Manufactures Lack of Images

Have you ever noticed the lack of images on glider manufactures web sites? Especially cockpit and closeups. Sure they have a few of the gliders flying, but auto manufactures have detailed images and even 360 cameras and the autos cost less then a quarter as much. Yeah I know there is more auto competition and many more people buying autos, but with glider manufactures going after a smaller number of people I would think they would wow a potential buyer with detailed images. And it is all manufactures and not just web its also their downloadable brochures as well. I suppose I may have missed some images buried in their web sites but don't you think they should be up front and readily seen? I don't think at this point in the game any manufacture is going to change their tooling much to copy another manufacture.. And if so they probably would not go by a web image of a competitor. The only explanation I seem to come up with the lack of detailed, quality images is that they are too busy and selling all the gliders they can make. JS has a couple. And Schleicher has one of the better brochures, but has more of employees than cool looking shots of the interior and so forth. Schemp-Hirth has a new web site but lacking for images. DG has a lot of information on their site but its buried and still lacking current design wowing images. Most all the images on HPH site is of flying. Same for LAK. And many of the manufactures images look like the public sent them in. And a web site can not be any more generic than GP. Ironic that one of the smallest manufactures TST has images right on front page. Maybe the older, bigger manufactures know more than the large auto makers.

I hate to be busting on some of these manufactures that I drool over their gliders, but I hate to keep hearing that soaring is a dying sport or not as poplar as it once was. Well, don't you think manufactures should dazzle the public, potential buyers, or those that can afford a new glider ever so often, with better images and marketing?

Maybe us glider pilots are more informed consumers than auto purchasing consumers and don't need the extra eye candy. Maybe auto purchasers make fickle purchases based on eye candy and then trade after a short time.

Just wish I had more eye candy to view sometimes when its cold and rainy out.

On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 9:30:11 AM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
Have you ever noticed the lack of images on glider manufactures web sites? Especially cockpit and closeups. Sure they have a few of the gliders flying, but auto manufactures have detailed images and even 360 cameras and the autos cost less then a quarter as much. Yeah I know there is more auto competition and many more people buying autos, but with glider manufactures going after a smaller number of people I would think they would wow a potential buyer with detailed images. And it is all manufactures and not just web its also their downloadable brochures as well. I suppose I may have missed some images buried in their web sites but don't you think they should be up front and readily seen? I don't think at this point in the game any manufacture is going to change their tooling much to copy another manufacture. And if so they probably would not go by a web image of a competitor. The only explanation I seem to come up with the lack of detailed, quality images is that they are too busy and selling all the gliders they can make. JS has a couple. And Schleicher has one of the better brochures, but has more of employees than cool looking shots of the interior and so forth. Schemp-Hirth has a new web site but lacking for images. DG has a lot of information on their site but its buried and still lacking current design wowing images. Most all the images on HPH site is of flying. Same for LAK. And many of the manufactures images look like the public sent them in. And a web site can not be any more generic than GP. Ironic that one of the smallest manufactures TST has images right on front page. Maybe the older, bigger manufactures know more than the large auto makers.

I hate to be busting on some of these manufactures that I drool over their gliders, but I hate to keep hearing that soaring is a dying sport or not as poplar as it once was. Well, don't you think manufactures should dazzle the public, potential buyers, or those that can afford a new glider ever so often, with better images and marketing?

Maybe us glider pilots are more informed consumers than auto purchasing consumers and don't need the extra eye candy. Maybe auto purchasers make fickle purchases based on eye candy and then trade after a short time.

Just wish I had more eye candy to view sometimes when its cold and rainy out.


http://www.jonkersailplanes.co.za/instruments.htm

http://www.alexander-schleicher.de/en/

http://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/sail...-2cxa-fes.html

http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/index.p...dg-flugzeuge-d

http://www.hph.cz/index.php?option=c...mid=56&lang=en

http://lak.lt/index.php?option=com_c...5&Itemi d=140

http://alisport.com/eu/eng/galleryglobal.htm

http://www.gliders-albastar.com/proj...der-as-13-5-m/

http://www.gpgliders.com

http://www.lsa-gliders.com/html/tst-10_atlas.html

Totally agree and the entire marketing effort of many manufactures is lacking from PR to events, inactive web sites and marketing automation.

I think these companies are mostly engineers and simply go by the falsehood that "if you build it they will come".

Dennis

On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 10:18:34 AM UTC-5, HGXC wrote:
On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 9:30:11 AM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
Have you ever noticed the lack of images on glider manufactures web sites? Especially cockpit and closeups. Sure they have a few of the gliders flying, but auto manufactures have detailed images and even 360 cameras and the autos cost less then a quarter as much. Yeah I know there is more auto competition and many more people buying autos, but with glider manufactures going after a smaller number of people I would think they would wow a potential buyer with detailed images. And it is all manufactures and not just web its also their downloadable brochures as well. I suppose I may have missed some images buried in their web sites but don't you think they should be up front and readily seen? I don't think at this point in the game any manufacture is going to change their tooling much to copy another manufacture. And if so they probably would not go by a web image of a competitor. The only explanation I seem to come up with the lack of detailed, quality images is that they are too busy and selling all the gliders they can make.. JS has a couple. And Schleicher has one of the better brochures, but has more of employees than cool looking shots of the interior and so forth. Schemp-Hirth has a new web site but lacking for images. DG has a lot of information on their site but its buried and still lacking current design wowing images. Most all the images on HPH site is of flying. Same for LAK. And many of the manufactures images look like the public sent them in. And a web site can not be any more generic than GP. Ironic that one of the smallest manufactures TST has images right on front page. Maybe the older, bigger manufactures know more than the large auto makers.

I hate to be busting on some of these manufactures that I drool over their gliders, but I hate to keep hearing that soaring is a dying sport or not as poplar as it once was. Well, don't you think manufactures should dazzle the public, potential buyers, or those that can afford a new glider ever so often, with better images and marketing?

Maybe us glider pilots are more informed consumers than auto purchasing consumers and don't need the extra eye candy. Maybe auto purchasers make fickle purchases based on eye candy and then trade after a short time.

Just wish I had more eye candy to view sometimes when its cold and rainy out.


http://www.jonkersailplanes.co.za/instruments.htm

http://www.alexander-schleicher.de/en/

http://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/sail...-2cxa-fes.html

http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/index.p...dg-flugzeuge-d

http://www.hph.cz/index.php?option=c...mid=56&lang=en

http://lak.lt/index.php?option=com_c...5&Itemi d=140

http://alisport.com/eu/eng/galleryglobal.htm

http://www.gliders-albastar.com/proj...der-as-13-5-m/

http://www.gpgliders.com

http://www.lsa-gliders.com/html/tst-10_atlas.html

Totally agree and the entire marketing effort of many manufactures is lacking from PR to events, inactive web sites and marketing automation.

I think these companies are mostly engineers and simply go by the falsehood that "if you build it they will come".

Dennis

God help us all. You're right Dennis, these guys can't market their way out of a paper bag. It gets worse. I heard that Schleicher doesn't even have a proper telephone sanitizer on staff. And the hair! Look at these guys! http://tinyurl.com/jv4ym3t http://tinyurl.com/gskzr6q

It's enough to make you think that maybe Earth *wasn't* colonized by the B-Ark, after all!

What's the backlog at Schempp Hirth, Schleicher or Jonkers, again? :-)


-Evan Ludeman / T8

What's the backlog at Schempp Hirth, Schleicher or Jonkers, again? :-)


-Evan Ludeman / T8

I suppose there is a lot to be said for custom work and not getting too big in order to stay busy enough to maintain a professional staff of craftsmen. But I have seen 2 new gliders with issues. One less than 6 months old and the other less than 12.

Regardless, I would like to see more professional detailed images of new ships.

Now I'm wondering how many people order ships without test flying that model, or seeing it in person, or actually comparing.

Guess I will have to wait until next SSA Convention to put my order in.

I read an article once about the differences between American everyday life and the rest of the world. It was mostly stupid stuff like warm beer and no refills on Coke, wall to wall carpeting, etc. One point I remember was marketing. In the 'States we're bombarded with massive amounts of media selling everything everywhere we go. They said as a result a third grader in the US could outsell most adults in Europe. Maybe we're expecting an American sales pitch from a European manufacturer?
I can tell you this much about those gliders...they're all likely phenomenal and I can't afford one. Besides the really smart old guys running my club at home have assured us all that 2-33's are outstanding gliders and the large dents in the leading edges are cosmetic only.
DT

At 17:00 06 March 2016, wrote:
I read an article once about the differences between American everyday
life=
and the rest of the world. It was mostly stupid stuff like warm beer and
n=
o refills on Coke, wall to wall carpeting, etc. One point I remember was
ma=
rketing. In the 'States we're bombarded with massive amounts of media
selli=
ng everything everywhere we go. They said as a result a third grader in
the=
US could outsell most adults in Europe. Maybe we're expecting an
American
=
sales pitch from a European manufacturer?=20
I can tell you this much about those gliders...they're all likely
phenomena=
l and I can't afford one. Besides the really smart old guys running my
club=
at home have assured us all that 2-33's are outstanding gliders and the
la=
rge dents in the leading edges are cosmetic only.
DT


I am an English pilot and I think that gliders are expensive enough without

then spending money on pr.
When I bought my duo they said put your deposit down and we will tell you
the final price when it's ready ,in a couple of years.
I ordered a duo xt and got a xlt because they had update the duo.
The price was not a lot different to the list when I ordered but with the
extras
trailer and exchange rate not to mention instruments it was always going to

be a moving target.
Am I pleased with it,you bet,and every so often some one asks if I am
interested in selling it
Why would you want more photos when you can spend your money
developing the next generation.

"Besides the really smart old guys running my club at home have assured us all that 2-33's are outstanding gliders and the large dents in the leading edges are cosmetic only". DT

That made me smile, as it is the exact same thing I have heard at my club.
GX

At 18:14 06 March 2016, wrote:
"Besides the really smart old guys running my club at home have
assured us
all that 2-33's are outstanding gliders and the large dents in the
leading
edges are cosmetic only". DT

That made me smile, as it is the exact same thing I have heard at my
club.
GX

Almost all new gliders are sold ex-instruments, as are the majority of
new aircraft. The instruments you fit are a personal thing so it would
be pointless having photographs of a cockpit which may bear no
relation to what gets fitted.

On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 10:46:17 AM UTC-5, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 10:18:34 AM UTC-5, HGXC wrote:
On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 9:30:11 AM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
Have you ever noticed the lack of images on glider manufactures web sites? Especially cockpit and closeups. Sure they have a few of the gliders flying, but auto manufactures have detailed images and even 360 cameras and the autos cost less then a quarter as much. Yeah I know there is more auto competition and many more people buying autos, but with glider manufactures going after a smaller number of people I would think they would wow a potential buyer with detailed images. And it is all manufactures and not just web its also their downloadable brochures as well. I suppose I may have missed some images buried in their web sites but don't you think they should be up front and readily seen? I don't think at this point in the game any manufacture is going to change their tooling much to copy another manufacture. And if so they probably would not go by a web image of a competitor. The only explanation I seem to come up with the lack of detailed, quality images is that they are too busy and selling all the gliders they can make. JS has a couple. And Schleicher has one of the better brochures, but has more of employees than cool looking shots of the interior and so forth. Schemp-Hirth has a new web site but lacking for images. DG has a lot of information on their site but its buried and still lacking current design wowing images. Most all the images on HPH site is of flying. Same for LAK. And many of the manufactures images look like the public sent them in. And a web site can not be any more generic than GP. Ironic that one of the smallest manufactures TST has images right on front page. Maybe the older, bigger manufactures know more than the large auto makers.

I hate to be busting on some of these manufactures that I drool over their gliders, but I hate to keep hearing that soaring is a dying sport or not as poplar as it once was. Well, don't you think manufactures should dazzle the public, potential buyers, or those that can afford a new glider ever so often, with better images and marketing?

Maybe us glider pilots are more informed consumers than auto purchasing consumers and don't need the extra eye candy. Maybe auto purchasers make fickle purchases based on eye candy and then trade after a short time.

Just wish I had more eye candy to view sometimes when its cold and rainy out.


http://www.jonkersailplanes.co.za/instruments.htm

http://www.alexander-schleicher.de/en/

http://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/sail...-2cxa-fes.html

http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/index.p...dg-flugzeuge-d

http://www.hph.cz/index.php?option=c...mid=56&lang=en

http://lak.lt/index.php?option=com_c...5&Itemi d=140

http://alisport.com/eu/eng/galleryglobal.htm

http://www.gliders-albastar.com/proj...der-as-13-5-m/

http://www.gpgliders.com

http://www.lsa-gliders.com/html/tst-10_atlas.html

Totally agree and the entire marketing effort of many manufactures is lacking from PR to events, inactive web sites and marketing automation.

I think these companies are mostly engineers and simply go by the falsehood that "if you build it they will come".

Dennis

God help us all. You're right Dennis, these guys can't market their way out of a paper bag. It gets worse. I heard that Schleicher doesn't even have a proper telephone sanitizer on staff. And the hair! Look at these guys! http://tinyurl.com/jv4ym3t http://tinyurl.com/gskzr6q

It's enough to make you think that maybe Earth *wasn't* colonized by the B-Ark, after all!

What's the backlog at Schempp Hirth, Schleicher or Jonkers, again? :-)


-Evan Ludeman / T8

Well Evan no I'm not looking for a job - but it doesn't take big advertising dollars to staff and coordinate a event presentation. The best example i saw happen to be of a glider that wasn't for sale..LOL SH knew that word was spread they would have their V3 at the show...OK I understand that they couldn't because they were still in test but ...THEY KNEW that there was reasonable expectation that the glider would be there and when I asked I receive a very defensive and clumsy (as if I wasn't supposed to ask), response..

I get it ...its a very small market but, I have worked in such small markets before and every win (sale) is precious and you never know what was the final factor that lead the customer away. When I bought my used Ventus ...I got pictures, Dan Johnson reviews sent, and he spent all day showcasing the glider to me and the staff at Williams was extremely helpful in supporting the private sale.

I'm not expecting Proctor and Gamble here but from Pete's sake they are 250+k products and there are limited buyers for new gliders.

Dennis

If you can afford a new glider, you can afford to visit the factory.