably how most of us experience soaring. That doesn't mean
I don't want to hear about competitions.

Only a small percentage of pilots compete. Only a small percentage of
pilots can afford to compete. Of the remaining percentage of
sailplane pilots, many would compete if they could afford to, in both
time and money.

The number of pilots who compete does not represent the interest in
sailplane competiton. There are many people who are great fans of
football, basketball, baseball, etc but who are not competitors or
even interested in being competitors in these sports.