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A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots, competitors,and world champions (USA).



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 8th 14, 06:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Fox Two[_2_]
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots, competitors,and world champions (USA).

There have been several threads on RAS recently about the disappointing state of our sport in the USA: a shrinking membership, few cross-country pilots, fewer contest pilots, and no world champions. If we're going to reverse these trends, we need more than contest rule tweaking and membership drive gimmicks. We need to make our sport exciting so that we don't just attract new members but, more importantly, keep the ones that we already have.

Our sport is about soaring long distances at fast speeds or performing energy-conserving aerobatics. Of course there are also the antique enthusiasts and those who enjoy simply boring holes in the sky above the airfield - but we sell the sex. We lose potential new members when they see the Schweizer 2-33, we lose existing members when there's nothing better to fly than a Grob 103, and we lose even more due to boredom because cross-country training is a rare luxury, and inexperienced pilots are reluctant to venture away from the nest alone. The problems of our sport all originate at the club level - and it will be up to the clubs to fix them. Our clubs need to offer high-performance gliders and training that goes beyond the FAA's Practical Test Standards.

The Europeans dominate this sport for the same reason the US military dominates the battlefield: they spend more money and train more than anybody else. There are national soaring centers to teach the teachers so they in turn can offer the highest-quality training to their club's members. With the assistance of their national organizations, European clubs blaze a clear path from debutant to the diamond badge, with training at every step of the way. Unfortunately, the European model won't work in the USA (something to do with our distrust of socialism), but we can build our own model of success based on theirs.

THINK BIG: Imagine a 'United States National Soaring Center.' Let's put it where even the Europeans would be envious: Minden. Employ professional instructors with state-of-the-art sailplanes teaching our clubs' instructors, offering year-round cross-country and mountain-wave camps, and coaching the US Teams. A pipe dream you say? It would be expensive for sure - but it wouldn't be impossible.

The SSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means among other things, that it is able to receive tax-deductible donations. And it does. For example, in 2011 the SSA received a $1 million cash donation. Would $1 million pay for the National Soaring Center? No. But the SSA could use some of that money to get ALL of the clubs 501(c)3 tax status. A team of tax professionals, paid for by the SSA, could work with the clubs to restructure each club so that they could receive tax-deductible donations. Every club member would immediately benefit: club dues, for example, can be tax deductible. Few club members would object to paying higher dues if they were tax deductible, and some club members would love to make tax-deductible donations to the club. I would much rather give a thousand bucks to my club than to Uncle Sam! This would allow the clubs to finally leave the 1960's and get some gliders that aren't 50 years old. High-performance gliders would attract and retain more members, paying even more dues. Eventually, there would be enough money for the National Soaring Center in Minden.

It's not a sexy solution, but we would have a growing membership, more cross-country pilots and competitors, and maybe even a world champion.

Chris Fleming
  #2  
Old August 8th 14, 06:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
HGXC[_2_]
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

On Friday, August 8, 2014 1:14:02 PM UTC-4, Fox Two wrote:
There have been several threads on RAS recently about the disappointing state of our sport in the USA: a shrinking membership, few cross-country pilots, fewer contest pilots, and no world champions. If we're going to reverse these trends, we need more than contest rule tweaking and membership drive gimmicks. We need to make our sport exciting so that we don't just attract new members but, more importantly, keep the ones that we already have.



Our sport is about soaring long distances at fast speeds or performing energy-conserving aerobatics. Of course there are also the antique enthusiasts and those who enjoy simply boring holes in the sky above the airfield - but we sell the sex. We lose potential new members when they see the Schweizer 2-33, we lose existing members when there's nothing better to fly than a Grob 103, and we lose even more due to boredom because cross-country training is a rare luxury, and inexperienced pilots are reluctant to venture away from the nest alone. The problems of our sport all originate at the club level - and it will be up to the clubs to fix them. Our clubs need to offer high-performance gliders and training that goes beyond the FAA's Practical Test Standards.



The Europeans dominate this sport for the same reason the US military dominates the battlefield: they spend more money and train more than anybody else. There are national soaring centers to teach the teachers so they in turn can offer the highest-quality training to their club's members. With the assistance of their national organizations, European clubs blaze a clear path from debutant to the diamond badge, with training at every step of the way. Unfortunately, the European model won't work in the USA (something to do with our distrust of socialism), but we can build our own model of success based on theirs.



THINK BIG: Imagine a 'United States National Soaring Center.' Let's put it where even the Europeans would be envious: Minden. Employ professional instructors with state-of-the-art sailplanes teaching our clubs' instructors, offering year-round cross-country and mountain-wave camps, and coaching the US Teams. A pipe dream you say? It would be expensive for sure - but it wouldn't be impossible.



The SSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means among other things, that it is able to receive tax-deductible donations. And it does. For example, in 2011 the SSA received a $1 million cash donation. Would $1 million pay for the National Soaring Center? No. But the SSA could use some of that money to get ALL of the clubs 501(c)3 tax status. A team of tax professionals, paid for by the SSA, could work with the clubs to restructure each club so that they could receive tax-deductible donations. Every club member would immediately benefit: club dues, for example, can be tax deductible. Few club members would object to paying higher dues if they were tax deductible, and some club members would love to make tax-deductible donations to the club. I would much rather give a thousand bucks to my club than to Uncle Sam! This would allow the clubs to finally leave the 1960's and get some gliders that aren't 50 years old. High-performance gliders would attract and retain more members, paying even more dues. Eventually, there would be enough money for the National Soaring Center in Minden.



It's not a sexy solution, but we would have a growing membership, more cross-country pilots and competitors, and maybe even a world champion.



Chris Fleming


You had my interest until you went political on me. I don't see using tax payer money to train a small percentage of fortunate pilots as a good use of public funds. We do well in Olympics and other international competitions so its not about being a mommy state. Its about growing a broader base of younger pilots and all of GA is challenged by that. I flew Hang Gliders for 38 years and competed and XCed in that sport and we had the same issue. You go to a local soaring club and you see both a 233 and glass ships as well. Most people who have the competitive drive will see one as a road map to the other.

Dennis
  #3  
Old August 9th 14, 02:43 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
son_of_flubber
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

Want more pilots? Do whatever it takes to get 90% of students to PTS-level in a single season. The student drop out rate is abysmal. Everyone's entire investment goes down the toilet when that happens and it is disheartening to everyone who carries on.

I'm pretty sure that this is possible and that there are people who know how to do it. It would mean making some changes to how things are done.

(Not to take anything away from the other good ideas mentioned in this thread.)
  #4  
Old August 9th 14, 05:16 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Frank Whiteley
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

Chris,

You bring up several interesting points.

I learned to fly gliders AND SOAR in a BGA club. As all instructors were trained at a national course, they did all speak the same patter and follow the same syllabus. It works, wonderfully. However, in the USA, we do have the FAA, which gets in the way to an extent. Thus, I do see best results in the US when the student and instructor are a good fit and work towards the rating one on one. Unfortunately, several clubs work instructor du jour, so student progress may be haphazard. Some clubs have worked to standardize instructor performance. In the BGA club, the instructor would take every opportunity to soar when it presented itself. My observation is that a lot of soaring is bypassed by US instructors while training to PTS standards. Just sayin'. What's the real goal after all? Effective instructors are the key.

Southern California Soaring Academy is an approach, not perfect, but might well be considered by others wishing to promote a full time soaring organization employing professional instructors. It is a 501(c)(3). Should the SSA establish a national soaring center? Probably not. Too much risk for a member services organization. Should the SSA promote such a center? Absolutely. A 501(c)(3) is certainly a such a vehicle and is not a difficult process. You simply must answer the question, "what is the public benefit?" While other countries do give sports grants and governmental help to soaring organizations, our way is to allow local definition of the 'public benefit' and allow a tax benefit for doing so.

Yesterday I was informed that a newish SSA chapter had received it's 501(c)(3) determination. Another received its determination a 3-4 months ago. The IRS log jam created by the 501(c)(4) political re-education camps may have cleared (same office). There are others in progress. This is a local issue and needs local initiative. The SSA has resources to help a successful outcome. Before you departed the CONUS and when you served a president of your chapter, you were offered help, but the initiative to proceed required local organization. You were also offered support from another 501(c)(3) soaring operation. Sadly, the opportunity did not materialize and an unfortunate accident kind of brought things to a halt. Not casting blame, just saying I think there was a lost opportunity and timing was not on our side.

I, and others, have pestered the SSF to develop a national syllabus. They have refused, for good reason. There are several good commercial products out there. Likewise, the SSA reduced it's SSA store offerings. At one time the SSA was the only place to find several soaring items. However, we decided not to complete with our Business Members. Some asked us to continue offering their products, but we also want to support them and hope our members will also. It was not a decision taken lightly, but we want our Business Members to be good resources for our membership also. We were well aware of friction between Sporty's and AOPA when AOPA started offering competing products.

So, a US National Soaring Center? Flesh out the concept a bit. Would the SSA contribute materially? Perhaps, if it passes the smell test. Use the SSA as a pass through organization for donations? Doubtful, this is a local matter and not such a high hurdle as some perceive.

Notice how Boeing poked it's finger in the eye of the FAA and Congress at Oshkosh? Certainly a good motivation for starting youth in soaring as early as possible is to help them work towards for an ATP if they have an aviation career in sight. There are a number of youth soaring scholarships available, some from the SSA, many others from local initiatives. Get those 'plane crazy' youth into the air!

Frank Whiteley
  #5  
Old August 9th 14, 05:19 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Frank Whiteley
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Posts: 2,099
Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

On Friday, August 8, 2014 11:14:02 AM UTC-6, Fox Two wrote:
There have been several threads on RAS recently about the disappointing state of our sport in the USA: a shrinking membership, few cross-country pilots, fewer contest pilots, and no world champions. If we're going to reverse these trends, we need more than contest rule tweaking and membership drive gimmicks. We need to make our sport exciting so that we don't just attract new members but, more importantly, keep the ones that we already have.



Our sport is about soaring long distances at fast speeds or performing energy-conserving aerobatics. Of course there are also the antique enthusiasts and those who enjoy simply boring holes in the sky above the airfield - but we sell the sex. We lose potential new members when they see the Schweizer 2-33, we lose existing members when there's nothing better to fly than a Grob 103, and we lose even more due to boredom because cross-country training is a rare luxury, and inexperienced pilots are reluctant to venture away from the nest alone. The problems of our sport all originate at the club level - and it will be up to the clubs to fix them. Our clubs need to offer high-performance gliders and training that goes beyond the FAA's Practical Test Standards.



The Europeans dominate this sport for the same reason the US military dominates the battlefield: they spend more money and train more than anybody else. There are national soaring centers to teach the teachers so they in turn can offer the highest-quality training to their club's members. With the assistance of their national organizations, European clubs blaze a clear path from debutant to the diamond badge, with training at every step of the way. Unfortunately, the European model won't work in the USA (something to do with our distrust of socialism), but we can build our own model of success based on theirs.



THINK BIG: Imagine a 'United States National Soaring Center.' Let's put it where even the Europeans would be envious: Minden. Employ professional instructors with state-of-the-art sailplanes teaching our clubs' instructors, offering year-round cross-country and mountain-wave camps, and coaching the US Teams. A pipe dream you say? It would be expensive for sure - but it wouldn't be impossible.



The SSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means among other things, that it is able to receive tax-deductible donations. And it does. For example, in 2011 the SSA received a $1 million cash donation. Would $1 million pay for the National Soaring Center? No. But the SSA could use some of that money to get ALL of the clubs 501(c)3 tax status. A team of tax professionals, paid for by the SSA, could work with the clubs to restructure each club so that they could receive tax-deductible donations. Every club member would immediately benefit: club dues, for example, can be tax deductible. Few club members would object to paying higher dues if they were tax deductible, and some club members would love to make tax-deductible donations to the club. I would much rather give a thousand bucks to my club than to Uncle Sam! This would allow the clubs to finally leave the 1960's and get some gliders that aren't 50 years old. High-performance gliders would attract and retain more members, paying even more dues. Eventually, there would be enough money for the National Soaring Center in Minden.



It's not a sexy solution, but we would have a growing membership, more cross-country pilots and competitors, and maybe even a world champion.



Chris Fleming


Minden?

Give me five good reasons.

Frank Whiteley
  #6  
Old August 9th 14, 05:22 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Frank Whiteley
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

On Friday, August 8, 2014 7:43:32 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
Want more pilots? Do whatever it takes to get 90% of students to PTS-level in a single season. The student drop out rate is abysmal. Everyone's entire investment goes down the toilet when that happens and it is disheartening to everyone who carries on.



I'm pretty sure that this is possible and that there are people who know how to do it. It would mean making some changes to how things are done.



(Not to take anything away from the other good ideas mentioned in this thread.)


It's abysmal in power training as AOPA found out. Why? Disinterested instructors.

Effective instruction is the most valuable commodity and students are known to pay willingly for results.
  #7  
Old August 9th 14, 12:47 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Fox Two[_2_]
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

Hi Frank,

I absolutely agree with you that these specific issues are local in nature and that they require local solutions. But regarding the broader issue of growing our sport as a whole, our clubs need the guidance and support of the SSA. It's their stated mission. And now, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the SSA has the means to help ALL of our clubs by renovating their corporate foundations and receiving 501(c)(3) determinations, which would help them raise revenue, modernize, and grow. In its most basic terms:

1. The SSA's Board of Directors should approve and fund a program to actively help all clubs receive 501(c)(3) determinations.

2. The SSA should then contact each club to explain the program, and to develop a plan for that club.

3. Club volunteers, working with the SSA's 501(c)(3) experts, would then restructure the club.

Yes, some clubs have already received their 501(c)(3) determinations without a program like the one I'm proposing, but they are the exception to the norm. Most clubs aren't aware of the benefits 501(c)(3) offers, while others aren't willing to make the effort to get the certification. An SSA approved, funded and managed program would make the process convenient to everyone.

You mentioned my tenure as a club president. You helped me by pointing me in directions that wouldn't have ever occurred to me. With your guidance, our club was able to restructure, modernize, and grow. Yes, the 501(c)(3) determination was the big fish that got away. But if our small club could do what it did with the limited resources it had, imagine what an average club could do with greater resources.

Think globally but act locally.

Chris Fleming
  #8  
Old August 9th 14, 03:12 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

I live and fly in Minden, in fact I moved to Minden for the soaring 8 years ago, so I'm partial to the idea of basing a national soaring center there.

Right now a small group of volunteers is trying to build a soaring center on the east side on land we have from the airport. Utilities will be going in this month or next, and we are trying to come up with a site plan. It is quite an ambitious, and exciting, prospect. Contact the Sports Aviation Foundation for details if you want more information. The Sports Aviation Foundation has 501(c)3 status and we are working slowly on building a fundraising base.

That said, I'm not sure 501(c)3 status is what is holding things up. As I said, the Sports Aviation Foundation already has that status, as does the Minden Soaring Club, which has given some 15 youth scholarships (worth $1000 in instructional costs) over the last 2 years alone.

There is some growth in our sport, but I'm not sure infrastructure is the real lack
  #9  
Old August 9th 14, 04:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
jfitch
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

On Friday, August 8, 2014 10:14:02 AM UTC-7, Fox Two wrote:
There have been several threads on RAS recently about the disappointing state of our sport in the USA: a shrinking membership, few cross-country pilots, fewer contest pilots, and no world champions. If we're going to reverse these trends, we need more than contest rule tweaking and membership drive gimmicks. We need to make our sport exciting so that we don't just attract new members but, more importantly, keep the ones that we already have.



Our sport is about soaring long distances at fast speeds or performing energy-conserving aerobatics. Of course there are also the antique enthusiasts and those who enjoy simply boring holes in the sky above the airfield - but we sell the sex. We lose potential new members when they see the Schweizer 2-33, we lose existing members when there's nothing better to fly than a Grob 103, and we lose even more due to boredom because cross-country training is a rare luxury, and inexperienced pilots are reluctant to venture away from the nest alone. The problems of our sport all originate at the club level - and it will be up to the clubs to fix them. Our clubs need to offer high-performance gliders and training that goes beyond the FAA's Practical Test Standards.



The Europeans dominate this sport for the same reason the US military dominates the battlefield: they spend more money and train more than anybody else. There are national soaring centers to teach the teachers so they in turn can offer the highest-quality training to their club's members. With the assistance of their national organizations, European clubs blaze a clear path from debutant to the diamond badge, with training at every step of the way. Unfortunately, the European model won't work in the USA (something to do with our distrust of socialism), but we can build our own model of success based on theirs.



THINK BIG: Imagine a 'United States National Soaring Center.' Let's put it where even the Europeans would be envious: Minden. Employ professional instructors with state-of-the-art sailplanes teaching our clubs' instructors, offering year-round cross-country and mountain-wave camps, and coaching the US Teams. A pipe dream you say? It would be expensive for sure - but it wouldn't be impossible.



The SSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means among other things, that it is able to receive tax-deductible donations. And it does. For example, in 2011 the SSA received a $1 million cash donation. Would $1 million pay for the National Soaring Center? No. But the SSA could use some of that money to get ALL of the clubs 501(c)3 tax status. A team of tax professionals, paid for by the SSA, could work with the clubs to restructure each club so that they could receive tax-deductible donations. Every club member would immediately benefit: club dues, for example, can be tax deductible. Few club members would object to paying higher dues if they were tax deductible, and some club members would love to make tax-deductible donations to the club. I would much rather give a thousand bucks to my club than to Uncle Sam! This would allow the clubs to finally leave the 1960's and get some gliders that aren't 50 years old. High-performance gliders would attract and retain more members, paying even more dues. Eventually, there would be enough money for the National Soaring Center in Minden.



It's not a sexy solution, but we would have a growing membership, more cross-country pilots and competitors, and maybe even a world champion.



Chris Fleming


There have been many such discussions over the last couple of decades, all start with the assumption that there is a large population of youth aching to learn soaring, but who for various reasons are prevented from doing so. That is a massive leap of faith. My observation is that aviation (and even automobiles) do not command the imagination and attention of today's youth, as they did in my generation. (I will note that in another thread Sean compares soaring to sailing, I will point out that sailing is on a similar decline for similar reasons).

First you must interest people in soaring. Only then must you find a way for them to access it. And it you truly solve the first problem, the second will take care of itself.
  #10  
Old August 9th 14, 09:09 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
John Cochrane[_3_]
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Default A proposal to increase membership, cross-country pilots,competitors, and world champions (USA).

Interesting discussion, but I think we're missing a basic fact: dropoff and churn. We don't really need more people in the front door. We need fewer out the back door.

The SSA membership has about 20% turnover every year -- or rather 20 leave and 18 come. I did a study of contest participation, and roughly the same happens, about one in five start flying contests every year and about one in five leave.

Think of the attrition at every stage of the game. From ride to lesson. From lesson to solo. From solo to license. From license to soaring. From soaring to xc. From xc to ownership. From xc/ownership to flying contests or serious lifelong xc/olc. At each stage, do we keep even 1 in 20?

Keeping a few more of what we have, rather than getting another thousand in the front door to produce one contest pilot seems like a better strategy.

But... Increasingly every time one of my faculty colleagues says to the dean, "hey, you guys ought to xyz..." and outlines a great but difficult and time-consuming idea, the dean says "congratulations, you've just volunteered to head the xzy committee. Let us know how it's working out." The SSA sort of has a similar response!

John Cochrane
 




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