2013 SSA Convention

The change was a concession to the European manufacturers who were finding it very expensive to support an annual convention in the US
That is understandable from their point of view but I bet that the majority if the SSA members attending could care less about the latest shiny toys from across the pond, since they are way out of financial reach - me included.

Yes, the conventions are money makers, but the Philadelphia conference was a money loser. The weather was a factor, but the lack of eye candy was a larger factor.
The weather was definetely a factor for those flying in. I drove in from SC w/o problems but the lack of eye candy (the long-winged type) - really?
I agree with what others posted reg. their reasons to attend - meeting friends, taking in the papers, seminars and presentations, etc. Therefore, an annnual convention with an alternating format would be the right thing to do.. To avoid the weather trap, consider places which are statistically less likely to be frozen over and/or snowed in the January/February timeframe. Even the US-vendors could attend these mini-conventions - I know that Paul Remde was in Philadelphia and had most of his wares on hand. Its all doable!

Uli

On Friday, December 21, 2012 6:26:17 AM UTC-7, GM wrote:
The change was a concession to the European manufacturers who were finding it very expensive to support an annual convention in the US

That is understandable from their point of view but I bet that the majority if the SSA members attending could care less about the latest shiny toys from across the pond, since they are way out of financial reach - me included.



Yes, the conventions are money makers, but the Philadelphia conference was a money loser. The weather was a factor, but the lack of eye candy was a larger factor.

The weather was definetely a factor for those flying in. I drove in from SC w/o problems but the lack of eye candy (the long-winged type) - really?

I agree with what others posted reg. their reasons to attend - meeting friends, taking in the papers, seminars and presentations, etc. Therefore, an annnual convention with an alternating format would be the right thing to do. To avoid the weather trap, consider places which are statistically less likely to be frozen over and/or snowed in the January/February timeframe. Even the US-vendors could attend these mini-conventions - I know that Paul Remde was in Philadelphia and had most of his wares on hand. Its all doable!



Uli

It would seem so, however, there are desirable venues where SSA conventions are not held because the numbers just don't work. It may have been hasty to abandon the conference venue after a sample of one, but that's where we are for now. As for me, I'd be at a conference.

Frank Whiteley

On Dec 21, 9:42*am, Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Friday, December 21, 2012 6:26:17 AM UTC-7, GM wrote:
The change was a concession to the European manufacturers who were finding it very expensive to support an annual convention in the US

That is understandable from their point of view but I bet that the majority if the SSA members attending could care less about the latest shiny toys from across the pond, since they are way out of financial reach - me included.

Yes, the conventions are money makers, but the Philadelphia conference was a money loser. The weather was a factor, but the lack of eye candy was a larger factor.

The weather was definetely a factor for those flying in. I drove in from SC w/o problems but the lack of eye candy (the long-winged type) - really?

I agree with what others posted reg. their reasons to attend - meeting friends, taking in the papers, seminars and presentations, etc. Therefore, an annnual convention with an alternating format would be the right thing to do. To avoid the weather trap, consider places which are statistically less likely to be frozen over and/or snowed in the January/February timeframe.. Even the US-vendors could attend these mini-conventions - I know that Paul Remde was in Philadelphia and had most of his wares on hand. Its all doable!

Uli

It would seem so, however, there are desirable venues where SSA conventions are not held because the numbers just don't work. It may have been hasty to abandon the conference venue after a sample of one, but that's where we are for now. *As for me, I'd be at a conference.

Frank Whiteley

I drove from Toronto Canada to Little Rock - not knowing the weather
was going to be better at home! I've been to 5 Conventions, and for
me, the 'new glass drooling area' is nice, but I always have at least
one of the three speaker tracks to keep me out of it; the new and
coolest electronic gadgets are nice to see (and buy). I'd go to an
alternate year - no display floor - conference. One of the reasons I
keep my SSA membership.

It would be interesting to have the conference run while a sailplane
grand prix was on, on the internet, in that other hemisphere.
Interesting sports bar possibility... Presentations all day, GP all
night...

Just for discussion...

Traditionally, the SSA convention is in the dead of winter. Presumably, the logic is this is when little else is going on in the soaring world so it won't conflict with more important activities like flying. It's also when off-season hotel rates are their cheapest. Flight demonstrations have never been part of the SSA convention so weather is not a factor for that.

While mid-winter makes sense, it often results in weather related travel problems for the members attending. IMHO, it would be better to schedule the Convention in mid-fall after the flying season is over for most of the country. Or, if that doesn't work, schedule it in a location known for good winter weather. Many people in snow country would welcome a warm weather break.

While I don't know of a location with convention space on an airport where flight demonstrations would be possible, that would be nice.

When and where is the 2014 Convention? I looked on the SSA website all that's on there is info about the 2012 Reno Convention.

Larry

On Friday, December 21, 2012 8:16:45 PM UTC-8, Larry Suter wrote:
When and where is the 2014 Convention? I looked on the SSA website all that's on there is info about the 2012 Reno Convention.



Larry

Larry:

The SSA Board will decide on a 2014 convention location at our Feb. 2013 meeting. An offering has been made for Florida, but that group has hotel/meals in one place, display site at a ~15 minute van ride away, both are a ~40 minute drive from Orlando airport. Not the most optimal or typical layout, and not cheap rooms, both of these factors are important to member participation/financial viability.
Regrettably, we have had smaller turnouts in the East than the West for SSA gatherings, which is also problematic. I am told that folks will come to Florida and bring families for vacationing alongside the Convention, but I am not convinced of that.....(prove me wrong?).

For those of you who would attend, make your preferences known to your Regional Directors (PLEASE). Along with Burt, I strongly pitched for an alternating gathering/conference, for safety training and social networking, but I was in the minority. This CAN be reversed, with a moderate hue and cry from members.

Thanks for asking, and for letting your thoughts be known.

Cindy B
Region 12 Director

On Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:49:19 AM UTC-5, GM wrote:
Hi y'all in US-Gliderland,

are the location and dates for the 2013 SSA convention already fixed? Looking at the SSA web-site, it still shows the info for the 2012 convention in Reno.

Thx,

'GM'

Well, I'm for central Florida.

I migrate there for the whole winter from Toronto. And yes, there would be some shuttle bus time involved, but then there is the other side of the equation: bring the other half, - and even the kids, and if gliders are not her/their thing, there are the legendary theme parks, - Disney, Sea World, etc, as well as one of the top 10 Florida golf courses right at the proposed main hotel (http://www.missioninnresort.com/ ). After the convention, move over to the coast for some beach time, - a 90 minute drive in your rental car. Or fly, maybe in one of the ships you are considering, at Seminole Lakes Gliderport a half hour south of the Mission Inn.

And Cindy, you don't think more members, and their wives and family, would opt for that than Reno in February? There's a reason Sun 'n Fun chooses central Florida, -many reasons.

In 2011 we conducted a formal survey for the SSA on the Convention –

From a total of 351 respondents (which is statistically significant for the soaring community):

55.2% preferred a convention every two years
40.8% preferred every year
2.9% every three years
1.1% every four years

Most commonly cited reason for an every other year convention was that not enough changes for an every year event… the exhibits and presentation sessions are repetitious.

Concerning a scaled down “off-year” event with no exhibits:

29% were interested or very interested
71% ranged from somewhat interested to not interested

Bob

On 12/22/2012 4:00 PM, RL wrote:
In 2011 we conducted a formal survey for the SSA on the Convention –

From a total of 351 respondents (which is statistically significant for the
soaring community):

55.2% preferred a convention every two years 40.8% preferred every year
2.9% every three years 1.1% every four years

Most commonly cited reason for an every other year convention was that not
enough changes for an every year event… the exhibits and presentation
sessions are repetitious.

Concerning a scaled down “off-year” event with no exhibits:

29% were interested or very interested 71% ranged from somewhat interested
to not interested

I *knew* someone would inevitably bring facts into this thread. (Curse you
FactMan!)

But seriously, I remember (and took) that survey. I was also dismayed at the
results, statistically valid though they were. I voted for annual conventions,
despite - or maybe because of - having gone to only two, beginning with the
'90s Portland convention. IMO, kinda like XC soaring, more options are good!

Opening myself to charges of whining after the fact, I seem to remember
something that bothered me at the time about the survey and how it was likely
to be used. It was this:

If I accepted as fact that - as has been presented both on RAS and in
"Soaring" magazine - conventions were not a money loser for SSA, then why
would SSA NOT want it as an annual event? In other words, so long as an annual
convention remained an attractive (to some/"enough") members - which means of
course that it also remained sufficiently worthwhile to be supported by
"enough" commercial vendors, track presenters, etc. - to *remain* commercially
viable, why not have continued down a working path? Why the need to "compel"
formal democracy via ballot (vs. some other method)? So what if the majority
of SSA members would not (and never did!) attend the convention in any given
year? Those that did benefited, SSA benefited, presumably most vendors
benefited, etc...

Oh well, at least in my hemisphere day lengths are again increasing...

Bob W.

On Saturday, December 22, 2012 1:55:52 AM UTC-7, CindyB wrote:
On Friday, December 21, 2012 8:16:45 PM UTC-8, Larry Suter wrote:

When and where is the 2014 Convention? I looked on the SSA website all that's on there is info about the 2012 Reno Convention.







Larry



Larry:



The SSA Board will decide on a 2014 convention location at our Feb. 2013 meeting. An offering has been made for Florida, but that group has hotel/meals in one place, display site at a ~15 minute van ride away, both are a ~40 minute drive from Orlando airport. Not the most optimal or typical layout, and not cheap rooms, both of these factors are important to member participation/financial viability.

Regrettably, we have had smaller turnouts in the East than the West for SSA gatherings, which is also problematic. I am told that folks will come to Florida and bring families for vacationing alongside the Convention, but I am not convinced of that.....(prove me wrong?).



For those of you who would attend, make your preferences known to your Regional Directors (PLEASE). Along with Burt, I strongly pitched for an alternating gathering/conference, for safety training and social networking, but I was in the minority. This CAN be reversed, with a moderate hue and cry from members.



Thanks for asking, and for letting your thoughts be known.



Cindy B

Region 12 Director
There are several Hotels next to the Orlando Convention Center. Is the problem with a lack of banquet space at the nearby accommodations? I can fully understand the problems with Florida. It is actually difficult to get to from many parts of the country, involves alot of driving, and the local parks are not an issue because the kids will be in school. A few years ago I attended the NBAA Convention and it was hideously expensive and involved a substantial amount of driving between venues.
I fully realize the convention has to change locations or swap ends so to speak and I will plan on attending on matter where it ends up but Florida will probably end up being a low attendance year.