Tim:

Sorry you couldn't make it, but both my wife and credit cards thank you
for your choice. The weather wasn't much of an attraction this year,
rainy and cold for the most part (cold for Californians, not upstate
New Yorkers).

Several observations:

Attendance was over 2,000 this year, very different from other
conventions I've attended. Both the subjects and content of the talks
were mostly new this year, even though many of the faces were the same.
This was the result of a deliberate effort by the organizers. Several
past speakers were told, in fact, that they wouldn't be invited unless
they had new material. The Melville presentation at the banquet was
marvelous.

For the those of us who struggle with the fine points of flight
software, access to the programmers was valuable.

The Pipistrel made it's first appearance at a convention as did the
sustainer version of the LAK.

I've never been in a retail business, but, given the size of the
soaring pilot population, a chance to reach perhaps 20% of the total
market in person would seem hard to pass up. I wonder if the vendors
who did come would care to comment on whether they felt it was
worthwhile for them. I know that my wallet was lightened by more than
I can safely admit in print!

Hope to see you next year in Arlington.

Ray Warshaw
Claremont, CA


Tim Mara wrote:
sorry folks......I didn't attend this year and it's certainly nothing
against California or the folks out on the left coast..(I could have
used
the break from this lousy Western NY winter!)..it's just not
practical to