Grow soaring thru entertainment

One thing we tried was inviting the Air Force JRROTC cadets over to fly at a
reduced rate. They made a club of it and even had non cadets flying with us.
Maybe we should hit the high schools.
"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:NKSfc.144982$gA5.1763352@attbi_s03...
I LIKE it.

Bill Daniels

"John" wrote in message
om...
Added a similar comment when I filled in the SSA soaring survey.

Want to grow soaring? Market soaring as low-cost entertainment to
generate mass appeal. Develop a commercial gliding site that focuses
on giving rides only, quickly and cheaply.

Look at all the teenagers spending $5-$15 to ride go-karts or roller
coasters every Saturday at county fairs. Would they not also pay
$5-15 for a quick 750-1000 foot winch or auto launch glider ride?
Especially, if the gliders were launching right next to the county
fair (airport was next door...or maybe launching right off the
fairgrounds themselves). This is entertainment, not soaring. But
from the launch to the high bank turn on final, along with the 750
foot altitude, should be quite entertaining for the masses.

Key is low cost and keeping the wait in line to less than 15 minutes.
Might need several winches and several gliders. And maybe even drop
the launch height to 600 feet. (Just want to be high enough to not
create any landing pattern safety issues, but low enough to get on the
ground as quick as possible for the next ride). Have to compete with
other forms of low-cost entertainment, in terms of both time and
money. This is how you develop mass appeal.

How do these entertaining glides create a benefit for the larger sport
of soaring? Thru numbers...throw enough people into the air, and some
of them might develop an interest to become soaring pilots.

In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school kids
onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health and
safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained, unsupported and
potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a non-starter!

Add to this the fact that it might instill in them some form of :
responsibility for their own actions,
independent thought processes,
appreciation of science and nature,
the ability to communicate in more than grunts
a willingness to work as part of a team.
and the whole scenario is just too threatening to our 'modern' society.

Sorry guys, I have my somewhat cynical hat on today.

Ian


"Whitson Bush" wrote in message
...
One thing we tried was inviting the Air Force JRROTC cadets over to fly at
a
reduced rate. They made a club of it and even had non cadets flying with
us.
Maybe we should hit the high schools.
"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:NKSfc.144982$gA5.1763352@attbi_s03...
I LIKE it.

Bill Daniels

"John" wrote in message
om...
Added a similar comment when I filled in the SSA soaring survey.

Want to grow soaring? Market soaring as low-cost entertainment to
generate mass appeal. Develop a commercial gliding site that focuses
on giving rides only, quickly and cheaply.

Look at all the teenagers spending $5-$15 to ride go-karts or roller
coasters every Saturday at county fairs. Would they not also pay
$5-15 for a quick 750-1000 foot winch or auto launch glider ride?
Especially, if the gliders were launching right next to the county
fair (airport was next door...or maybe launching right off the
fairgrounds themselves). This is entertainment, not soaring. But
from the launch to the high bank turn on final, along with the 750
foot altitude, should be quite entertaining for the masses.

Key is low cost and keeping the wait in line to less than 15 minutes.
Might need several winches and several gliders. And maybe even drop
the launch height to 600 feet. (Just want to be high enough to not
create any landing pattern safety issues, but low enough to get on the
ground as quick as possible for the next ride). Have to compete with
other forms of low-cost entertainment, in terms of both time and
money. This is how you develop mass appeal.

How do these entertaining glides create a benefit for the larger sport
of soaring? Thru numbers...throw enough people into the air, and some
of them might develop an interest to become soaring pilots.

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 06:49:35 UTC, "bt news"
wrote:

: In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school kids
: onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health and
: safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
: else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained, unsupported and
: potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a non-starter!

All that proves is that if clubs want to run flying for minors they'll
have to do it properly. Maybe even think of this as a long term
development activity and not just, as with many/most other "Air
Experience" deals as a cash cow?

For a start, why does the supervisor have to be "unnofficial,
untrained, unsupported and
: potentially 'dangerous'"? What's so difficult about having an official, trained and supported youth officer?

: Add to this the fact that it might instill in them some form of :
: responsibility for their own actions,
: independent thought processes,
: appreciation of science and nature,
: the ability to communicate in more than grunts
: a willingness to work as part of a team.
: and the whole scenario is just too threatening to our 'modern' society.

I work with children in several roles. I am glad to say that I don't
recognize the pessimistic picture you paint. Overwhelmingly the
children I work with - for example, running robot building workshops,
including soldering, for 400 8 - 14 years olds last year - are keen,
responsible, interested, careful and cooperative.

Seriously, I honestly don't think it would be nearly as hard as people
seem to think to have a good youth programme at a gliding club.

Ian

bt news wrote:
In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school kids
onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health and
safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained, unsupported and
potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a non-starter!


Nah, its not so hard. Myself and a fellow clubie once flew with about
10 14 year olds. We were in the gliders most of the time. We gave them
rules and instructions. Followed up between flights. No problems and
no complaints.

Shawn

Shawn Curry wrote:
bt news wrote:

In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school
kids
onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health and
safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained,
unsupported and
potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a non-starter!


Nah, its not so hard. Myself and a fellow clubie once flew with about
10 14 year olds. We were in the gliders most of the time. We gave them
rules and instructions. Followed up between flights. No problems and
no complaints.

Shawn
Just ran a flying day for some scouts. 9 girls, one boy version turned up and we
had a really good day.
Started off with a safety lecture at the hangar.
Took them to the launch point and got them to follow around with a daily
inspection, and then made 30 flights, including taking some of their parents up.

The biggest problem we had safety wise was a club member having a senior moment
and sending the retrieve vehicle up the runway when we had a cable out. Slowed
things down a bit but our procedures worked and no danger incurred.
Experience has been similar to Shawn's - Have well thought out rule, explain the
rules, be alert to problems, enjoy a really rewarding day. Kids in the 10-16 age
group who come out to the field are generally no problem. They were safe, worked
hard and were a pleasure to have around, wish I could say the same of some of
the adult geniuses we occasionally get turning up for a flight.

It is a bit of work, and you have to have the right people on the field but is
is a great way to introduce people to the sport.

Bruce Greeff wrote:
Shawn Curry wrote:

bt news wrote:

In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school
kids
onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health
and
safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained,
unsupported and
potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a non-starter!


Nah, its not so hard. Myself and a fellow clubie once flew with about
10 14 year olds. We were in the gliders most of the time. We gave
them rules and instructions. Followed up between flights. No
problems and no complaints.

Shawn

Just ran a flying day for some scouts. 9 girls, one boy version turned
up and we had a really good day.
Started off with a safety lecture at the hangar.
Took them to the launch point and got them to follow around with a daily
inspection, and then made 30 flights, including taking some of their
parents up.

The biggest problem we had safety wise was a club member having a senior
moment and sending the retrieve vehicle up the runway when we had a
cable out. Slowed things down a bit but our procedures worked and no
danger incurred.
Experience has been similar to Shawn's - Have well thought out rule,
explain the rules, be alert to problems, enjoy a really rewarding day.
Kids in the 10-16 age group who come out to the field are generally no
problem. They were safe, worked hard and were a pleasure to have around,
wish I could say the same of some of the adult geniuses we occasionally
get turning up for a flight.

It is a bit of work, and you have to have the right people on the field
but is is a great way to introduce people to the sport.

Nice to hear, good job!

Shawn

"Bruce Greeff" wrote in message
...
Shawn Curry wrote:
bt news wrote:

In the UK the problems associated with getting a bunch of high school
kids
onto an airfield are far too challenging for the average club. Health
and
safety, child protection and the sheer responsibility of having someone
else's kids under the control of an unnofficial, untrained,
unsupported and
potentially 'dangerous' supervisor is enough to make this a
non-starter!


Nah, its not so hard. Myself and a fellow clubie once flew with about
10 14 year olds. We were in the gliders most of the time. We gave them
rules and instructions. Followed up between flights. No problems and
no complaints.

Shawn
Just ran a flying day for some scouts. 9 girls, one boy version turned up
and we
had a really good day.
Started off with a safety lecture at the hangar.
Took them to the launch point and got them to follow around with a daily
inspection, and then made 30 flights, including taking some of their
parents up.

The biggest problem we had safety wise was a club member having a senior
moment
and sending the retrieve vehicle up the runway when we had a cable out.
Slowed
things down a bit but our procedures worked and no danger incurred.
Experience has been similar to Shawn's - Have well thought out rule,
explain the
rules, be alert to problems, enjoy a really rewarding day. Kids in the
10-16 age
group who come out to the field are generally no problem. They were safe,
worked
hard and were a pleasure to have around, wish I could say the same of some
of
the adult geniuses we occasionally get turning up for a flight.

It is a bit of work, and you have to have the right people on the field
but is
is a great way to introduce people to the sport.

Will be doing this with my scout troop in a few weeks.

In the US Boy Scouts there are some permit (two-week lead time) and consent
(two signatures for most) requirements
Permit http://www.longspeakbsa.org/forms/flight.pdf
Consent http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/forms/23-673.pdf

Plus your local release. You might add a Young Eagles recognition also.

Frank Whiteley

At the site where I am a part-time instructor, we give rides to troops of boy
scouts perhpas twice a year. They come in troops of 15 - 20 kids, plus adult
supervisors. They each get a ride from a 2500-ft tow. To my knowledge, not one
of the literally hundreds of kids who were given intros to soaring has ever
come back for instruction.

Cheers anyhow, Charles

"Vorsanger1" wrote in message
...
At the site where I am a part-time instructor, we give rides to troops of
boy
scouts perhpas twice a year. They come in troops of 15 - 20 kids, plus
adult
supervisors. They each get a ride from a 2500-ft tow. To my knowledge,
not one
of the literally hundreds of kids who were given intros to soaring has
ever
come back for instruction.

Cheers anyhow, Charles

I don't disagree with your sentiment at all. I've promoted soaring at EAA
regionals, airport open houses, at school days, shopping malls, and
universities. By far the best results have come from universities and
several clubs near major universities have been successful at this. Other
clubs, with historical roots in university clubs, have distanced themselves
somewhat.

That being said, most new members in our gaggle have been walk-ons with 2-3
coming in as acquaintances of members. More than half have come with
private power tickets and a couple with commercial or higher ratings.
Soaring still belongs to the seeker. Most of the churn this past year has
been due to work re-location and lay-offs.

The only reason I'm organizing my Scout troop is for continuing troop
activity through the summer months. The past two Scoutmasters didn't want
to meet during the summer months and our troop has dwindled to about half
it's original size as a result. A few of these current scouts will make
Eagle some day and may find that Scouting, like soaring, is an activity one
can be involved with for life if you're willing to stay fit and enjoy the
rigors. Plus it dovetails with the Aviation and Bird Study Merit Badges (to
be conducted by a locally well-known and world traveled Audobon Society
member who has a recognized bird sanctuary in his garden). Perhaps one of
these Scouts will get to soar with a hawk, or even a bald eagle. The winch
launch will grab their attention anyway.

Frank