Open Discussion; Creating XC pilots

Thanks, Waremark, that's interesting data. I'd love to see others post in this thread what their club XC participation rates are (with an XC pilot being defined as someone who posted a flight trace for a sanctioned contest, a fun meet, the OLC or a badge distance leg). Up until now my figures of merit were that only 10% of club members fly XC, and only 3% fly in contests.

Really understanding why people do not start flying XC is difficult. Some of it is personality (Type A's and self-starters probably predominate the XC ranks), but self-doubt must also factor in (people are unsure of their ability to find and use thermals and to properly land out, they're fearful of wrecking their glider, or they feel they'll be mocked). Another big factor has to be available time. Access to equipment can be an issue (suitable glider, proper trailer, car with a hitch), which is probably why most XC pilots own their own plane. Negative comments from instructors can also figure in, as does the lack of knowledge about the incredible satisfaction, sense of achievement and pilot skill growth that comes from flying XC. Naturally, all of these reasons can be addressed and minds changed, but we need to know what the issues are!

In past years my club made the process of flying XC too complicated. It's much better now, only a PPG and a Bronze badge are required. Still, very few people try it, even with our XC pilots talking it up, giving informal seminars, offering XC flights in the Duo, making written material available, etc. Any insights about what has worked elsewhere will be gratefully accepted!

-John, Q3

On Sunday, July 20, 2014 7:24:37 PM UTC-4, waremark wrote:
I think XC is deeply embedded in the club culture at London Gliding Club (UK) with most of the active instructors also being active XC pilots, and new pilots positively encouraged to move on towards XC via Silver after solo and bronze. I just checked and found that 57 members have posted XC flights on the BGA ladder so far this year (a UK specific online ladder used by most club members in preference to OLC). Undoubtedly there are a few more members than this who fly XC, and I would guess that about 25% of our 270 club members do so.

We run one or two 9 day XC courses a year, comprising lectures, 2 seat opportunities, lead and follow and other similar activities. Our CFI does daily weather briefs, and XC task setting and weather briefing on suitable XC days. The club has a Duo - sadly under-utilised much of the time, perhaps mainly because most of the instructors with suitable experience and ability to train XC prefer to fly their own gliders. However, there are several privately owned high performance 2 seaters in which the owners regularly offer XC flights to the less experienced, and an instructor is rostered to instruct XC in the Duo on one day a week. During our local annual competition instructors take less experienced members XC in the Duo and a K21.

All this makes one wonder why 75% of members don't fly XC. One significant factor is the age profile of the membership. Some older members have given up XC, and many of those who have started at retirement age never take it up. But this is of course in addition to the factors already talked about in this thread - fear of landing out, lack of retrieve crews etc. (During our course weeks, pilots do not have to make individual retrieve arrangements, and fellow club members are always willing to come and get a pilot in a field).