On 3/24/2014 11:13 AM, wrote:
The Soaring Club of Houston is considering some changes in our operations
to create more of a club atmosphere with ownership for the club equipment.
Currently we have a scheduling system where a member can show up, fly the
glider, and leave. It is the daily crews responsibility to get the glider
ready and on the line, plus put it away at the end of the day. This does
not create any ownership in the gliders and as such they are not cared for
as they should. In fact some of us call it the rental car mentality.

It doesn't seem like we have much of a club culture but much more like a
commercial operation.

What are other club operations and culture around the world like?

Thanks, Tony TS1


Good for y'all for actively considering this "non-measurable" aspect of your
club! Too often, in American culture, it seems as if because something can't
easily be measured, the decision, "...therefore it must not be important,"
tags along.

To your question, my club (the Soaring Society of Boulder [SSB]) could easily
(have) fall(en) into that situation...and in my experience beginning ca.
1980-ish, HAS (so far, always successfully) countered periodic whining about
something built into our Bylaws designed to foster "clubbishness" (in the good
sense). In broad brush, SSB allows ship scheduling on weekdays, with no daily
time limit; one ship/scheduled per-person per-day. There are "warm and fuzzy
words" to "not overdo it, and be considerate of your fellow Club members," but
it's a very generous policy all things considered.

Weekends re completely different. On weekends (when most Club members can make
it to the field), "convenience membership" is actively discouraged by the
simple expedient of a "tow list"...

Prior to "likely soarable conditions" priority for two-seaters and tows are
given to instruction, but after a given clock time (varies winter-to-summer;
memory sez the summer time is 11AM), "the tow list" applies. It's a sign-up
sheet for tows. First come, first-served, private ship or Club ship. The honor
system applies in that if you leave the field prior to towing, your name
vanishes from the list...no exceptions. If you want a particular SSB ship on a
weekend, you're encouraged to so note on the list, since it allows people
behind you to know when they might move up a slot because your ship is still
aloft. That said, "the list" is NOT a Club SHIP signup list, so anyone behind
a list signee who doesn't verify the member whose tow would be next isn't OK
with taking some other ship, is being presumptuous-to-rude. Each Club ship
seat has - weekends only - a time-limit per Club member (again, varies
summer-to-winter). IOW, a Club two-seater with both seats occupied, but only
one by an SSB member, gets half the time it would if both seats were occupied
by Club members. Memory sez summer weekend club-member-seat time is 2 hours,
so significant soaring can be done.

Variously, as the fleet has varied/grown, one of the single-seaters can be
pre-scheduled for badge work, thus overriding the seat-time limit.

The system actually works quite well, and is definitely a long-standing part
of SSB's culture. IMO, SSB's system DOES contribute to "(good) clubbishness."

Reason for claiming SSB could easily have fallen into "the convenience trap"
is we're based on a municipal airport, within the town limits, the latter
within which many Club members reside. Those that don't often have a
time-significant (hour+) commute to the field. Hence very real potential for
conflict between "a convenience clique" and others, exists.

SSB also has an annual workday/cookout on a pre-designated (w. rain date)
Saturday, on which no Club tows are permitted. Those choosing not to attend
the work portion of the day (for any reason) are assessed a nominal ($10, so
far) fee on top of regular monthly dues. SSB reimburses all documented
facilities/ship expenditures.

Good luck with your club's efforts!

HTH,

Bob W.