Lennie the Lurker wrote:
At the risk of encouraging him, Lennie's recent post to this thread is the
most logical and reasoned of any of his (and most everyone else's) that I
have read recently. Thanks Leninie, good points.

Welcome. But I still see people blaming lack of instructors or the
2-33 as core of the problem. I don't really care, until common sense
and a change in the higher mucky-mucks attitude happen, it'll continue
to decline. FInancially block most of the middle class, which is also
declining, and all you're going to see is called "death spiral." For
those that can afford the "hi price glass", it's fine, but there's
nothing for the average guy. Even if there was, it would get so much
badmouth from the eggspurts that it would never sell enough to be
successful. IT's what happens when the competitors take control of
the entire activity. Top of the line, or nothing. Nothing is more
often the better choice. Ignoring the eggspurts is always better.

Man, I had a helluva great flight in that $10,000 Blanik
L-13 two seater recently. And personally I prefer flying with two
instead of one anyway. The L-13 seems like the closest thing the
sport has to a glider for the "average guy." I taped the things
tail up lovingly, and gave it an average wash, and had a blast with
a fellow licensed glider pilot.

We flew slow, we flew fast, we practiced retracting gear, we went
to 9000 ft, we had a great view, the cockpit was big, and it
was $37 for the two of us. I thought "why don't I get other people
to come with me?" and then the reality set in. It really would
have been too much for their tummies. I mean it. Really that was
it.

I've taken maybe 100 people on first flights, probably half are
close friends and relatives, and none of them would have enjoyed
the 3 hour flight, because of nothing other than the bumps and
circling.

Does this explain declining numbers? No. But I'd like to
point out that getting folks into soaring is more than
just getting them a ride in a glider...
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Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA