The highly successful UK Junior XC program vs. USA's nonexistantJunior XC program. Why?

Did anyone know that the UK Junior nationals utilizes a Junior CD, manager, weather-person, etc! How brilliant! If anyone cannot see the genius behind this, I feel sorry for them.

Country size: We could divide the United States into 5 or 6 equal segments of greater population than the UK. To perform equally in terms of juniors, we would need a Junior nationals of some 350 youth pilots! Or 6 regions of 60 Juniors. Geography is not a real problem from this realistic perspective. Geography is a poor and tired excuse for US soaring numbers. We are performing at something like 1% the UKs level right now in terms of Jr's when population size is considered. Essentially, we are a joke.

The question is what are the benefits of a vibrant Junior Cross Country (not pattern flying) program? We would not know in the USA right now because, we absolutely do not have none. We only have a few bright Juniors who are able to participate regardless of the lack of organized junior XC structure or an established junior cross country culture. They are trying to build this on their own with a Facebook page, etc.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/USJRSoaring/

It has 63 members (including a number of adults). It should have 1500+ and 100 of them should be aiming for next years Junior National Championships (but I digress).

Imagine the Junior talent the United States would enjoy if we had 70 such kids flying their own contest every summer. Britain (1/6 the size) has a vibrant youth XC soaring (not pattern licenses) program with literally several hundred Junior pilots either involved or aiming to participate.

The question is what do we value as a soaring country? What are our priorities? What does our soaring leadership value? Where do we invest time and effort? What does the SSA value? What do our soaring instructors value and what are their skills? And most importantly, what do US soaring clubs value? Many of our "soaring?" clubs that actually discourage cross country soaring! I always find that fact amazing.

I would hope that our current SSA leadership sees the importance of organized and successful Junior cross country culture and takes action to rebuild one now. It's a question of priorities. One wonders what else is more important to be honest. As SSA leaders, they have the opportunity to study the problem, put a plan together, organize a team, and inspire a massive country that is essentially forsaking its junior pilots. But this must start at the top and remain a serious priority. Articles, reports, etc.

The SSA convention is in a few months. Let's hope the topic of developing Junior XC soaring is prominent, front and center and not glazed over or status quo (non-existent). We have numerous examples of how other countries are supporting their Juniors. Will our current leaders respond?

I look forward to seeing what happens!

Sean
7T

Oh and did I mention that most of the USA has far better soaring conditions that the UK ever dreamt of......

On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 9:00:10 AM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
Oh and did I mention that most of the USA has far better soaring conditions that the UK ever dreamt of......

Nonsense.

:-)

But look at what our sometimes mediocre soaring conditions do for the skill
of
the pilots flying in them...

And we don't dream, we go and fly in those conditions also :-)

At 15:00 10 September 2015, Sean Fidler wrote:
Oh and did I mention that most of the USA has far better soaring
conditions
that the UK ever dreamt of......

As a one time (long ago) junior who had to give up for a while, I think we're missing the big picture here. Not big team training sessions, not nationals.

If you're a junior, and sort of by definition can't afford to own a glider, where do you get access to a relatively modern glider suitable for learning cross country and contest skills?

European clubs have glass single seat gliders, and encourage memebers to go cross country in them.

The vast majority of American clubs don't have glass gliders, and heaven forbid anyone should take one cross country, least of all the "new kid." The exceptions -- Harris Hill with both good gliders and a strong junior program, for example -- prove the rule.

John Cochrane

On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 4:20:14 PM UTC-4, John Cochrane wrote:
As a one time (long ago) junior who had to give up for a while, I think we're missing the big picture here. Not big team training sessions, not nationals.

If you're a junior, and sort of by definition can't afford to own a glider, where do you get access to a relatively modern glider suitable for learning cross country and contest skills?

European clubs have glass single seat gliders, and encourage memebers to go cross country in them.

The vast majority of American clubs don't have glass gliders, and heaven forbid anyone should take one cross country, least of all the "new kid." The exceptions -- Harris Hill with both good gliders and a strong junior program, for example -- prove the rule.

John Cochrane

From what I see, most Harris Hill juniors do their first cross countries in the 1-26 or the 1-34. Mostly the 1-34.
I think it is not at all important to have glass available for early cross countries.
For early contests, a 1-34 is fine in sports as long as tasking takes it into account. It is "just" more work to rig and derig.
Liz Schwenkler, from HHSS, won her first regional in the 1-34 and later was the first woman to win a US Nationals since the 1950's. Along the way, she had loaner gliders as she needed them.
It isn't the ships, it's the culture.
UH

On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 6:58:03 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 4:20:14 PM UTC-4, John Cochrane wrote:
As a one time (long ago) junior who had to give up for a while, I think we're missing the big picture here. Not big team training sessions, not nationals.

If you're a junior, and sort of by definition can't afford to own a glider, where do you get access to a relatively modern glider suitable for learning cross country and contest skills?

European clubs have glass single seat gliders, and encourage memebers to go cross country in them.

The vast majority of American clubs don't have glass gliders, and heaven forbid anyone should take one cross country, least of all the "new kid." The exceptions -- Harris Hill with both good gliders and a strong junior program, for example -- prove the rule.

John Cochrane

From what I see, most Harris Hill juniors do their first cross countries in the 1-26 or the 1-34. Mostly the 1-34.
I think it is not at all important to have glass available for early cross countries.
For early contests, a 1-34 is fine in sports as long as tasking takes it into account. It is "just" more work to rig and derig.
Liz Schwenkler, from HHSS, won her first regional in the 1-34 and later was the first woman to win a US Nationals since the 1950's. Along the way, she had loaner gliders as she needed them.
It isn't the ships, it's the culture.
UH

I tend to agree with Hank. We're making it so much more complicated than it is. It starts with some really hard work - instructing, encouraging, retrieving, etc. The culture comes first. It's a grass-roots effort.

That's not to suggest that a common playbook and institutional support won't be necessary - it will. But first, we have to start with a culture that welcomes and encourages juniors ON THEIR TERMS with support and the rest will follow. I'll put my money where my mouth is and commit to a Region 2 Junior confab and XC camp in the next 2 years. If each of the 12 regions in the US did this with only 5 kids, there's your 60 juniors!

P3

This guy, Maximillion Seis, just won the day at the Sailpane Grand Prix Final today in Italy and is in first place overall at current. He is 21 years old, French. TWENTY ONE!

I wonder when he started flying cross country?

Amazing.

FAI RANKING PROFILE: http://rankingdata.fai.org/SGP_displ...p?pilotid=6795

SGP FINAL RESULTS: http://www.sgp.aero/final2015.aspx?contestID=6157

We need to figure this out and start developing some junior pilots. We need to get out of their way!

On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 4:20:14 PM UTC-4, John Cochrane wrote:
As a one time (long ago) junior who had to give up for a while, I think we're missing the big picture here. Not big team training sessions, not nationals.

If you're a junior, and sort of by definition can't afford to own a glider, where do you get access to a relatively modern glider suitable for learning cross country and contest skills?

European clubs have glass single seat gliders, and encourage memebers to go cross country in them.

The vast majority of American clubs don't have glass gliders, and heaven forbid anyone should take one cross country, least of all the "new kid." The exceptions -- Harris Hill with both good gliders and a strong junior program, for example -- prove the rule.

John Cochrane

And Aero Club Albatross. Eternally grateful for the amount of latitude I had with the club equipment from Day One.

As for Erik, he is also working on spawning a junior into the mix. He is training his son and I'd imagine he'll be tearing up the sky in no time.

The discussion regarding equipment is somewhat moot. 1-26s, 1-34s, Glass ships, it really doesn't matter. The bigger issue is the difficulties in logistics and support. Many juniors can't even drive and getting access to a tow vehicle with a hitch is quite difficult. For a year, my "commute" to the airport was three hours one way, taking trains to get to Newark and two club members driving me the rest of the way. Those two club members, Steve and Intis made all the difference for me at that time. They also both crewed for me for my first several cross country flights, with Steve participating on the whimsical retrieve on my Silver Distance. A story for another time.

On the other hand, a good friend of mine at another club who got access to a high performance glider was unable to get this sort of support and did not get involved with cross country flying for quite a while. He just did two cross country flights and his first outlanding. His last flight was 170 miles on quite a challenging day and now is totally hooked.

Another junior pilot found his club to be very hesitant in crewing for him or landing away from his airfield. He does very little cross country flying out of his homebase, most of it in camps and in contests.

This is by far the most difficult hurdle to cross as a junior pilot. I had been very lucky with the resources I have had and the support I received. I hope that other juniors will experience these things and it would be an honor for me to have the opportunity to give back to future junior pilots in a similar capacity. It sure made a difference in my flying.

Best Regards,
Daniel