What should a soaring club do at an airshow

OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the "ten things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

"DNewill" wrote in message
news
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the "ten
things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill


Do
winch launch
Don't
display near helicopter rides

If it is a static display:

1) set up a nice looking glider

2) Rope around the whole glider.

3) Support both wings off the ground so the people who ignore the ropes
don't walk on a wingtip

4) Allow kids to sit in the glider only under direct supervision of a club
member

5) Remove anything that is loose or can easily be removed from the glider

6) Put the glider back in the trailer at night

7) Have small glossy cards with your clubs information available to give to
kids and to potential members

8) Have at least two club members near the glider at all times.

9) Make it look fun and interesting.

Speaking from the experience of displaying my libelle at a local show two
years ago.

Regards,

Dave r.

"DNewill" wrote in message
news
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the "ten
things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

Since I've also done this many times, I suggest elevating the tail, though I
don't mind putting one wing down. This gives a better view into the cockpit
from a bit more distance and a nicer view of the glider's shape. With a
T-tail it puts the horizontal out of reach for most, which I find they are
more prone to bother than the wings. For stanchions, I use round garden
steps, maybe 15inches in diameter. I've drilled 1" holes in the center, then
used 4ft lengths of 1inch PVC pipe with a T at the top. Yellow poly rope
goes through each T and can strung around the glider to keep folks at bay.
7 posts minimum, more for larger gliders. You can post signs on the rope
also. We put a table at the open end with the appropriate media. In a busy
location, three people minimum. Gluing indoor/outdoor carpet on one side of
the garden steps makes them appropriate for school gyms or mall floors also.

Some venues make it appropriate to restrict seating in the glider. One time
I allowed 105 Girl Scouts a turn.

Frank Whiteley

"David R." wrote in message
...
If it is a static display:

1) set up a nice looking glider

2) Rope around the whole glider.

3) Support both wings off the ground so the people who ignore the ropes
don't walk on a wingtip

4) Allow kids to sit in the glider only under direct supervision of a club
member

5) Remove anything that is loose or can easily be removed from the glider

6) Put the glider back in the trailer at night

7) Have small glossy cards with your clubs information available to give
to
kids and to potential members

8) Have at least two club members near the glider at all times.

9) Make it look fun and interesting.

Speaking from the experience of displaying my libelle at a local show two
years ago.

Regards,

Dave r.

"DNewill" wrote in message
news
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the "ten
things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

David R. has almost the same advice I would have given based on our
experience. The only other things I have to offer a
Besides the static display, either encourage the organizers of the
airshow to include a flight demonstration using a volunteer and his
glider and the club's towplane, or if that doesn't work out (there are
some fairly onerous liability and certification requirements), ask that
a professional glider demonstration act be included. This way the
audience gets the advantage of seeing a glider up close on the ground,
and also in the air.
Secondly, if you contact the SSA they can provide you with some Soaring
literature to pass out. People like to be given something "free" and
it gives more exposure to our sport.
Lastly, it helps to have very enthusiastic and personable people
standing by at the static display to answer questions and help so
people can take pictures. Use lots of hand movements and whooshing
noises too. Open the spoilers every now and then so people can see
something moving on the glider.
Clay

David R. wrote:
If it is a static display:

1) set up a nice looking glider

2) Rope around the whole glider.

3) Support both wings off the ground so the people who ignore the
ropes
don't walk on a wingtip

4) Allow kids to sit in the glider only under direct supervision of a
club
member

5) Remove anything that is loose or can easily be removed from the
glider

6) Put the glider back in the trailer at night

7) Have small glossy cards with your clubs information available to
give to
kids and to potential members

8) Have at least two club members near the glider at all times.

9) Make it look fun and interesting.

Speaking from the experience of displaying my libelle at a local show
two
years ago.

Regards,

Dave r.

"DNewill" wrote in message
news
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the
"ten
things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did?
Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

I've also used a hand model to demonstrate thermaling and flight manuevars.

Frank

wrote in message
ups.com...
David R. has almost the same advice I would have given based on our
experience. The only other things I have to offer a
Besides the static display, either encourage the organizers of the
airshow to include a flight demonstration using a volunteer and his
glider and the club's towplane, or if that doesn't work out (there are
some fairly onerous liability and certification requirements), ask that
a professional glider demonstration act be included. This way the
audience gets the advantage of seeing a glider up close on the ground,
and also in the air.
Secondly, if you contact the SSA they can provide you with some Soaring
literature to pass out. People like to be given something "free" and
it gives more exposure to our sport.
Lastly, it helps to have very enthusiastic and personable people
standing by at the static display to answer questions and help so
people can take pictures. Use lots of hand movements and whooshing
noises too. Open the spoilers every now and then so people can see
something moving on the glider.
Clay

David R. wrote:
If it is a static display:

1) set up a nice looking glider

2) Rope around the whole glider.

3) Support both wings off the ground so the people who ignore the
ropes
don't walk on a wingtip

4) Allow kids to sit in the glider only under direct supervision of a
club
member

5) Remove anything that is loose or can easily be removed from the
glider

6) Put the glider back in the trailer at night

7) Have small glossy cards with your clubs information available to
give to
kids and to potential members

8) Have at least two club members near the glider at all times.

9) Make it look fun and interesting.

Speaking from the experience of displaying my libelle at a local show
two
years ago.

Regards,

Dave r.

"DNewill" wrote in message
news
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so what are the
"ten
things
to do / not to do" if our club gets involved in a summer airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation did?
Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

Do: hire nubile females to pretend to be glider groupies or pilots.

Don't: display anything manufactured by Schweizer or PZL-Swidnick

Do: Give out free beer.
Don't: demonstrate the use of the glider's relief tube.

I understand that was a joke but....
....we did a static display at an airshow with both a PW5 and an ASW 27.
In several cases we told folks about routinely making flights of 120-150
miles or so in the PW and they were extremely impressed. We then said "go
ask him (the ASW 27 driver) how far he goes and what his average speeds
are".
The range of capabilities (and associated costs) was interesting to them.

We had a member who used to regularly do glider acro demos at airshows--that
really got their attention.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Do: hire nubile females to pretend to be glider groupies or pilots.

Don't: display anything manufactured by Schweizer or PZL-Swidnick

Do: Give out free beer.
Don't: demonstrate the use of the glider's relief tube.

The one time we did it, nothing came of it.

Back in the early 90's, the Raleigh-Durham Intl. Airport
(RDU) held a 'static display' airshow. It included
military, air carrier, and GA aircraft. Plus one LS-4,
'J7.'

We roped it off and manned it with, I think, four people,
including one young, pretty, blonde lady.

I had a poster made with all the specifications for
the glider and supported it on an easle.

We had informational packages to hand out to tell about
learning to fly and where they could learn to fly.

I think we would let small groups of people into the
roped off area for a closer look. We might have let
some sit in it, but I don't remember.

We also gave them a chance to enter their name into
a drawing that would give the winner a free flight
in a glider (a 2-33, because that was the only two-seater
the commercial operation had. The 2-33 was not at
the show nor were photos of it.)

While hundreds came by, the commercial gliding business
who set this up realized no new customers.

I still wonder what we did wrong.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA




At 06:30 13 January 2005, Dnewill wrote:
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so
what are the 'ten things
to do / not to do' if our club gets involved in a summer
airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation
did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill

You did nothing wrong. Although I enjoy these venues personally, the
immediate results are very dismal. In five years of mall shows, school
venues, airport open houses, and EAA regional fly ins, my club gained
exactly two members, a father and son that were power pilots that lasted
about six months. Soaring belongs to the seeker. However, planting the
idea in the minds of the young people that pass by may yield long term
dividends. I aim for the 12 and 13 year olds. Most of our newer members
have come from the ranks of rated pilots who've decided to learn to soar
however.

If you have the time and an inside contact, colleges and universities seem
to be the most fruitful recruiting grounds. Students are looking for new
experiences, but often have little money.

Frank Whiteley

"Ray Lovinggood" wrote in message
...
The one time we did it, nothing came of it.

Back in the early 90's, the Raleigh-Durham Intl. Airport
(RDU) held a 'static display' airshow. It included
military, air carrier, and GA aircraft. Plus one LS-4,
'J7.'

We roped it off and manned it with, I think, four people,
including one young, pretty, blonde lady.

I had a poster made with all the specifications for
the glider and supported it on an easle.

We had informational packages to hand out to tell about
learning to fly and where they could learn to fly.

I think we would let small groups of people into the
roped off area for a closer look. We might have let
some sit in it, but I don't remember.

We also gave them a chance to enter their name into
a drawing that would give the winner a free flight
in a glider (a 2-33, because that was the only two-seater
the commercial operation had. The 2-33 was not at
the show nor were photos of it.)

While hundreds came by, the commercial gliding business
who set this up realized no new customers.

I still wonder what we did wrong.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA




At 06:30 13 January 2005, Dnewill wrote:
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so
what are the 'ten things
to do / not to do' if our club gets involved in a summer
airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation
did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill