"E. A. Grens" wrote:

I understand that you abandoned your winch. To me this is very sad, as the winch is a great way to be introduced to soaring.

Hello Ed,

In the spirit of cooperation and good-faith give-and-take negotiations
to effect a mutually acceptable operating agreement, the club did,
several years ago, accept mandatory use of radios (which we did
anyhow) and cessation of winch usage as "reasonable" terms and
conditions to operate at LGC.

Very shortly thereafter in 1999, the then club president received a
letter from the airport board that stated the board had "unaninmously
decided to terminate glider operations at LGC"..."in the interest of
flight safety".
So much for the good-faith negotiations.
Funny how up until that point there had been no accidents or incident
related to glider operations, and likewise after that date to this
point. Yet the local FAA has not seemed fit to verify the airport
board's claim of concern for "safety" as being nothing more than the
ruse that it is.

I hope your son had a good experience flying with the Southern Eagles.
He very well may come back to soaring at some point. I, myself, have
had two ten-year hiatuses from the sport only to come back full circle
to my flying roots. I now own a nice LS-4, am a member of a vibrant
club comprised of wonderful people, and I'll not take lightly any
attempts of some local political appointees on an ego trip and their
arrogant and ignorant airport manager to take away my right to operate
the aircraft of my choice at a publicly funded airport on the same
fair and equitable basis as any other user of the airport and its
facilities.

Sorry about the soapbox stand at the end...With my best regards,

Ray