Is a 45 year old student pilot considered 'youth'?

On Friday, February 22, 2013 1:15:03 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:
As the new SSA Youth Committee Chairman i feel i can comment on this with authority.



No you are not considered Youth, even if you act like you are under 26. Sorry.



That said you are absolutely right based on most of my observations at the airport/gliderport, mid 40's is a very popular age to get into or back into aviation.

I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it. We simply can't compete against hang gliding and paragliding for the young crowd.

Ramy

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:

I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.

Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.

Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:05:10 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:



I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.



Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.



Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.

yep, lots of my students have been out of flying for about 18-23 years. some had gotten their licenses in college, some had just taken a lesson or two, but many had done some flying in high school and college and then decided that a job, house, wife, and kids were more important, and were coming back to it after the house was paid off and the kids out of the house.

On Friday, February 22, 2013 4:34:59 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:05:10 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:







I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.







Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.







Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.



yep, lots of my students have been out of flying for about 18-23 years. some had gotten their licenses in college, some had just taken a lesson or two, but many had done some flying in high school and college and then decided that a job, house, wife, and kids were more important, and were coming back to it after the house was paid off and the kids out of the house.

I wonder why people wait so long. I switched from hang gliding to sailplanes about the same time I bought my first house and my child was born...
At the rate I am refinancing to pay for my gliders I will never payoff my house.
I guess I am not a good example :-)

Ramy

On Friday, February 22, 2013 10:48:27 PM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 4:34:59 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:05:10 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:



On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:















I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.















Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.















Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.







yep, lots of my students have been out of flying for about 18-23 years. some had gotten their licenses in college, some had just taken a lesson or two, but many had done some flying in high school and college and then decided that a job, house, wife, and kids were more important, and were coming back to it after the house was paid off and the kids out of the house.



I wonder why people wait so long. I switched from hang gliding to sailplanes about the same time I bought my first house and my child was born...

At the rate I am refinancing to pay for my gliders I will never payoff my house.

I guess I am not a good example :-)



Ramy

i wouldn't say that Ramy. I'm trying to do my best to get enough equity in my house so I can buy a Quintus

On Friday, February 22, 2013 9:06:43 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 10:48:27 PM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:

On Friday, February 22, 2013 4:34:59 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:



On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:05:10 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:







On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:































I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.































Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.































Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.















yep, lots of my students have been out of flying for about 18-23 years. some had gotten their licenses in college, some had just taken a lesson or two, but many had done some flying in high school and college and then decided that a job, house, wife, and kids were more important, and were coming back to it after the house was paid off and the kids out of the house.







I wonder why people wait so long. I switched from hang gliding to sailplanes about the same time I bought my first house and my child was born...



At the rate I am refinancing to pay for my gliders I will never payoff my house.



I guess I am not a good example :-)







Ramy



i wouldn't say that Ramy. I'm trying to do my best to get enough equity in my house so I can buy a Quintus

Might be easier to get enough equity on a Quintus to buy a house...

On Friday, February 22, 2013 5:34:59 PM UTC-7, Tony wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:05:10 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:







I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it.







Both demographics are important. Today's youth will be 45 in 2038. The pattern of early exposure and mid-life adoption is well established.







Teaching basic skills to the young addresses the difficulty of teaching those skills to the middle aged. Plus line boys speed up the launch rate. They hustle.



yep, lots of my students have been out of flying for about 18-23 years. some had gotten their licenses in college, some had just taken a lesson or two, but many had done some flying in high school and college and then decided that a job, house, wife, and kids were more important, and were coming back to it after the house was paid off and the kids out of the house.

USAF helicopter pilot showed up at the club today while we were winch launching. He's been just up the road for seven years and just discovered us. We'll get him started, but he'll be in M-ASA country in August.

On Friday, February 22, 2013 6:58:19 PM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:
On Friday, February 22, 2013 1:15:03 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote: As the new SSA Youth Committee Chairman i feel i can comment on this with authority. No you are not considered Youth, even if you act like you are under 26. Sorry. That said you are absolutely right based on most of my observations at the airport/gliderport, mid 40's is a very popular age to get into or back into aviation. I think the main point of this thread is that instead of focusing on attracting real youth, we should focus on the middle age crowd who can actually afford soaring and have the time to pursue it. We simply can't compete against hang gliding and paragliding for the young crowd. Ramy

The focus should not be on age, but enthusiasm. That comes from people of all ages. The ones that have it, and are nurtured, will be around a long time. The others will simply go do something else.
Best "target" is lapsed pilot with teen aged kid who is interested in flying. We see this a lot.
UH

A clue: http://youtu.be/MeHoOViUQXc

On Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:53:15 -0800, Sean F (F2) wrote:

A clue: http://youtu.be/MeHoOViUQXc

IMO thats a terrible video for promoting its sport - more talking heads
than action and what action there is was so fragmented and distant that I
couldn't get any feel for what the sport might be like to take part in.


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martin@ | Martin Gregorie
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