I really don't get all this paranoia about the sport dying...We have a group
of folks coming along, who absolutely LOVE thrills. The Gen X crowd is on
its way and though it might be a few years, it'll get to us when it's ready.
We just have to be ready to receive them and train them and help them move
along and become part of us...things will change, but that's
inevitable...Why all the worry???

We need to do what we are doing...ask questions, and try to set change in
motion and find ways to do a better job where and when we can. Soaring isn't
going to die now or anytime soon. If clubs fail, new clubs will form.
Different, but there will always be soaring in one way or another. As long
as one guy jumps off a hill with a paraglider, another guy will look for a
better way to go faster and farther...ultimately there will be an
equillibrium attained with regards to sailplane prices and
performance...it's called a free market....it never seems to disappoint.
Hell...at my airport we had to kids show up with hang gliders and a
homebuilt winch contraption, built from an old Roto-tiller...it didn't
work...but they were thinking and trying!!

I guess what is bugging me is how many people start echoing all the "end of
soaring" crap...RELAX...we'll be fine...just let's be positive and work to
bring new enthused young folks...old folks and middle aged folks into our
fold.

Soaring is a thing you either "get"...or "don't get"...the ones who "get it"
will find their way into our sport. We just need to provide more stimulus in
the form of what people can see, in order for it to be better recognized.
When people see it and start wondering about how they can try it, then
growth will occur. Since it's such a topic on here, I think we can all make
the effort to simply start out by taking ONE person for a glider ride next
year...hopefully a person who would have the logical possibility of being
one of those folks who'd have some level of interest...Man...think of
it...what would happen if next year we got say....1,000 new and additional
glider pilots added to our ranks. Over and above our attrition, that would
be a great start.

We....are the solution. Tell your friends...find a person...seek out one
individual and try to hook em!!!!



Steve.