Greg Arnold wrote:
Also, I think airshow attendees who are not familiar with
gliding may get the impression that it consists of crazy
people who get towed into the air and then fly upside
down, which may actually hurt our recruitment rather
than help it.

I agree. To those who are not familiar with flying *and* even to some
who are familiar with powered flight but NOT with gliders, flying
something without an engine seems crazy enough, let alone doing
*aerobatics* in such a thing!

I think there should be glider representation at airshows ... just one
or two aerotows so that people can see that an aircraft without an
engine doesn't just fall to the ground the minute you release from the
tow, and that it can make a normal, controlled pattern and landing on a
designated runway. I work at a flight school (powered), and it's amazing
that even some CFIs think a glider pilot has little or no choice about
where to land, and they can't imagine making every approach without the
option to do a go-round! JMO, but I think there is substantial potential
for soaring by just educating power airplane people, especially those
who are instructing.

I have been especially frustrated the last couple of years at an annual
local airshow that focuses on aircraft that played a part in the wars,
without *a single mention* of or even a display of *pictures* of
gliders. I have cordially brought this to their attention, and they
wholeheartedly agree that gliders played a vital part in the war and
deserve a rightful place alongside the powered classics. But despite
their lip service and more than one offer on my part to do the research
and legwork so that appropriate glider representation could be included,
I have never been given the green light to even just bring them
something to consider.

Bottom line, many really don't take it seriously if there isn't a fan on
the nose.