Why is Soaring declining

"John H. Campbell" wrote in message
...
Agreed. But my intended point was that the vision was wrong. The focus
of the article was "how can we get the SSA to grow" where the focus
should have been "how can we get the sport to grow".

Point taken, and I am among those constantly lobbying for SSA to shoulder
systematic PR for the sport (staff member, press room,...). However,
consider Bob Wander's point from years ago already that SSA membership is
the most convenient tool there is to draw people in! For a mere $64 (less
than the cost of a one-time ride at many operations) and a few clicks
online
or moments filling out a card, new prospects get 12 months of propaganda.
Like the HYCBAGP tri-fold says (originally written back in 1978 or so
IIRC)
"There's more, but there isn't room to say it here. What do you do next?
We suggest... you become a member of (SSA)..."




So, John, SSA membership causes soaring to grow? Isn't it the other way
around?

I don't think I have ever known of even one new glider pilot to come to the
sport through the SSA. On the other hand, hard working commercial soaring
operations promoting rides to the public are probably responsible for 90% of
the few new pilots we get. If they could get a little help with that
promotion from the SSA, they could do an even better job.

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels

Speaking from the standpoint of someone relatively new to soaring (September
2003), I can offer these observations:

1. SSA had *nothing* to do with my becoming involved in soaring. Not only
that -- during my days as a student pilot (and newly licensed pilot), it was
never suggested me to join SSA. In fact, when I eventually did join SSA, it
was to become a member of the ASA, so I could fly their club Grob. Four
months later, I can testify that being an SSA (and ASA!) member has
important things to offer that I was not aware of before, and I now
encourage other student and new pilots to become a member because of the
critical functions SSA performs for the protection and furtherance of our
sport. (Can you say *airspace*? I knew you could.)

2. I *did* become involved in soaring after (a) witnessing a soaring
operation at Wiener-Neustadt, Austria while attending a skydiving
competition in summer 2002, and (commercial operations take note!) (b)
having an aerobatic glider ride given to me as a birthday gift in February
2003 by a friend who heard an advertisement by Turf Soaring in Arizona. I
had always had an interesting in soaring, but those two events stand out.

3. I recall reading somewhere, pardon for not remembering specifically, that
a large part of the popularity of soaring in the 1960s, '70s and '80s was
due to the large number of military-trained pilots, trained for WWII, Korea
and Vietnam, who after their service turned to soaring as an economic
alternative for getting in the air. Quite simply, these pilots have been
retiring while the military has been down-sizing. It's logical that this is
at least part of the current decline.

4. I also read this somewhere, and it made sense too: access and exposure to
general aviation (small-market airports) by the average middle-class family
is much less than it used to be. Many small airports have been closed or
blocked off to walk-up spectators. We are simply not being seen as much as
before, and being seen is key.

5. The litigious turn our society has taken since the 1970s, especially in
the aviation industry, has simply priced too many people out of it.

-tcw
H304CZ "2NO"

there is one very solid reason soaring is declining.that is the lack of
qualified gliding instructors!
If any of us expect to keep soaring alive it's not only recruiting new
members, but also, and more inportantly, having someone available to bring
these new recruits to the poinyt where that can actually get certification
and eventually fly and own their own gliders....
tim

"Tim Mara" wrote in message
...
there is one very solid reason soaring is declining.that is the lack of
qualified gliding instructors!
If any of us expect to keep soaring alive it's not only recruiting new
members, but also, and more inportantly, having someone available to bring
these new recruits to the poinyt where that can actually get certification
and eventually fly and own their own gliders....
tim


Yep, and a lot of instructors are quitting because they are fed up with the
back seat of a 2-33.

Bill Daniels

I'm not a fan of flying from the back of a 233 (I really don't like the
front in a 233 any better :-)
but that really isn't the only thing that is losing instructors.....When I
became a CFI I had hoped and even planned on training enough new glider
pilots that some would eventually take over and become instructors
themselves, thereby giving back what was given to them..very few ever
did...a lot of KUDOS to the ones that have.....
Glider pilots (not all) in general are a self centered group of
"individuals" that's why we like flying along in our single seaters, using
one man rigs, flying motor gliders and so on......all of these things
contribute to being self sufficient and well, self centered....we hear the
chant on how to save soaring, promote the sport, but generally followed by a
chant, "so it'll still be there for me"..
Giving back and instructing others is a challenge, it's a lot of effort and
has few rewards outside of seeing another happy new pilot on his way to new
adventures....but without finding more new instructors to take the lead we
will continue to see the decline in our favorite pastime....and all the
promotion and advertising we do nothing.
tim

"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:lhgfc.134640$gA5.1578464@attbi_s03...

"Tim Mara" wrote in message
...
there is one very solid reason soaring is declining.that is the lack of
qualified gliding instructors!
If any of us expect to keep soaring alive it's not only recruiting new
members, but also, and more inportantly, having someone available to
bring
these new recruits to the poinyt where that can actually get
certification
and eventually fly and own their own gliders....
tim


Yep, and a lot of instructors are quitting because they are fed up with
the
back seat of a 2-33.

Bill Daniels

Well, maybe we should take advantage of their self-centered nature and offer
them an interesting two-seater to train people in. Even altruistic CFI-G's
need some rewards beyond just seeing new pilots grin. There's not enough
money in instructing to ever make a difference.

Bill Daniels

"Tim Mara" wrote in message
...
I'm not a fan of flying from the back of a 233 (I really don't like the
front in a 233 any better :-)
but that really isn't the only thing that is losing instructors.....When I
became a CFI I had hoped and even planned on training enough new glider
pilots that some would eventually take over and become instructors
themselves, thereby giving back what was given to them..very few ever
did...a lot of KUDOS to the ones that have.....
Glider pilots (not all) in general are a self centered group of
"individuals" that's why we like flying along in our single seaters, using
one man rigs, flying motor gliders and so on......all of these things
contribute to being self sufficient and well, self centered....we hear the
chant on how to save soaring, promote the sport, but generally followed by
a
chant, "so it'll still be there for me"..
Giving back and instructing others is a challenge, it's a lot of effort
and
has few rewards outside of seeing another happy new pilot on his way to
new
adventures....but without finding more new instructors to take the lead we
will continue to see the decline in our favorite pastime....and all the
promotion and advertising we do nothing.
tim

"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:lhgfc.134640$gA5.1578464@attbi_s03...

"Tim Mara" wrote in message
...
there is one very solid reason soaring is declining.that is the lack
of
qualified gliding instructors!
If any of us expect to keep soaring alive it's not only recruiting new
members, but also, and more inportantly, having someone available to
bring
these new recruits to the poinyt where that can actually get
certification
and eventually fly and own their own gliders....
tim


Yep, and a lot of instructors are quitting because they are fed up with
the
back seat of a 2-33.

Bill Daniels

"Tim Mara" wrote in message
there is one very solid reason soaring is declining.that is the lack of
qualified gliding instructors!
If any of us expect to keep soaring alive it's not only recruiting new
members, but also, and more inportantly, having someone available to bring
these new recruits to the poinyt where that can actually get certification
and eventually fly and own their own gliders....

Yep, and a lot of instructors are quitting because they are fed up with the
back seat of a 2-33.

Bill Daniels

Well, Blaniks at $10k is a steal, and I have a ton of fun in 'em...
The 2-33 seems like a stone compared to an L-13 :P

--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA

Soaring magazine for me is the biggest newbie benefit/opportunity of
SSA (badges are another, but for the more experienced). I doubt
we'll get a "newbie corner," but if SSA made one issue
a year the "swimsuit/newbie issue" and spiced up the covers
of the ither issues, I bet that would get on a few
barber shop waiting room chairs...

--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA

As a newcomer to soaring (I have a grand total of 0.5 hours under my
belt), I was turned off to SSA simply by the (what I consider) high
membership dues. Yes, I can afford it, but having never seen an SSA
magazine, I am reluctant to fork out the cash to see if I like their
publication. Maybe they should offer a trial membership, something like
$10 for 3 months (a one-time deal). EAA has done this and I think it is
working. I don't really need to pay $64 for the privilege of soaring,
so there has to be some incentive to join. Just a thought...

Scott


Bill Daniels wrote:
"John H. Campbell" wrote in message
...

Agreed. But my intended point was that the vision was wrong. The focus
of the article was "how can we get the SSA to grow" where the focus
should have been "how can we get the sport to grow".

Point taken, and I am among those constantly lobbying for SSA to shoulder
systematic PR for the sport (staff member, press room,...). However,
consider Bob Wander's point from years ago already that SSA membership is
the most convenient tool there is to draw people in! For a mere $64 (less
than the cost of a one-time ride at many operations) and a few clicks

online

or moments filling out a card, new prospects get 12 months of propaganda.
Like the HYCBAGP tri-fold says (originally written back in 1978 or so

IIRC)

"There's more, but there isn't room to say it here. What do you do next?
We suggest... you become a member of (SSA)..."





So, John, SSA membership causes soaring to grow? Isn't it the other way
around?

I don't think I have ever known of even one new glider pilot to come to the
sport through the SSA. On the other hand, hard working commercial soaring
operations promoting rides to the public are probably responsible for 90% of
the few new pilots we get. If they could get a little help with that
promotion from the SSA, they could do an even better job.

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels

Maybe they should offer a trial membership, something like

Good idea, Scott. I suggested that the SSA give a free 1 year membership to all
newly licenced glider pilots. Nothing ever came of it.
JJ Sinclair