In article I8wUd.27783$Tt.10445@fed1read05,
BTIZ wrote:
Mark... I'll bite..
1) why bring the SSA Mag... bring your SSA Card.. easier to carry
Yes. Either one should be accepted. I mention the magazine just
because I know where it is in my house, but I probably couldn't
find my SSA card
2) Some "clubs" are SSA Charter Clubs, and all members, visiting members
must be SSA Members to be covered under the SSA Group insurance.
Yes, this is common already. So that's nice, the insurance issue
is probably ok.
3) Club Charters or By-laws may need to be changed to reflect a membership
category for what you propose to meet the Group Insurance requirements. Our
bylaws already recognize other SSA Members as visiting members, but they
still pay the "visiting member fee".
I'm advocating waiving this fee for a visitor once each year.
Come on, for SSA Visitors it's only $10 per day for the first 3 days..
You know that, and now I know that. Guess how many potential
visitors don't know that? One of the reasons the $50 "Be a pilot"
program works (sort of) is because everybody knows the price, without
doing a lot of sophisticated investigating.
and
then you are good to go for a month. Same thing we charge our own
membership. And for $25 you get a 2K tow in your glider, or check out and
rent the clubs 2-33 / 1-26.
This is great. So you waive the "visiting member fee" for one day and
after the new guy has made it in the door and has had a nice day you can
explain all of this to him.
We don't have a $1000 "join up fee". Those high fees can keep new
(non-pilots) from joining and taking lessons, and it's the students that
keep the club solvent.
I think it goes beyond high fees. I recall a nearby
commercial operator website that had conflicting visitor "membership fees"
for daily, monthly and yearly membership. I called but got
a confusing response. If I had known for sure it was $0 for the
first day I walked in the door, I would have flown there. Instead
I didn't visit for 3 years. It wasn't the price, it was the uncertainty
and the amount of effort I needed to investigate stuff that
turned me off.
Offer a $0 "member for a day" opportunity, across the board, at all
SSA participating FBOs and clubs. Yeah, maybe the idea is
mostly psychological, but isn't that important? Ease the minds of
potential customers? Get 'em in the door once? Isn't that the very
hardest part of learning to fly, one's first step into an FBO or
club and not knowing what to expect?
If AOPA can do it with the "Be a Pilot" $50 thing, we should be able to
echo this. Heck, offer both, a "member for a day" idea, AND
a $50 intro flight. List the participating clubs/FBOs on the SSA
site, and stick it in the magazine. Because January seems to be
a great month for pilot starts, maybe dedicate the whole Jan issue
to "member for a day" and "be a pilot" and "newbies." Makes
a great Christmas stocking stuffer! A Soaring subscription and
a gift certificate, what could be better?
BT
"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:42222b96$1@darkstar...
In one of Dennis Wright's editorials he wrote about several
ideas to help promote soaring. On the list were some things already
being done (CAP, EAA young eagles getting a new name, etc.)
One thing in the list I found very interesting, however,
was the idea of SSA membership and club "co-membership." So
if you were an SSA member, or maybe if you were a club
member somewhere, you would be accepted into other club
without paying an entry fee, etc.
I discussed this with some clubs and commercial operators,
and they weren't too keen on the no application fee and no dues
idea.
BUT, we came up with the idea that an SSA member could
walk into any club or commercial operator, and any application fees or
doubling of charges, etc, would be waived for one day a year.
Call it the "member for a day" program. Kind of like "king
for a day." Bring your Soaring magazine confirming you are
an SSA member. Walk in to any club and show it, and
you'll be treated like a member that day. No initiation fees,
etc. Go fly with an instructor, or another club pilot.
Details of wanting to fly one's own glider there using the club
for tows, or details of wanting to fly club equipment solo, would
be arranged seperately.
I think this would realy help the walk-in stuff. No mystery,
no hidden charges, no having to "investigate" what is offered.
Show up at the door and get treated like a part of the club.
Welcome!
I also think this might cross-pollenate more for current glider pilots.
Haven't you always wanted to go fly just one day maybe at some
gliderport you know nothing about? A little intimidated
about having to face fees and applications? Wouldn't it be nice
to know you can be treated like a member for a day?
I'm sure there are plenty of clubs already doing this, but
I'd love to see this as a blanket "Welcome!" assurance
from SSA. Country clubs and sailing clubs often honor
memberships at other clubs for short-term visitors.
Just climb aboard the boat and we'll go sail together, and
you gotta pay for your steak at the end like all the other members.
If it's just once a year, I can't see this idea cutting into
dues or initiation fees much.
Anyway, what do you all think? Wouldn't it be fun to
walk in to any club with your Soaring magazine and say
"I'd like to be a member for a day?"
In article . com,
wrote:
Bill Daniels wrote:
...
You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where to
fly" to
find the nearest location.
Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.
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FF
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Mark J. Boyd
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Mark J. Boyd