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#71
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US club class definition
Curious to compare the US competition attendee numbers to other countries around the world.
Are they all dropping in the last, say, 30 years? Are some countries stagnant at some level? Are some countries gaining attendance? If they're all/mostly dropping, by what percentage? There will be some that have gone up, partly because private aircraft ownership was expensive or even not allowed. |
#72
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US club class definition
On Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 10:22:18 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Agreed - Soaring is not as relatable as other forms of racing. But people are INSANE if they believe the current levels of participation are acceptable. In 2016 a total of TWELVE pilots entered the Standard Class Nationals. That's it!!! TWELVE!!! Nationals should have a wait list every year, and take years for pilots to achieve a score that qualifies them into the national race. We are at the point where we must combine multiple classes to even have enough pilots to "break even" at a national contest. That's sad, it's unfortunate and speaks volumes to a lack of common sense to make this a popular sport in America. I doubt that we will even have billions or millions interested in our sport. But hoping for more than 12 in a class, or more than 25 in a large national class is completely realistic.....if you listen to those who do not participate. Don't survey the current racing pilots, survey those who have quit the sport or won't enter a race only. Ask them why they are turned off to the idea of competition. Ask the pilots who don't compete, if a race that has a rule book that can fit on a post card (aside from FAR's) if that would entice them to join. Ask the pilots if a grand prix race is more exciting than an MAT. Don't ask anyone in the current SSA leadership, because obviously what they are doing, is not working. Once again....12 pilots entered the standard class nationals. There's more than a HALF A MILLION pilots in the USA. Add on ratings are easy to get. Why would only 12 pilots enter a class for a nationals??? Things that make you go hmmmmmm.... Whoooomp, there it is! I'm guilty of abetting thread drift. Out of respect for the person who started this thread, please start your own. UH |
#73
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USA soaring participation attitudes
UH stated:
They expect to be customers, not club members. Exactly! They want to show up just before launch with everything all set up for them beforehand, and then leave as soon as their flight is over so they can go do some other activity. Oh, and they want to reserve the best time of the day for themselves ahead of time as well. They want to have the benefits that a commercial operator provides, but want to pay low club rates while not participating in any of the club duties which lower the costs... Welcome to the USA attitude...."I want everything, and I want it now, and I want it for free - or cheap." My club in Germany had it right. If you wanted to fly, you had to be there before 9 AM to help unload the hangar. After that, you helped wherever you could outside of the time you got to fly. Afterwards, you were obligated to stay and help until all was put away, and the hangar doors were closed for the night. Unfortunately for soaring in the USA, most Americans will never put up with rules and restrictions like those found in other places. They will just go and look for something else which is easier to do. When prospective new members show up at our place, we explain that ours is a participatory club, and that we own the airport as well. We tell them right up front that if they don't want to participate in the duties of running the club and the airport, that they should get in their cars and drive the 50 miles to the same commercial operator that UH refers his people to as well. Everyone likes the low club rates, but not a lot want to do the required participation work which keeps the rates low and affordable... If you leave the work to a dedicated few, they burn out and leave after some period of time where they have been taken advantage of.... I think it is just a pervasive cultural attitude that is found in the USA, and that is - and has been- a "hard nut to crack"... FWIW,,,,,,, RO |
#74
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USA soaring participation attitudes
Mike is right, but it wasn't always that way in the USA. All these
useless (entitled) people grew up in the past 40 or so years. Flame suit on. On 3/4/2017 9:00 AM, Michael Opitz wrote: UH stated: They expect to be customers, not club members. Exactly! They want to show up just before launch with everything all set up for them beforehand, and then leave as soon as their flight is over so they can go do some other activity. Oh, and they want to reserve the best time of the day for themselves ahead of time as well. They want to have the benefits that a commercial operator provides, but want to pay low club rates while not participating in any of the club duties which lower the costs... Welcome to the USA attitude...."I want everything, and I want it now, and I want it for free - or cheap." My club in Germany had it right. If you wanted to fly, you had to be there before 9 AM to help unload the hangar. After that, you helped wherever you could outside of the time you got to fly. Afterwards, you were obligated to stay and help until all was put away, and the hangar doors were closed for the night. Unfortunately for soaring in the USA, most Americans will never put up with rules and restrictions like those found in other places. They will just go and look for something else which is easier to do. When prospective new members show up at our place, we explain that ours is a participatory club, and that we own the airport as well. We tell them right up front that if they don't want to participate in the duties of running the club and the airport, that they should get in their cars and drive the 50 miles to the same commercial operator that UH refers his people to as well. Everyone likes the low club rates, but not a lot want to do the required participation work which keeps the rates low and affordable... If you leave the work to a dedicated few, they burn out and leave after some period of time where they have been taken advantage of.... I think it is just a pervasive cultural attitude that is found in the USA, and that is - and has been- a "hard nut to crack"... FWIW,,,,,,, RO -- Dan, 5J |
#75
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USA soaring participation attitudes
What do business do? They think smarter, not harder.
Maybe instead of making the club sweep the hangar everyday, they can invest in a leaf blower. Maybe instead of disassembling a club glider everyday to store in a trailer, they can invest in a hangar. Perhaps instead of having club members walk wingtipa, they can invest in a wing wheel. If this sport isn't made easier and convenient, you're done. Wake up, think outside the box!!!! Telling a guest on day one they MUST WORK AND PULL THEIR WEIGHT AROUND HERE, scares the heck out them. Their are easier and smarter ways. |
#76
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USA soaring participation attitudes
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