This thread took off on course but meandered off to a dying cu. I agree
that Hobbs at least needs to be a soaring site.

What's needed is NEW MEMBERS. People come into this sport and leave
with frightening regularity. They will come in and get their license,
and disappear after a couple of years because - in my humble opinion -
1.) the cost of competitive sailplanes is too high - 2.) the cost of
operating a new sailplane per hour can be outrageous - 3.) too many FAI
pilots fly in lesser classes, and don't share their knowledge with
fledgling competitors - 4.) they get scared off early due to cost - 5.)
Hell, it just costs a lot of money to do this in most places.

Let's focus on growing the sport/hobby of soaring. I think we're
missing a great deal of potential soaring pilots in the radio control
model ranks.I think clubs should host R/C soaring clubs for a day and
offer rides at a reduced rate, close the airport at 5:00 PM and let
them show you a thing or two about THEIR form of soaring. Some of that
effort will be wasted. Some will pay off. There will be a few of those
guys that will become good soaring pilots/club members.

I have been doing R/C soaring stuff since 1973, and flying real
sailplanes since 1985. I am just getting back into the air after a
4-year absence, but I also just bought a sailplane.

Another problem I percieve is the "You gotta have the latest, greatest,
fastest, slipperiest or you're a nobody" syndrome. I spent some money,
not too much, and I'm enthralled with my ship. It isn't the latest
thing. In fact, far, far from it. I finally learned that, regardless of
the opinions of some of my wel-meaning friends, I can be very happy
with yesterday's hotty. If you're telling people that you have to spend
$50K or more to be happy... please STOP!!

Another thing is the club structure. I can't really speak to this much,
becase I've been a member of only 3 clubs. Admittedly, the first one
SPOILED me. I have since compared just about all of my flying
experiences, R/C and real, to that club, as a benchmark. Texas Soaring
Association is a hard thing for others to live up to. However, Soaring
Club of Houston has improved to become a VERY close second. The other
club I was involved with was not good to me at all, and I had a bad
experience there. That club and others like it, are partly responsible
for soaring's decline. Again, my opinion, I'm sure yours is different.

Instructors teach people to take off and land, box the wake, stall, and
basic maneuvers. Clubs need a SOARING instructor to hand these people
off to. FLoating around the airport at minimum sink does get boring.

I'm stepping off my soap box now... to spend some time with the
girls...

Jack Womack