Back in the last millenium when I learned to soar at Estrella (1974 or 5?
without looking at my log) they had a very large billboard on I-10 at the
turn-off to Maricopa that had a giant 2-32 on it and I'm sure that's what
caught my eye (and everyone else's) on trips to Tuscon or other points
south. I would bet that billboard provided them a lot of ride business, as
well as the occasional student through private certificate. I think it was
an hour's drive from Mesa, maybe more.

Today I drive almost 3 hours one way each weekend over a mountain range to
Ephrata, but the soaring is well worth it. I used to drive over an hour from
home in CT to Wurtsboro for some pretty good soaring in the early season,
but not nearly as good and consistent as the conditions at Ephrata
year-round. In Belgium, it was at least 2 hours from Tervuren to the
Kortrijk Glider Club.

Like many hobbies and sports, it's impossible to rationally justify the time
and cost of soaring, you just have to like doing it. I mean - one could be
into Formula car or J-boat racing or camp-cruising in Wayfarers - the time
commitment and cost may be similar depending on the toy.

Jim


"Ted Wagner" wrote in message
news:1106885548.221f54f69f4f905d8b35a85cbdd020a2@t eranews...
Peter - that may explain why there are fewer gliderports, but not fewer
pilots.

I live in Phoenix, which has for 30ish years now has enjoyed the presence
of Turf Soaring on the northwest side and Estrella on the south. If
anything they should be enjoying more business, not less, especially
considering the order of magnitude growth in the area since those
operations began. I've previously stated on this newsgroup my opinions on
why participation in the sport is declining and won't repeat them here,
but I believe it has little to do with urban expansion. Much more to do
with numbers of military trained pilots since WWII and competition from
other sports. It ain't as easy to become a pilot as it used to be, either.

Anecdote: when I started gliding lessons in Fall 2003, I did so at
Estrella, which was closest to my home in Tempe. I've been an active
skydiver in southern AZ since 1988 and in all that time I had never heard
of Arizona Soaring or Estrella Sailport. No print or radio advertisement,
not even any tourist-visit-us brochures in the rack of them you see in
hotel lobbies. I was greatly surprised that in 15 years I had never heard
of Estrella, and it was in my own backyard. In fact, the only reason I
knew about it was that my boss had started flying there earlier in the
year!

Anecdote 2: In my hotel room here at the Marriott TownePlace Suites in
Hawthorne, CA, there is a rack of sight-seers brochures in the lobby.
There is a brochure for Skydive Elsinore, energetically touting the reader
to make a parachute jump. There is gliderport at the same field, and
another one at Warner Springs less than an hour away. But no brochures
from either gliderport in the rack. Why not?

-Ted in Tempe

"Peter Gadd" wrote in message
...
I think part of the reason for the decline in soaring
is the rapid expansion of urban areas, I used to fly
back in teh 70s, and there were 3 gliderports within
an hours drive. They have all closed due to the expansion
of suburbia. The closest field with decent soaring
is now over 2 hours away each way. That takes 4 hours
out of a weekend day just to drive! After a grueling
week at work, spending a half day in a car driving
to & from a gliderport is more than I can take. I
will be retiring soon, and intend to jump back in,
but I'm already spending at least 2 hrs a day commuting,
and I can't stand the thought of doubling that on weekends!