Why is Soaring declining

Martin Gregorie wrote
As far as the gliders go, I had my 1-26 and was happy with it, I was
even happy with it after I had flown it.

Dammit, Lennie, you keep putting reasons in front of me to visit the
States again - I really must fly a 1-26 to see why so many pilots like
them.

Pilots like them because they're fun to fly. Light on the controls,
turns tight, thermals on a fart. Won't penetrate worth a damn, but if
the winds are light or you're going downwind it's a hoot. Think Ka-8,
only the wings are shorter (and consequently the glide ratio is lower)
and the control feel not quite as good. Thing is, Ka-8's are not very
common in the US and in that class of glider, the 1-26 is the next
best thing (among those commonly available in the US). Also, Ka-8's
have wood wings, which scares some people and makes it impossible to
tie them down outside. 1-26's have metal wings.

Michael

Martin Gregorie wrote

Pilots like them because they're fun to fly. Light on the controls,
turns tight, thermals on a fart. Won't penetrate worth a damn, but if
the winds are light or you're going downwind it's a hoot. Think Ka-8,
only the wings are shorter (and consequently the glide ratio is lower)
and the control feel not quite as good.

I've got to say that our L-13 doesn't cost a whole lot more, but
provides a second seat. If it was only EASY to take apart
and trailer, it'd be hands down better than a 1-26 :P
--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA

It makes no difference really, three people worked very hard to get me
to try it, two more joined them in trying to counteract the badmouth,
only to meet with failure because of a small number of people with fat
heads and huge egos. The end result, Egotist, one, soaring, zero.
Not the total cause, but enough that I decided the expense I was
paying wasn't worth it. I can stay at home and be ignored, which sure
beats going to the field and being irritated.

One of the "Michaels", don't remember which, once declared me as a
"total loss". Guess he was right, but I'm still the one that came out
on top.

This persons self confidence seems to be close to zero when it comes
to soaring, given he gave up because of one other persons opinion. Or
were there more, perhaps...?
On the other hand his self confidence seems to be equally unlimited
while he tries to convince the soaring world they are all making a big
mistake, he's the only one who's wright, trying with amazing amount of
time and energy to prove they are all terribly wrong in all their
positive thoughts about this sport and don't know what they are doing.

I can stay at home and be ignored...

Very obvious you can't.

but I'm still the one that came out on top.

Can't quite see how, given the cloudbase at 6500ft and me at 9000ft
yesterday ridgesoaring the clouds. The beauty of it was overwhelming.
Hard to understand how anyone can desperately not want such an
experience.
And more than that - he doesn't want any one else having it, either.
OK I can understand that - it's called jealousy and is quite common.
Nothing to worry about, Lenny.

(Marcel Duenner) wrote in message . com...

Can't quite see how, given the cloudbase at 6500ft and me at 9000ft
yesterday ridgesoaring the clouds. The beauty of it was overwhelming.
Hard to understand how anyone can desperately not want such an
experience.
And more than that - he doesn't want any one else having it, either.
OK I can understand that - it's called jealousy and is quite common.
Nothing to worry about, Lenny.

And me, not having any signatures in the logbook, while I stand around
my 27 metalworking machines, all of them paid for. (Plus about a ton
of raw material to choose from to make whatever crosses my mind.
(Lately, scale models of 16th century Russian naval cannon.))

Lennie,
When you choose to listen to the negative minority rather than the
postive majory YOU CHOOSE to live a sad and bitter life. IT IS YOUR
CHOICE. If you have no more determination than to give up due to some
negative words then you SHOULD move on to something else.

You obviously find a great deal of pleasure helping others with your
work. What if someone told you the wheelchair axle wasn't perfect and
derided you. Would you quit that too? I think not.

Since you don't soar anymore why don't you take YOUR negativity and
spite and move on, leave us alone so that we can enjoy our sport
whether we fly a 1-26, a PW5, or a Nimbus. Please do us a favor and
move on.

You will have then chosen to be a happier person. May you find peace
and happiness.


(Lennie the Lurker) wrote in message . com...
Don Johnstone wrote in message ...
I agree with much of what you say Lennie but the reality
is that the eogotists and the competion pilots are
just as important to the sport as the people who fly
the club hack.

Don, it took several people nearly three months before I decided to
even take an introductory ride, and that was more to see if I was
going to have problems with my sinus, something I've had as long as I
can remember. It took one of the mouths that couldn't shut exactly
three weeks to give me an indication that the remarks and derision of
the plane, and where it would take me, would never stop. A lot of
good people did what they could to counteract the poison tongues, but
first scratch is made in the enthusiasm, it's only a matter
of time before it crumbles. The big ego doesn't see him or herself as
they are, and it seems to them, or so I imagine, that they're only
offering "sage advice". "Sage advice" would have been for them to
keep their mouths shut.

As far as the gliders go, I had my 1-26 and was happy with it, I was
even happy with it after I had flown it.

It makes no difference really, three people worked very hard to get me
to try it, two more joined them in trying to counteract the badmouth,
only to meet with failure because of a small number of people with fat
heads and huge egos. The end result, Egotist, one, soaring, zero.
Not the total cause, but enough that I decided the expense I was
paying wasn't worth it. I can stay at home and be ignored, which sure
beats going to the field and being irritated.

One of the "Michaels", don't remember which, once declared me as a
"total loss". Guess he was right, but I'm still the one that came out
on top.

(JohnD) wrote in message . com...
Lennie,
When you choose to listen to the negative minority rather than the
postive majory YOU CHOOSE to live a sad and bitter life. IT IS YOUR
CHOICE. If you have no more determination than to give up due to some
negative words then you SHOULD move on to something else.

Hmmm. 2 1/2 years is reasonable? Like maybe I didn't hear it the
first time? I'm also afraid that five people isn't a majority. I've
said it before, the cost was the main reason, all the mouths did was
make it that much easier to decide that it wasn't worth the cost.

You obviously find a great deal of pleasure helping others with your
work. What if someone told you the wheelchair axle wasn't perfect and
derided you. Would you quit that too? I think not.

First, they wouldn't deride me, and secondly, I'd make a new one
immediately. I don't blame the machine, and you can't lie to a
micrometer. Thirdly, if any did try to deride me, I'd tell them to
contact the manufacturer and pay through the nose for it.

It's quite evident that you have never worked with a german toolmaker,
you have no idea of what negative is yet. I see that a few have
understood what I'm saying, and maybe they might be able to prevent
the interest of another person from being destroyed. IF you want to
fix a situation, you look at all the reasons that it needs fixing, not
exclude the ones that might possibly include yourself. IF you're
going to exclude one, you might as well exclude them all.

I think it's worth to read what Lennie writes here (whatever style he
use). It's an unusual chance to hear about someone who decided to quit.
I felt something similar what described here before switched to my new
club... In previous club there were several "old pilots" (spent more
than 5 years at the airport) who believed they are somehow special just
because they do this sport. They also expressed that they are somehow
rule everyone who joined the club not too long ago.

/Janos

JohnD wrote:

Lennie,
When you choose to listen to the negative minority rather than the
postive majory YOU CHOOSE to live a sad and bitter life. IT IS YOUR
CHOICE. If you have no more determination than to give up due to some
negative words then you SHOULD move on to something else.

You obviously find a great deal of pleasure helping others with your
work. What if someone told you the wheelchair axle wasn't perfect and
derided you. Would you quit that too? I think not.

Since you don't soar anymore why don't you take YOUR negativity and
spite and move on, leave us alone so that we can enjoy our sport
whether we fly a 1-26, a PW5, or a Nimbus. Please do us a favor and
move on.

You will have then chosen to be a happier person. May you find peace
and happiness.

Lennie,

Given that you have quit gliding, why don't you quit
'contributing' to this site? I don't understand why
you persist in partaking of discussions on a subject
you are no longer interested in. However, I strongly
suspect it because you do not require assistance from
other persons in obtaining sexual gratification.

Regards,

Ben.




At 01:42 20 April 2004, Lennie The Lurker wrote:
(JohnD) wrote in message news:...
Lennie,
When you choose to listen to the negative minority
rather than the
postive majory YOU CHOOSE to live a sad and bitter
life. IT IS YOUR
CHOICE. If you have no more determination than to
give up due to some
negative words then you SHOULD move on to something
else.

Hmmm. 2 1/2 years is reasonable? Like maybe I didn't
hear it the
first time? I'm also afraid that five people isn't
a majority. I've
said it before, the cost was the main reason, all the
mouths did was
make it that much easier to decide that it wasn't worth
the cost.

You obviously find a great deal of pleasure helping
others with your
work. What if someone told you the wheelchair axle
wasn't perfect and
derided you. Would you quit that too? I think not.

First, they wouldn't deride me, and secondly, I'd make
a new one
immediately. I don't blame the machine, and you can't
lie to a
micrometer. Thirdly, if any did try to deride me,
I'd tell them to
contact the manufacturer and pay through the nose for
it.

It's quite evident that you have never worked with
a german toolmaker,
you have no idea of what negative is yet. I see that
a few have
understood what I'm saying, and maybe they might be
able to prevent
the interest of another person from being destroyed.
IF you want to
fix a situation, you look at all the reasons that it
needs fixing, not
exclude the ones that might possibly include yourself.
IF you're
going to exclude one, you might as well exclude them
all.

Ben Flewett wrote:
Lennie,

Given that you have quit gliding, why don't you quit
'contributing' to this site? I don't understand why
you persist in partaking of discussions on a subject
you are no longer interested in.

We don't have to understand it to realize his comments have value to us.
Most people that are disappointed with soaring just leave and we never
learn why. Some of the responses to Lennie's comments certainly
illustrate what he is talking about, and I'm beginning to think it's
more of a problem than I realized. It's not soaring's only problem,
probably not even it's worst problem, but it seems such a shame that it
is a problem at all.

--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric Greenwell wrote in message ...
Ben Flewett wrote:
Lennie,

Given that you have quit gliding, why don't you quit
'contributing' to this site? I don't understand why
you persist in partaking of discussions on a subject
you are no longer interested in.

We don't have to understand it to realize his comments have value to us.
Most people that are disappointed with soaring just leave and we never
learn why. Some of the responses to Lennie's comments certainly
illustrate what he is talking about, and I'm beginning to think it's
more of a problem than I realized. It's not soaring's only problem,
probably not even it's worst problem, but it seems such a shame that it
is a problem at all.

Soaring may indeed have many problems, but it's inability to satisfy a
mildly retarded lathe-obsessed sociopath is not one of them. Unless
you think the future of the sport lies in attracting large numbers of
mildly retarded lathe-obsessed sociopaths, in which case Lennie's
rambling thoughts are pure gold.