These are simple overviews. With most programs, the devil's in the
details, so you may need to contact someone to really understand how
these are implemented.

Regarding youth, can't speak to commercial operations, but Mile High
Gliding in Boulder has had some success. http://www.milehighgliding.com/colorado/mhyga.htm

Some SSA chapters have had very successful, on-going youth programs.
Youth involvement is structured on a value-added, performance based
program.
http://www.texassoaring.org Youth Program (about 35 total involved Feb
2006, including a then 17-year old tow pilot)
http://www.harrishillsoaring.org/ Junior program (some good video
links in RAS a while back)

Scholarship programs
http://www.tidewatersoaring.org/html/about_tss.html Tidewater Soaring
Foundation provides flight training scholarships.
http://tucsonsoaring.org/ Scholarship program is no longer active,
but when implemented caused a forty plus member jump.

All of the above have a common aspect. The organizations are, or are
aligned with, 501c(3) charitable, educational non-profit
organizations. There are other programs.

If you are prepared for growth and targeting the 45-year old PSEL
pilot market, contact Larry Touhino about how he's been marketing
soaring with a glider pilots ground school and using the SSA
Introductory membership.
http://www.ocsoaring.org/norobots/club_officers.htm
(sorry Larry, if your phone rings off the hook, but you should write
it up)

Philadelphia Glider Council sold the 'excitement' of soaring at the
AOPA convention a few years ago, which they say was very fruitful.
http://www.pgcsoaring.org/

Or if you're outreach is to the general public
Another approach that seemed pretty successful for introducing people
to soaring was done by Sylvania Soaring Adventures
http://www.soarmidwest.com/ They listed in a continuing education
catalog with a Chicago school. The package included an hour ground
school, lunch, and a flight lesson. The school charged $100/person
for the listing and registration. The FBO package was $100. So
people were willing to pay $200 and drive two hours to experience
this. The first day 20 showed up and they had to cancel their normal
students to accommodate everyone, so they put a limit of 6 per day on
subsequent registrations. I have no idea what their capture rate was
or if they've continued this.

Surely there are similar 'marketing' opportunities near you.
Personally, I recommend a three-lesson package. One soaring flight
is needed to set the hook, single sled rides seldom do. The first
flight is often a blur.

It's the money. Lowering the cost of entry by 50-70% will open the
door to a lot more potential pilots. There are a few winches coming
online around the country. I heard at the SSA convention that the
one that migrated to New York has been very popular. A couple more
are due this spring and there's are secret gathering on deck.

Frank Whiteley


On Mar 16, 4:48 pm, "Mike Schumann" mike-nos...@traditions-
nospam.com wrote:
I started soaring about 3 years ago. I'm in my mid 50s and have had my
private pilots license for about 10 years. I ended up flying gliders after
having a heart bypass that made it too much of a hassle to keep my medical.

Flying gliders is a lot more fun for me than power flying ever was. I
totally agree that middle aged pilots are a big opportunity for the sport.
I tried to get my son interested in gliders, but he was much more interested
in power flying. I suspect that in 10 - 15 years, he'll get bored with $100
hamburger runs and discover the thrill of gliding too.

Mike Schumann

"Ramy" wrote in message

oups.com...



I don't think that casinos, watercrafts or off road vehicles compete
with soaring. The decline in soaring is perfectly correlated with the
birth of hang gliding and later paragliding. I am often puzzled about
the amount of effort put into trying to recruit youth into soaring.
Our true market is the middle age and not youth. I think it is largely
a waste of efforts to try to attract youth. It is very hard to compete
with hang gliding and paragliding, which appeals much more to
youngsters who are actually interested in aviation due to their low
cost, simplicity and quick learning. I dare to assume that most
youngsters which are attracted to gliders are those who are mostly
interested in a career in aviation.
The true market is middle aged power pilots and veterans hang/para
glider pilots who are ready to expand their horizon and can afford
the cost and time involved. I don't think enough effort is given to
market our sport to this segment, especially not to the hang gliding
and paragliding world (where I came from). Just my humble opinion.

As for 1800skyride.com and similar domains, they are a big scam
targeting all the aviation ride business and causes serious problems
to our ride operators. My club succedded in scaring them away from
offerring rides in our area, hopefully others will follow suit. Check
out the counter site
http://www.glidersailplanerides.com/and spread the word.

Ramy

On Mar 16, 11:28 am, "fred" wrote:
A question often asked is "Why has the glider activity declined?" In
1975 we would make about 150 flights on a Sat & Sun. Nothing like that
now but we had our best year 2006 in a long time. The decline (I
believe) is the competition for disposable time Vegas is many times
larger, Indian Casinos abound. Water craft, off road vehicles etc all
compete.
A well known ride operator told me that 1800gliderrides expected to
sell FOUR MILLION in rides in 2007. All sold on the internet. They
have no operations of their own, but have about 900 domain names, most
of them the same. USE CAUTION. fred

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com