Herb,

I didn't want this to be an "us and them" discussion. I just think given scarce resources, time would be better spent on increasing the population of pilots from the bottom up rather than focusing energy on things that only really matter to a small number of people. I'm actually on the fence regarding rules (FAI vs.SSA) - I don't feel strongly enough to come down one way or the other.

Anyway, back to data. I took the time to extract the qualitative comments from the survey. They certainly make interesting reading. As stated up thread, there is definitely a strong element of "time" in many of these responses. Time off from work. Time away from family. Time sitting around not doing much while it rains. etc. Related to this theme is the "pressure" we get put under to have a racing day when you've been sitting in the rain for 3 days. The world is a different place than it was at the peak of racing in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. While my wife and family support my racing, they're most definitely not gonna pile into the station wagon for a mad rush across the country a la Dick Schreder.

It really sounds to me like smaller (closer to home) weekend races with less overhead and even "pop-up" contests (i.e. when good weather is coming say 3 days advance notice) would help. Imagine a model where contests are weighted based on the quality of competition (using pilot ranking list for example) such that have some benchmark to make sure contests are "real". It would also behoove pilots to recruit their friends to get critical mass for desired classes (e.g. "hey rick, we need another 18 meter guy, how about you come down").

So, here are all of the comments from the referenced survey:

• Safety and cross-country education oriented introduction to the area and tasks. (ie Hank's "newbie contest pilot" talks at the beginning of R2N each year)
• I would LOVE to fly competitions. If there were babysitters for toddlers available on each flying day -- I'd be there!
• I have absolutely no interest in competing. It's not what I'm looking for, from soaring.
• More free time.
• Not going to happen in a 1-26. But having a 'novice' category might help.
• Have to find the time to to fly regularly and get proficient.
• Busy racing cars & sailboats as you know. Maybe get back into soaring in a few years. I don't fly enough now to feel safe flying a contest.
• I don't feel quite enough "at home" in anything other than a 1-26 to fly in a competition. I need to fly higher performance gliders more to be comfortable landing out, gaggling and to judge just what I can and can't do safely.
• Having had a touch of cancer a couple of years ago, priorities changed.
• i don't fly enough to feel prepared for the more difficult tasks. flying takes too much time from other things.
• The last several years have been a mess with work demands and dealing with affairs for an elderly parent with dementia with the result I didn't fly my ship at all in 2011. College visits and A two week vacation to Italy to celebrate my daughter's HS graduation took precedence this year with my somewhat reduced vacation time from my previous position. My esteemed partner went to Mifflin. With the vacation constraints, I think experimenting with different models other than a single week or quicker decisions regarding a no fly day at contests which would allow me to get work related stuff done and not use a vacation day - benefits of a job that allows for remote working. Late August contests like Dansville are to me riskier for weather than Mifflin in May. Never have thought about Fairfield much despite proximity. Soaring camps for newbie XC pilots prior to or in conjunction may help increase participation. Also, things like non-sanctioned contests like the Little Guys meets.
• I can't be bothered assembling the glider anymore, so contests are out of the question
• More vacation days
• I am too busy with glider flight instruction duties; when our other instructor goes to a contest, I do all club training flights.
• Just time to get better - but having weekend races and two seater races would be great and get me there quicker..
• I am not interested in competition. I'm interested in Badge flying
• I am most interested in getting back into weekly flying and XC (especially Gov Cup/OLC). I need to train up my skills since I've been away from weekly flying for most of 4 years. At this stage, I don't have the extended time for or interest in major competition flying outside of Gov Cup. But I never say never.
• Beginners Training
• More families at the meet, so that I can guarantee my wife it,ll be 'good' for the kids
• Time and money
• not much; just (quite a bit) in the future - i'm not there (yet, hopefully) in terms of ability.
• I need a large breasted 23 year old swedish nanny to travel with me.
• Good weather and mainly weekend flying. A little short on time off....
• XC flying is only one of my hobbies and they all benefit from the same weather. So contests of shorter duration would interest me more.
• At 73, I don't like the stress of competition flying and the prospect of sitting around or flying on days when the weather is bad or marginal. Therefore, I am unlikely to fly in competitions anymore. Your survey is a good idea.
• I've flown twice as a team in the 1-26 Championships, and we were going to fly last year in Indiana, but the weather put a stop to that idea.. 1-26 contests are fun. Might go for the Bus Class at Wurtsboro. I'm really not interested in going up against the big boys.
• Might consider one per year if there was a competitive class...13..5 might work.
• Eric: If I had had the time, I would have come to Wurtsboro and would love to go to Mifflin.
• I answered yes and am precluded from participating but for the record, weather is a BIG problem, and safety is right on it's heals - they are of course related. The rules are absurdly complicated.
• I'd be willing to crew at a regional event to gain first hand perspective on what goes on at the meets