Sporty's is a gliding related business:

http://www.flyeca.com/eca/page.aspx?id=22





"flying_monkey" wrote in message
ups.com...
OK, gotta jump in here. It's my opinion that if anyone who has any
interest in soaring (for example, someone reading this group) is
buying something even remotely soaring related, it's a crime not to
buy it from one of the operators like Tom, or Richard or Paul or Tim
or ... (insert here your soaring supplier of choice, sorry if I missed
anybody). The way you keep gliderports and gliding-related businesses
in business is to buy stuff from them. They do a lot for us. If it
weren't for the commercial operators, where would we fly? Who would
tow us? I routinely plan to pay as much as a 5% or 10% premium if I
have to, just to help them out.

This is just the Walmart/Home Depot problem on a smaller scale. It's
probably impossible to beat these big box stores, but if you want to
keep your hometown hardware store in business, (and you would want to,
unless they're really bad price gougers) buy from them whenever you
want something that they have.

Now, I understand wanting to be in the Sporty's sweepstakes, but you
can solve that by buying a chart from them. If you want a Zaon, buy
it from one of the above. Now, I think it's fair to shop for price
between them if you want, but unless it's unavoidable keep it between
them. If you have a long-term relationship with one, maybe one who's
done you favors before just because they're nice guys, make it up by
buying stuff from them, without arguing the price.

Ed


Items like these can often be purchased from a glider operator who
will appreciate any business you can provide. In many, if not most
cases, you can buy at a lower price, and help keep that gliderport
open so many glider pilots will have a place to fly in the future.

Anyway, The ZAON device is simply a great device. Everyone we have
loaned it to has purchased one. Simple, relatively cheap and it does
exactly what is advertised.

Tom Knauff
Knauff & Grove Soaring Supplies
Ridge Soaring Gliderport