Common! We have 6x the population of the UK and 10x the wealth! Divide the U.S. into NE, SE, SC, SW, Great Lakes, and Mountian West, etc. 6 regions of our highest population density. Take out the entire center of the U.S.., forget about it. Distance is simply NOT AN EXCUSE for our low or non existent (in the case of Jr soaring) participation. We need to stop making excuses for our complete and utter failure at developing a vibrant and successful youth soaring culture in the USA. We need to accept this failure and change. We need to wake up and fix it. Complacency is not going to help us improve the situation.

Bottom line. Few care!

Cross country soaring and youth participation is the foundation of any healthy soaring community. We simply HAVE NO FOUNDATION anymore! XC is "the" goal to strive towards achieving in soaring. Pattern glider flying is unsustainable and uninspiring. The U.S. has become a country of pattern glider flying.

I wonder what percentage of UK instructors are highly experienced XC pilots vs US instructors. My guess. 85% in the UK vs 15% in the USA. I wonder how many XC hours a UK instructor hour flys per year (on average) vs a U.S. Instructor? Shouldn't a glider instructor have to have a 100km cross country every 2 years at minimum to remain. Urgent as a glider instrucor? Shouldn't a student be encouraged to ask their glider instructor how many XC flights they have competed in the last 1,2,5 years and what their OLC URL is so they can see how experienced they are?

What a shame for potential U.S. Jr pilots.