On Jan 30, 12:56*pm, Andreas Maurer wrote:
On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:34:56 -0800 (PST), Brad
wrote:

Maybe the younger generation and their quest for adrenalin laced
activites would find competitive soaring compelling, but how many can
afford their own sailplane?

Hi Brad,

I admit that - from a European point of view- I'm having difficulties
to understand why most US based glider pilots think that it's
necessary to own a glider.

Here in Europe by far most gliders are owned by clubs, making it
possible for the club members to fligh latest technology for a yearly
price that hardly exceeds $800.

For most clubs in Germany *it's common nowadays that student pilots
fly LS-4 or DG-300. Basic *training is usually done in ASK-21 these
days. Nearly any club clubs offer flapped ships (ASW-20, ASW-27) and
state-of-the-art doubleseaters (Duo Dicus, DG-505) to its members.
There is absolutely no interest in flying something inferior.

Why isn't it possible to do that in the US? A couple of US clubs whose
homepages I've seen seem to be able to do that.

Bye
Andreas

Probably because in most US clubs, that $800 a year can only support
the airport, towplanes, a couple of two seat trainers, a couple of low
performance single seaters and maybe a ASK-21 or G-103.

To allow everybody to fly a LS-4 on the weekends would require maybe 1
LS-4 to 4 or 5 club members, if half of them showed up on the same day
and all got to fly for 2-3 hours.

So buying a $40,000 glider for 5 people would require a loan payment
of $6000/year plus insurance/maint of $1000/year. Ignoring other
expenses that still adds up to $1400/year/person.

I assumed 10% interest for 10 years.

So how does the math work out at your club ?

Todd Smith
3S