HG pilot in Brazil goes long - 450 km straight out- new source of SP pilots?

On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 7:01:51 PM UTC-7, HGXC wrote:

Show me your stats?

I go to launch once in a while. It is rare I even see hang gliders any more. Launch was the place I always found a friendly face, but I don't know anyone now.

However there are many paragliders. One thing that always strikes me is how much money these guys have, at least compared my hang gliding crowd. I get a kick out of asking "what happens if the wind stops."

On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 10:01:51 PM UTC-4, HGXC wrote:
On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 8:37:55 PM UTC-4, Ramy wrote:
I don't buy those stats. There are certainly more PG pilots than HG Pilots. There are more active PG pilots than active SP pilots.

Ramy

They are from USHPA website

Show me your stats?

My issue is with the ahole who likes to disrespect other people.

Dennis

The poster I was referring to was the gotovkot guy who continually slurs older pilots in his posts....no reason to do that. As for HGing and PGing neither are growing at this time in the USA. The numbers have been flat for years. PGing is easier to initially learn and we have a younger generation that is attracted to easy. Flying a glider is many good things but to do it well is a process and NOT easy.

Dennis

Ramy says there are way more PG than HG. Ramy, that is because you are on the west coast. In the east it is much more evenly divided with many sites that host more HG pilots. We have lots of cliff launches which are difficult for PG pilots.
Deane (former HG pilot for 35 years)

On Thursday, October 30, 2014 3:43:03 PM UTC-4, gotovkotzepkoi wrote:
'HGXC[_2_ Wrote:
;891238']On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 8:37:55 PM UTC-4, Ramy wrote:-
I don't buy those stats. There are certainly more PG pilots than HG
Pilots. There are more active PG pilots than active SP pilots.

Ramy-

They are from USHPA website

Show me your stats?

My issue is with the ahole who like to disrespect other people.

Dennis

Just curious, who are you referring to here? I also agree that the stats
cannot be correct. If you have been to any PG/HG sites you will see that
PGs vastly outnumber HGs these days. HGs are being swept into the black
hole of history. A couple of days ago I asked a PG friend of mine what
he thought of perhaps learning to fly SPs. He gave me the expected
answer: far too much hassle, too much dependence on infrastructure and
other people, too expensive, too much time required, the sport is full
of geezers, no women in the sport, etc. The usual answers. I frankly
think that it's a waste of time to try to recruit anyone at all. The
people who come to SPs are those with a natural tendency to seek it out.
There, I said it.




--
gotovkotzepkoi

Yep and you continue to be an ass about it. Call people disrespectful names, profiling entire groups as bib wearing geezers. And have you ever to been to wallaby ranch? Quest? Mt Ascutney VT? The numbers of PG and HG are close in the US. Another thing ...if you're looking to pick up women then go to a place to do that, fill out a online form telling them what a trilling cool guy you are, If you want to fly, be a competent pilot, fly long XC's compete in contests, share the air with likeminded people then do that and get dates somewhere else. I don't want to be in the air along a ridge with someone who is just in it for a lark and a trill. Go get a guitar and learn how to play ....you'll get more dates that way. LOL and every day that goes by pal you are turning into that guy you are disrespecting...ever think of THAT? idiot

Dennis

On Thursday, October 30, 2014 4:48:15 PM UTC-4, HGXC wrote:
And have you ever to been to wallaby ranch? Quest? Mt Ascutney VT? The numbers of PG and HG are close in the US.

Dennis

You fly HGs off of Ascutney? Mucho respect to you, my friend! I've had the ever loving hell beat out of me in my LS8 simply flying close to that bad boy. The wave, when I found it though, was worth it...

-John, Q3

On Thursday, October 30, 2014 5:14:04 PM UTC-4, John Carlyle wrote:
On Thursday, October 30, 2014 4:48:15 PM UTC-4, HGXC wrote:
And have you ever to been to wallaby ranch? Quest? Mt Ascutney VT? The numbers of PG and HG are close in the US.

Dennis

You fly HGs off of Ascutney? Mucho respect to you, my friend! I've had the ever loving hell beat out of me in my LS8 simply flying close to that bad boy. The wave, when I found it though, was worth it...

-John, Q3

Thanks John, Yes I've been flying there for nearly 40 years and set a New England Hang Gliding XC record from there. 122.2 miles. I might have gone further if my freakin bib didn't get in the way LOL

Peace out,

Dennis

The response confirms the accusation of SPs being cranky old people. Bit I don't get is SPs have a limited capacity to grow anyway, one local club had a waiting list for new student members. I got tired of grinding around in the backseat and didn't do it for all that long. So why grow SPs? Sailplane flying runs on a handful of fanatics devoting massive amounts of time, energy, and money, as long as a few replacement fanatics filter in over the years everything will be OK.
As for HG/PG numbers I understand they are about equal in the US but worldwide PG pilots outnumber everybody by a huge margin. The total number of PG pilots worldwide estimated at 250,000. Lots of semi active PG pilots that only fly on a couple of holiday weeks a year and otherwise stay on the ground living normal mundane lives. PG allows that, and it works well for people.

OK, I am tired of the HG/PG/SP is best, old people need to die, young people will save us, there are more of us than them, the sky is falling etc. etc..

I started HG in the early 70's and fell in love with it. I thought sailplanes were for old people that were just sitting on their asses wiggling their sticks. When PG finally came around, I thought they were kinda neat, but there was no way I was going to be lucky enough to survive the early days of a new aviation sport- I got through the Standard Rogallo days, but barely.

Finally, after logging over 2,500 HG hours through 28 years of HG, as well as a few knee operations and attending far too many funerals, I decided that, yes, I was too OLD to be subjecting myself to the risks of HG.

I took up sailplanes, and while I still miss the wild 'n woolly days of HG with some of the most fun people I had ever met, I discovered an entirely new world of soaring. The people were friendly and encouraging, the scope of an average day of XC flying far surpassed anything I had ever accomplished with a hang glider and I nearly always made it back to the home 'drome. And did I mention landing on a wheel instead of using my own little pink body as landing gear?

In the last 15 years of flying sailplanes, I have amassed far more airtime (1,900 hours) than I would have thought possible. I fly in conditions that would be difficult in a hang glider and impossible in a paraglider. I cherish the friendships I maintain with my HG and PG bros. and I am overjoyed when I see one of them join my "new" aviation family.

As far as the old vs. young, expensive vs. cheap yada yada, I think a real, dedicated soaring addicted pilot will find a way to continue flying. I did, and I am not rich, by any means. I figure I fly my 1984 40:1 glider for about $15 per hour, and I can do it more often than I could with my HG, and I don't have to replace every component on a regular basis as things wear out or become obsolete.

Don't denigrate old people- they have a lot to teach us, and if you are lucky enough, maybe you will live long enough to become one. Don't denigrate young people because they fly HG or PG- something lit their fire, and with luck, they will eventually make it to sailplanes.

In 1991, the SSA held its convention in Albuquerque and I was invited to display my hang glider (UP Axis 15) in the exhibit hall. I was talking to Ray Gimmey, and after we shook hands and he walked away, I overheard another pilot ask, "Ray, why are you wasting your time with bozos like that?"

I will never forget Ray's response: "When their knees wear out, they are going to save soaring."

Thanks, Ray. Ray won the 2014 US 15 M Nationals at age 81, and I bet he had tubes up his nose, too.

FY gotovkotzepkoi

I'm was so happy to read Marks mighty fine synopsis bringing this thread full circle.

Can we Please end this thread now on a upbeat note?

Thanks in advance

Nick

Being retired and having spent nearly every day at the airport (towing,
flying my glider and my motor glider) for almost 5 years, I have the
following observation about the adventure crowd: They come to the
airport to take a ride, have a terrific time, and then disappear.
Another square filled. That is probably how I'm viewed at the jump
club. What a hoot, but not for me... The majority of folks with an
interest in soaring seem to have no difficulty in finding us and joining
in and they're almost always welcomed and nurtured.

Most of us have a friend or two who are intrigued by our sport. Simply
bringing them out for a ride on a good soaring day and showing them what
it's about will hook a fair number of them. Those are the kind of people
I want in the sport. Of course you have a right to your own opinion.

Dan Marotta

On 10/31/2014 7:39 AM, gotovkotzepkoi wrote:
Mark628CA;891291 Wrote:
OK, I am tired of the HG/PG/SP is best, old people need to die, young
people will save us, there are more of us than them, the sky is falling
etc. etc..

I started HG in the early 70's and fell in love with it. I thought
sailplanes were for old people that were just sitting on their asses
wiggling their sticks. When PG finally came around, I thought they were
kinda neat, but there was no way I was going to be lucky enough to
survive the early days of a new aviation sport- I got through the
Standard Rogallo days, but barely.

Finally, after logging over 2,500 HG hours through 28 years of HG, as
well as a few knee operations and attending far too many funerals, I
decided that, yes, I was too OLD to be subjecting myself to the risks of
HG.

I took up sailplanes, and while I still miss the wild 'n woolly days of
HG with some of the most fun people I had ever met, I discovered an
entirely new world of soaring. The people were friendly and encouraging,
the scope of an average day of XC flying far surpassed anything I had
ever accomplished with a hang glider and I nearly always made it back to
the home 'drome. And did I mention landing on a wheel instead of using
my own little pink body as landing gear?

In the last 15 years of flying sailplanes, I have amassed far more
airtime (1,900 hours) than I would have thought possible. I fly in
conditions that would be difficult in a hang glider and impossible in a
paraglider. I cherish the friendships I maintain with my HG and PG bros.
and I am overjoyed when I see one of them join my "new" aviation
family.

As far as the old vs. young, expensive vs. cheap yada yada, I think a
real, dedicated soaring addicted pilot will find a way to continue
flying. I did, and I am not rich, by any means. I figure I fly my 1984
40:1 glider for about $15 per hour, and I can do it more often than I
could with my HG, and I don't have to replace every component on a
regular basis as things wear out or become obsolete.

Don't denigrate old people- they have a lot to teach us, and if you are
lucky enough, maybe you will live long enough to become one. Don't
denigrate young people because they fly HG or PG- something lit their
fire, and with luck, they will eventually make it to sailplanes.

In 1991, the SSA held its convention in Albuquerque and I was invited to
display my hang glider (UP Axis 15) in the exhibit hall. I was talking
to Ray Gimmey, and after we shook hands and he walked away, I overheard
another pilot ask, "Ray, why are you wasting your time with bozos like
that?"

I will never forget Ray's response: "When their knees wear out, they are
going to save soaring."

Thanks, Ray. Ray won the 2014 US 15 M Nationals at age 81, and I bet he
had tubes up his nose, too.

FY gotovkotzepkoi
I have nothing against older people. Hell, I am becoming one myself. I
like being around people my age. The debate here is not about who is
better, old or young. The discussion started rather as a question on how
to attract HG pilots to soaring. Therefore, the question was about
marketing the sport to them. Now, assuming one wants to market it at all
(big question mark here) one is faced with the issue of how soaring is
perceived by those you're tying to lure into it. My point was simply to
point how how THEY look at soaring, not how I see it. Having been around
both sports for a while I am very familiar with their perceptions and
potential interest in soaring. Largely because of these perception very
few HG/PGing pilots will make the jump; the vast majority won't. I am
perfectly comfortable with the demographic scene in the glider world. I
don't need to pick up women at the glider field. I have a beautiful wife
many years younger than me. And besides, I don't need another
distraction from the checklist.