On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 1:48:15 AM UTC-8, Jim White wrote:
At 02:09 30 January 2016, Christopher Giacomo wrote:
On Friday, January 29, 2016 at 9:06:21 PM UTC-5, Christopher Giacomo
wrote:
As i was looking through the pilot rankings on the SSA website tonight,
i
counted just under 500 pilots with any registration in a contest in the
last 3 years. Wiki claims that the SSA has over 10,000 members
(understand
not all of them fly

But that still means that less than 5% of active members are even showing
up to a contest? seems strange that such a large proportion of
conversation
and emphasis on RAS is focused on such a small segment of the sport.

Gliding competition is a bit like sex. Until you have done it a couple of
times it can seem a bit intimidating. The difference is you never get too
old to compete with dignity.

You have to be less elitist and simplify the rules if you want people to
try it.

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 1:48:15 AM UTC-8, Jim White wrote:
At 02:09 30 January 2016, Christopher Giacomo wrote:
On Friday, January 29, 2016 at 9:06:21 PM UTC-5, Christopher Giacomo
wrote:
As i was looking through the pilot rankings on the SSA website tonight,
i
counted just under 500 pilots with any registration in a contest in the
last 3 years. Wiki claims that the SSA has over 10,000 members
(understand
not all of them fly

But that still means that less than 5% of active members are even showing
up to a contest? seems strange that such a large proportion of
conversation
and emphasis on RAS is focused on such a small segment of the sport.

Gliding competition is a bit like sex. Until you have done it a couple of
times it can seem a bit intimidating. The difference is you never get too
old to compete with dignity.

You have to be less elitist and simplify the rules if you want people to
try it.

It might be that the ratio of glider pilots who fly in contests is really much higher than many other pastimes. No research to back up the opinion, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that the percentage of bicycle enthusiasts, motorcycle enthusiasts, jet ski riders, snowboarders, skiers, surfers, automobile drivers, skateboarders, etc., who compete in any organized competition would reflect a much lower participation rate than the sport of soaring.