Tom Gardner wrote:

My daughter has found that her schoolfriends (and people
in general) don't have any concept whatsoever about
gliding and aviation. They are astounded to find that
- you don't have to be a professional nor an adult to fly
- you can go solo before you can get in a car
- going solo is probably cheaper than learning to drive a car
- aerobatics are possible
Shame.

I suspect that the rise and rise of mass air travel might have something
to do with this. Its managed to convert the wonderful experience of
flying into a humdrum experience that's almost indistinguishable from
traveling by rail or bus. Wait, there is one differentiator: all
passengers having a view out is usual in road and rail travel.

The other problem, of course, is that the Noise Police have managed to
drive all GA activity well away from towns: out of site == out of mind.

My club gets a steady feed of students from the local university, but
then it is an offshoot of the long-established university gliding club
and maintains the association.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |