On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 9:32:36 AM UTC-7, Gregg Ballou wrote:
I think it is mostly a time commitment issue. Going soaring is an all day long affair. I don't see a way around that unless you slip in late morning and skip out right after landing. Not that there are any soaring pilots that would do such a thing. Even such abhorrent behavior still would take up a good portion of the day, if such behavior existed.
The club model helps keep soaring costs down and enthusiastic fliers don't mind spending a day at the field. In the 21st century, though, it's a tough model to sell to some of the new generation as their attention span has got shorter and there are many other demands for their time. Just imagine trying to sell a driving school on the same model - you get to push cars around the parking lot for a day and then can practice driving for 20 minutes. With a bit of luck, you'll have your license in a few months!

The 2-33 (aka Gollywomper) may be a good old workhorse but it is hardly attractive to new fliers - a bit like practicing on a model T before you get to sit in a real car!

Mike