Cheapest Club (was Best Gliding Club Website)

U=BFytkownik Bob Lepp w wiadomooci do grup =
dyskusyjnych =
gle.com...
Wow! Janusz, what other income does the club have? Anything from
government or commercial sources? How can you offer free flying with
tow fees that likely don't cover the fuel costs alone?

Well, it's true that the club gets a good amount of funds every year =
from the mayor of Czestochowa, but the most of it's property has been =
inherited after the communism era (probably the only bright side of this =
dark system). In these days all the clubs in Poland were funded and =
backed by government. In return they were the kindergarten for the =
military pilots... One of it's symptoms was that the medical =
requirements for glider pilots were almost the same as for the MiG =
pilots. I remember that even after the communism fell, in 1994 when I =
was been trained for the first solo, for my ab-initio course, including =
theory and board (who wanted could sleep in the guesthouse at the afld) =
I had to pay the equivalent of 100US$. Now the course (including =
theory) which consists of some 50 flights costs some 900US$.

All the club gliders except for one PW-5 were bought by govt and then =
handed to the club. Now, we only operate them, and there are no =
prospects for new gliders coming to the club's hangar unless they are =
privately owned. The worst thing is that the wooden SZD gliders in =
Poland have to be inspected every 200h / 3 years which expires the =
first. Every inspection costs around 1000$ and there are at least 6-7 =
gliders which must be inspected every year.

Also, as You noted, the cost of fuel may be not covered by the fees. If =
the Wilga burns some 55l / h and the fuel price per litre is almost the =
same like the price for gallon in the US... In my opinion it's just =
eating away club's capital. :-/ I continuously appeal to look for a =
winch, which should dramatically lower the costs, but it seems there's =
noone listening. I feel it will end in a few years, and we'll be forced =
to take the western model with the privately owned gliders, maybe with =
one doubleseater owned by the club for training purposes and a winch, =
because using the towplane consumes heaps of dollars.

That's how it looks here... As long as the government / municipality =
helps, it works better or worse. When it ends, it will be the end of the =
club too.

Regards,


--=20
Janusz Kesik

visit www.leszno.pl - home of the www.css-leszno.it.pl

Well, it's true that the club gets a good amount of funds every year
from the mayor of Czestochowa... snip

That's how it looks here... As long as the government / municipality
helps, it works better or worse. When it ends, it will be the end of the
club too.

Regards,


You have displayed great wisdom and insight in your assessment of the
future of soaring in your country. The only problem with being free and
independent is you are free and independant. That's a problem I will
greatfully accept. The lesson here is that we in the US think that
cheap equals best and that if clubs were cheaper we could draw more
members. Look around, the most active clubs with the best equipment
have higher than average dues and flight fees. If it does not cost much
thats most likely what it is worth. In order to maintain our clubs,
increase membership, and preserve soaring, clubs need to take a close
look at the income stream produced by the club activities and make
adjustments as needed to insure thier own future. Amen, pass the plate,
go eat lunch.

Craig-

On 13 Nov 2003 08:52:31 -0800, (Craig
Freeman) wrote:

Look around, the most active clubs with the best equipment
have higher than average dues and flight fees. If it does not cost much
thats most likely what it is worth.

Maybe it's like that in the US, but here in Europe it's definitely the
"bang for the bucks" ratio that counts.

Apart from that, in Germany usually (I'd estimate 95 percent of the
cases) the choice of the glider club to join is based on the people,
not on the equipment.



Bye
Andreas

Andreas Maurer wrote in message . ..
On 13 Nov 2003 08:52:31 -0800, (Craig
Freeman) wrote:

Look around, the most active clubs with the best equipment
have higher than average dues and flight fees. If it does not cost much
thats most likely what it is worth.

Maybe it's like that in the US, but here in Europe it's definitely the
"bang for the bucks" ratio that counts.

Value is always important. Unfortunatly the tendency in too many cases
is to try to operate so cheaply that a club does not have enough money to
make a pop, much less a bang. I am afraid that is commiting suicide for
the club.

Apart from that, in Germany usually (I'd estimate 95 percent of the
cases) the choice of the glider club to join is based on the people,
not on the equipment.

Here clubs are so spread out it is not a choice of which club as there
is usually just one to pick from. However I think that good equipment
and friendly people are equally important. Not to slight the importance
of either but to emphisize both as nessesary qualities of a good club.

Craig-

On 14 Nov 2003 07:55:35 -0800, (Craig
Freeman) wrote:

Value is always important. Unfortunatly the tendency in too many cases
is to try to operate so cheaply that a club does not have enough money to
make a pop, much less a bang. I am afraid that is commiting suicide for
the club.

Well... it is certainly possible to operate cheaply and to make enough
money to keep a club alive and healthy, but probably an important role
is the sheer number of members - and this is where Europe, especially
German or England with its dense population has a huge advantage over,
say, the US.
I'm often amazed about the extremely high costs and the comparably
very poor value that is being offered by clubs in the US - maybe this
is a vicious circle.


Here clubs are so spread out it is not a choice of which club as there
is usually just one to pick from. However I think that good equipment
and friendly people are equally important. Not to slight the importance
of either but to emphisize both as nessesary qualities of a good club.

From what I've seen most people here join the first club they visit,
without ever comparing it to other clubs. It's extremely rare that
someone leaves a club (and joins onother one) because he doesn't like
it (which points out how important community is on this side of the
pond).


Bye
Andreas

Andreas Maurer wrote in message . ..

(which points out how important community is on this side of the
pond).


No, it doesn't. Read your own statement, and if you don't see
snobbery, it's because you're blind to it.

Our sense of community extends far beyond some wisp like activity,
usually extending to the REAL community we just happen to live in.