Tow Pilots and CFIG Wanted at Sandhill Soaring Club (Michigan)

Volunteer Tow-pilots and CFIG wanted to join Sandhill Soaring Club, a 501(c)(3) not profit gliding club located in Gregory, Michigan, about 30 mins from Ann Arbor, Lansing, and western portions of Greater Metro Detroit.

Fleet: (1) SGS-233; (1) ASK-13; (2) Grob 103 Twin II; (1) DG-505; (1) Open Cirrus; (1) Std. Cirrus; (1) Scheibe SF-25C Motorglider; (1) Piper Pawnee towplane; (1) L-19 Bird Dog towplane (Cessna 305A); (1) Winch

Note About the Fleet: Competent pilot-members may rent club aircraft for use at camps, glider club fly-ins, and SSA Sanctioned Regional and National Contests.

Non-refundable Initiation Fee: $500
Monthly dues for CFIG and Tow-Pilot Specialist Members: $22.50/month

Standard Tow Rate (2,000' AGL): $22

Glider Rates vary from $20-50/hr; see: https://www.sandhillsoaring.org/dues-fees

Website: www.sandhillsoaring.org

For more information, Contact Chris Schrader at (612) 210-5524

Note: All flight instruction is FREE to club members at Sandhill Soaring Club.

So you want someone to provide professional services for free?

Or....free instruction with a professional attitude. I gave instruction for 35 years, very professionally. Probably because I got it for free. Our club required those seeking a license to go to a Commercial School. We had a limit to how Professional we wanted to be.

On Monday, July 13, 2020 at 2:35:16 PM UTC-4, Charles Longley wrote:
So you want someone to provide professional services for free?

We are a non-profit gliding club. Our CFIG do provide professional services for free and are every bit as professional as any CFIG I've ever met during my 20 years of gliding at, at least, five gliding clubs and one commercial operation. These individuals are not in it for the money rather the joy of sharing the sport with others and giving back to their community.

I have no criticism for commercial operations, in fact they're needed! Some clubs allow CFIG to make private arrangements with their members to instruct as independent contractors. I have no issue with that either. Our club chooses not to go that route and prefers to remain a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

- Chris Schrader

So you want someone to provide professional services for free?
We are a non-profit gliding club. Our CFIG do provide professional services for free and are every bit as professional as any CFIG I've ever met during my 20 years of gliding at, at least, five gliding clubs and one commercial operation.

Correction... 4 commercial glider operations located in FL, MN, VT, and ID.

On Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 3:27:24 PM UTC-4, Christopher Schrader wrote:
On Monday, July 13, 2020 at 2:35:16 PM UTC-4, Charles Longley wrote:
So you want someone to provide professional services for free?

We are a non-profit gliding club. Our CFIG do provide professional services for free and are every bit as professional as any CFIG I've ever met during my 20 years of gliding at, at least, five gliding clubs and one commercial operation. These individuals are not in it for the money rather the joy of sharing the sport with others and giving back to their community.

I have no criticism for commercial operations, in fact they're needed! Some clubs allow CFIG to make private arrangements with their members to instruct as independent contractors. I have no issue with that either. Our club chooses not to go that route and prefers to remain a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

- Chris Schrader

Chris, you must consider who you are dealing with, R is a legend in his own mind! I once asked him what he had done for soaring and his reply was, "NOTHING", I guess he was correct.

Hmmm...seems I left the word ‘free’ out a sentence.Hmmmm.....Bob is right in one respect....when compared to so many, I have done nothing. And that is what was said...to Bob....when he asked me “what have you done (for Soaring).� I said “nothing�. Bob has done a lot. And many should thank him.
R

when he asked me “what have you done (for Soaring).� I said “nothing�. Bob has done a lot. And many should thank him.
R

Well, let's be charitable. If you take tows from a commercial operator and tow pilot or buy soaring equipment, you are helping a few folks postpone starvation. You aren't eliminating it, but you are delaying it.

There is no reason your club can’t stay a 501 (c) 3 and still have the CFI’s be paid. I am associated with two clubs in the PNW. One insists that there will be no remuneration for the CFI’s. The other says the students shall pay the CFI’s a set hourly rate. Which club do you think has no issues having multiple CFI’s available each weekend and which club is lucky to have one? Which club do you think puts out more rated pilots? How many prospective students have left the club that doesn’t have available CFI’s?

Charlie