On Friday, April 27, 2018 at 9:22:25 PM UTC-7, John Foster wrote:
On Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 3:17:43 PM UTC-6, john firth wrote:
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at 4:56:24 PM UTC-4, John Foster wrote:
Hi everyone

I just started glider flying lessons and I'M HOOKED!!! Unfortunately, the closest glider club is 3:45 hr drive away. I also live in an area that looks to me to be perfect for ridge soaring, with a range of mountains facing the west that runs for at least 85 miles, and possibly longer. We have an airport close by with a 4800' runway, about 2-3 miles west of the mountains. A friend is a CFI and A&P, and is interested in getting his "glider ticket" as well. There are a few other folks in the area that have expressed varying interest in flying gliders as well. But as it currently stands, no one (except one possible individual that I haven't yet talked to) in the area actually flies gliders. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of starting a local club. What would be the best way to go about doing this?

Car tow might be the most economical way to launch, if the a/p mgt.. will let you; looks like 5000ft of hard top, which is more than adequate.
Moreover, driver training is easier than starting a newbie on a winch.
JMF

I spoke to the airport manager today, and he indicated he would need to discuss it with the board, but didn't see why we wouldn't be able to do auto tow here. Our runway is about 4800', oriented parallel to the mountains, but about 2.5 to 3 miles to the west of the mountains. It would be nice to be able to get as high as possible in order to get over to the mountains, particularly with a low-performance bird like a 2-33 or a 2-22. The idea of the reverse auto tow using a pulley really sounds appealing, and to me this more closely approximates the action of a winch (other than the acceleration). Anyone know where one could get a lead on the rope used to string high-voltage cables? That sounds ideal for a tow rope.

One of my objectives in this endeavor is to keep it as affordable as possible. There is a lot of poverty around here, and if there was a way to keep launching cost down to a minimum, that would be ideal.

I would be surprised if the board would agree to an auto towing operation for one simple reason: liability. Long cables and general aviation just don't mix. You already indicated that you had a friend with with a C180. If he got his CFIG and you got a G103, you could do commercial rides, which are the real revenue generator. You really need to talk to a few other clubs to get a handle on the finances, which will either make you or break you. You also might consider going to a commercial site where you can get your training by total immersion. You could then give rides to prospective club members.
You asked, again, about how to attract club members after I gave you a good suggestion. I will give you one mo advertise, it's tried and true.
Somebody is going to have to provide startup money for the club in the way of a loan. That would be you in combination with whomever else you can find.. You can get aircraft loans, but you will need money for all these other expenses.

Tom