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Old January 10th 08, 04:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Club Glider Hangar?



As several others have commented my take would also be that the
motivation level of club members to get in the air and enjoy soaring
is not as high as it could be. I do believe that ready rigged gliders
are helpful, but at our club I can tell you that everyone of the
privately owned gliders has to be rigged each flying day and they are
enthusiastically . Sometimes one or other of the club gliders ( all
are assembled and in the hangar ) might not get taken out to the field
for flying ! The trainers usually are well used but the single seaters
are very poorly used, in fact we are selling one as we can't justify
having two .
Well done to the instructors who keep the enthusiasm level up with
students but shame on the rest of us for not encouraging and pushing
the post solo pilots into setting some goals like badge flying to help
them discover the FUN of leaving the field and cross country flying.
Over the years I have become convinced that one of the biggest dangers
for a club is to not spend time on encouraging new pilots and members
to seek improvements in their flying abilities.
Some ideas that have worked, and are aimed at better morale include:

* Encouraging Badge flying .
* Club boards posted in the hangar each new year for pilots to write
up good flights ( Best altitude , Best distance , Best
duration ,etc )
* Regular club contests ( modest cross country tasks , spot
landings ,etc )
* Taking new pilots on cross coutry flights in 2 seaters .

It might be worth considering a club member or two taking
responsibility for trying to promote some of these activities and
remember it's the next generation of soaring pilots that need to be
targetted . Good Luck.

Ron Clarke.