To the soaring community,

In the interests of full disclosure, I have known Tim for 14 years now starting at the age of 14. When I was in high school and flight computers were first becoming commonplace I worked for Tim as everyone in the soaring community adapted to the new racing rules and no one could make a serial port work, except for a 14 year old nerdy kid... This led to some of his clients flying me out to their homes and spending a day doing on site training with them. It was a great business for a 14-18 year old, and taught me many of the important business skills I use today in the Venture Capital industry. In fact, I'm sure I got some early internships / jobs because of these early entrepreneurial experiences.

Tim helped me find, buy and restore several gliders when I was "wet behind the ears." Without his help, encouragement, and convincing of my parents that gliders held their value (and actually I've made a profit on every glider I've owned, thanks to Tim's advice), I probably wouldn't have gotten far in soaring as I have, and doubt I would still be involved. He built me new panels, traded me instruments, sold me everything I've ever purchased at his cost (and sometimes below.) Furthermore, Tim has been the seed that has kept soaring together in Western New York / Northwest PA, helped found the very successful Brokenstraw soaring club, sold the club an L-23 that he owned right after our L-13 was grounded for $20k, when there were numerous, not nearly as nice models, listed on his website for $40k or more. Thank you Tim. I, and many others, owe you more than you could ever know.

On to the current situation. Soaringcafe.com started their want ads by "scraping" Tim's ads. Every glider that went up magically appeared on Soaringcafe.com. This is truly unfortunate, because I have otherwise found Soaringcafe.com to be an excellent resource with great content. But in this case, they clearly crossed a line to seed their own want ads by stealing from Tim's 10+ (maybe 15) year program of providing this service for free in order to drive more traffic to their (Soaringcafe.com) site that appears to be a money-making effort, based on their numerous ad placements. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference between this and the SSA attempting to put Hawke Tracking out of business. It also appears that some of the same people may have been involved. While there has been much questioning of Tim's character, no one seems to have asked the opposite questions...

If you talk to just about anyone in the soaring community, they have bought and sold gliders off the W&W want ads. Imitators have come and gone, but the W&W ads are still there because they have high traffic and a history of success. If I had a choice of listing on W&W or EVERYWHERE else, I would choose W&W, and I think most would as well.

Finally, having literally spent 100s of hours with Tim at W&W, you would have no idea how many times glider repair shops and experienced pilots have called Tim looking for a specific part, often not even knowing what they are looking for. A question of "What model, what year, ect." will result in a "you need an XYZ type hydraulic line at this length." Tim has probably owned more than 50 gliders (has anyone else in world owned more?), and is an encyclopedia of knowledge of what works with what, especially with the older, smaller production gliders where it is nearly impossible to get support.

I know that most business owners in the Soaring community work very hard for what they earn. It has not been uncommon for me to stop by Tim's at 7am while he is on the phone with Germany or at 10pm making sure a package can be overnighted to a hotel in NYC first thing in the morning where a foreign airline pilot is staying.

Tim's policy was not created out of thin air with some sort of malicious intent, but was rather a response to Soaringcafe.com stealing his ads. He did what any person who was essentially having material stolen from him probably would. I hope this helps set the record straight and provides a better insight into Tim's character for those of you who are new to the Soaring community and are wondering who to deal with to meet your needs.

Best regards,

Kevin Christner

I like many others understand that the glider community is small, and perhaps getting smaller. In trying to sell my glider, I placed an ad on Tim Mara's Wings and Wheels. He states on his website that he offers this for free to help the community. Or so I thought.



Selling a glider is a difficult task, especially in this economy and to a niche interest group. As for me, I'm buying a new glider and need funding from the sale of my present ship. I do all this on a tight budget. So letting the soaring community know about my offering is a marketing effort of importance and I know that to be successful, I need to cover the bases. Not everyone will see an ad in one given location. Coverage is the issue.



I've placed the same advertising offering on SoaringCafe.com's marketplace page. I used the same information there as I did on Wings and Wheels. I've also put the same details here on RAS, and I will likely put them on the SSA paid website marketing pages and anywhere else I feel is appropriate for seeking buyers. I simply want to sell my glider.



I've been a customer of Tim's and have spent a lot of money with his enterprise. Which is why I was stunned when he emailed me back saying I cannot duplicate my ad on SoaringCafe and he would pull mine off Wings and Wheels if I didn't discontinue the SoaringCafe ad. His message was "I don't allow it"...period.



Why would someone who should know the value of a customer, and the small scale of our community, do that? Anyone know why? When I called him he was indignant and said the policy was in his reply email to me AFTER the ad went up. Such a policy is not stated ANYWHERE on his website. It makes no sense since SoaringCafe is not in competition with Wings and Wheels other than advertising other vendors, who pay for that visibility. SoaringCafe's web presence it different.



Tim notified me yesterday that the ad was being removed since I hadn't complied with his demand (24 hours after making it). In calling him to discuss it, he was indignant with me, refused to listen, and hung up. Nice going Tim, you just lost a customer who will now exercise his consumer rights and inform the community of your detrimental decision that undermines my effort to sell my glider. And yes, I will use the internet bully pulpit to let the community know of your attitude towards that community. Hats of to SoaringCafe and goodbye to Wings and Wheels. Honoring and valuing your customers doesn't seem to be in Tim's business plan. I can't think of a worse business attitude.



Beware soaring community of those who make it tough on you…like hanging up on you and not listening. Instead, patronize those who go the extra mile and work with you.



Bob DeLeon

Glider pilot and owner since 1997