On 12 Nov 2003 00:42:29 -0800, (Clint) wrote:

There are lots of excellent gliding club websites and most of them
give an indication of the rates for flying. It struck me that the
Goldfields Gliding Club must have the cheapest rates currently
anywhere in the world. Entry fee is about $14, annual membership is
around $60, a winch launch costs less than $3 and an minute is $0.14
(including K7, K13, ASK 21, ASK 23, ASW 19 and ASW 20). Instruction is
by an instructors panel which includes national team members and world
record holders and is provided free of charge. The club owns its own
airfield with hangerage available for private gliders for $12/month
(thank goodness I don't have to rig my LAK every time I want to fly).
The club has no dept and we try to keep the rates as affordable for as
many people as possible.

$0.14 per minute... makes $8.40 per hour.
This translates into $420 per year for 50 hours. Add $60 for the
annual fee and, say, $175 for about 70 winch launches, you end up at
$655 per year.

Which is about twice the sum you'd have to pay at my club.

In my club any winch launch is free, as well as flying time. All you
have to pay is the anual fee of 128 EUR (64 EUR for students) and a
fee of 255 EUR (for 50 hours) that covers all winch launches and all
flying time.

We have ASK-21, DG-505, Ka-8b, 2*DG-300, ASW-24, ASW-27, Super Dimona,
Robin Remorqueur). We also own our airfield as well as three hangars.
Yes, we can also offer national team members as instructors, and
instruction is for free....

I don't think that my club is an exception for a German gliding club.

Unfortunately our weather can't match yours (half the cloud base -
half the prize... lol).
But you are correct - the examples illustrate welll how a healthy club
can offer a lot for little money.



Bye
Andreas