Hi Glen,

The other posters have done a great job of explaining the nature and
history of the ASA. I have a few comments from a slightly different
perspective since I do not race.

I took up the sport of soaring seven years ago and took my instruction
at Turf. I was absolutely hooked on the sport, and soon yearned to go
beyond the local area. After buying my first ship, a PW5 (hardly
expensive), I was ready to go. The staff at Turf does not engage in xc
training; a close friend of ours in Sedona (former National level
competition pilot)spent time teaching me the basics of xc flying. I
was encouraged to join the ASA and many of the ASA pilots also gave me
help and advice...all you have to do is ask.

On competition days, the pilots that are racing are very focused
people, as well they should be...a lot of information is being
processed regarding the task, weather and all the other stuff which
goes into intense xc competition, and yes these guys/gals are intense
competitors. While they are preparing for or doing a competitive
flight they are focused on the flight and nothing else...catch them
when they land or when they are doing their regular xc flights and
you'll not find a better bunch of people to socialize with. The same
is true in any competitive sport...competitors need to focus on the
event and nothing else. A cursory glance at the cumulative scores for
the ASA 2003 competitions, show that 8 pilots entered 10 or more of
the events, and another 15 pilots flew in 1 or more, but less than 10
events.

There are a number of pilots in the ASA like myself that do not race
at all. XC flying is what I live for in the sport and in the last 2
years I have logged over 21,000 xc miles. Whether you race or not, if
you fly xc, speed and management of the flight is critical if you are
going to fly long flights...there isn't a person I know in the ASA who
isn't willing to help a new member out; the mentoring clinics the ASA
sponsers are focused on racing and it is a good way to learn the
basics and management of xc flying even if you do not intend to race.

Join the club, come on out and introduce yourself, meet the pilots,
ask for help and join in the fun. You will find pilots who have the
same interests you do, whether it is competition, aerobatics, xc
flying or just hanging around the local area. We have great people who
would like to share the skies with you, so c'mon out and join us.

Ted
AZ2