How do we inspire pilots to truly take up cross country soaring ?

Sean:
A few thoughts on this string, from somebody who is a CFI-G, who flies a fair amount of XC (many thousand km each year), and who sometimes tries to teach it:

1) The skill sets for being a good instructor and being a good XC pilot are different. Many good instructors are not XC pilots. Many great XC pilots haven't got a clue how to teach it. It takes courage and confidence to fly away from the airport. It takes courage and confidence to solo a new student.. Both endeavors deserve respect in our sport. But they are different.

2) Flying XC well is as much about mental discipline as it is about physical (stick and rudder) and observational (cloud reading) skills. There is a component to it that just can't be taught in the way that aerotow, or patterns can be taught.

3) Many of the very best XC (and competition) pilots were trained by CFIs that never flew a single kilometer of XC. Mandating XC experience for CFIs will only serve to limit student intake - it will not increase XC participation.

4) Very few who have invested large amounts of money in their equipment and many hours in mastering something they love to do, are willing to spend their limited time teaching what they would rather be doing themselves. The few that do are wonderful and generous people - but we cannot require that of all (or even most) instructors.

All we can really do is open the door to the sky. Those who want to explore more than what is just around the airport will do that. Those who don't - won't. In a few cases we can make it easier, or eliminate some fear, but after 42 years I still can't figure out why some people fall in love with gliding cross country and some give it no mind at all.

Roy