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Old September 29th 15, 09:16 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sean Fidler
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Default The highly successful UK Junior XC program vs. USA's nonexistantJunior XC program. Why?

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"Sean

During the comp the clubs caterers ran a scheme for the juniors in that for £50 they received both breakfast and evening meal for the whole 9 day comp. For comparison, those of us over 26 years old, an evening meal (starter and main course) typically cost £9.

The Junior organisers had also managed to get 3 x 2000' aerotows worth of sponsorship for each entrant for the comp, this included the chaps and chapesses in the 2 seaters. One of these aerotows was sponsored by an aircraft insurance company but I am not sure who did the other 2 tows.
I also believe that camping was free.
The local nice vario system vendor also set up lots of his wares for all to play with for most of the week. He was also doing a good deal for the juniors on Oudie2 IGC's, moved quite a few of them from what I saw. He also put up some prizes for both the junior comp and for the raffle that was run all week to raise money for the juniors.
He also managed to milk some sales from the Regional pilots. New radio and Flarm display for my part.

One of the other functions of the Flying Circus's during non flying days...(there is always at least one in the UK each week)...was to go through all the pupils gliders instrument plumbing (leak test etc). It was always surprising how many gliders turned up with truly appalling leaks and mis-plumbed instruments. And I would bet it will not be much better in the USA either!
TBH most electric varios suitably plumbed are more than capable of doing the required job.

As I said before, there is a lot more besides the flying to helping juniors..

I hope to be able to meet you when you get over this side of the pond?

Regards"