Contest participation

On Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 6:30:04 AM UTC-5, Jim White wrote:

Evan, your argument has a massive hole in it. Ask yourself why, if these
great things have 'been going on for literal decades', there is still a
problem?

Hi Jim,

Mine wasn't an "argument", it's a provable statement.

Anyone that's attended the mandatory pilots' safety meeting at *any* US contest the last 20 years saw the CD ask for a show of hands for racers new to that venue -- those guys get a mentor *assigned*. You can refuse of course, but my point is: you don't even need to ask. Mentors I have had include Hank Nixon, John Seymour, Doug Jacobs, Ken Sorenson, Rick Walters... the very best of the best. All of these guys were fantastic to work with. I just wish I were a sharper student!

Numerous racing clinics have been held. I'm aware of week long clinics run by Doug Jacobs and Karl Striedieck, I know that there have been others. I was able to sit in on a couple of days with Doug and G Dale at Sugarbush in 2004 and it was intense, well focused, superb. I can't rattle off dates or numbers, but these are not terribly *un*common.

Karl Striedieck has been hopping back seat rides in his Duo at contests all over the country for the last decade. I don't believe the P2 ordinarily gets to do any flying, but you do get to see what goes on in Striedieck-world first hand, and guys I know that have taken the opportunity give it two thumbs up.

Lately (last 5 - 6 years) "Bus" classes have started running at regionals in the Northeast. Experienced guys bring the club K-21 or G-103 to a regional and rotate their students through the front seat on racing days. All backed up with ground school, of course.

My point is: The help and encouragement is there for the taking. What I can't do is freely distribute the motivation to jump on the offer and make it stick. Clearly, the one word reason for declining participation is "motivation". Addressing that is a different thread.

Best regards & see y'all at a competition next year.

Evan Ludeman / T8

PS. Just casually watching who's buying what in 2015 - 16, I see a bunch of 20m and larger two seat gliders getting purchased by guys with many decades of single seat XC and racing experience. Two that I know pretty well have made clear that their *main* purpose for doing this was to see if they could push some new pilots past their initial trepidation and into XC flying.. I suspect others are thinking similar thoughts. Opportunity in 2016 abounds.

On Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 10:19:15 AM UTC-5, Tango Eight wrote:
My point is: The help and encouragement is there for the taking. What I can't do is freely distribute the motivation to jump on the offer and make it stick. Clearly, the one word reason for declining participation is "motivation".

I don't think its simply motivation.

as I tried to point in in my most recent post which lists the XC training programs I've found as a result of this thread, there is a gap between what is available and what is known to be available.

the SSA and event organizers can do a better job of getting the word out.

--b

On Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 11:09:58 AM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
On Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 10:19:15 AM UTC-5, Tango Eight wrote:
My point is: The help and encouragement is there for the taking. What I can't do is freely distribute the motivation to jump on the offer and make it stick. Clearly, the one word reason for declining participation is "motivation".

I don't think its simply motivation.

as I tried to point in in my most recent post which lists the XC training programs I've found as a result of this thread, there is a gap between what is available and what is known to be available.

the SSA and event organizers can do a better job of getting the word out.

--b

We'll put Sean right on it :-).

XC camps and racing aren't for scratch students, so I would presume that by the time most are ready for this, they have an awareness of where to go for information.

My complaint about motivation has more to do with competition flying. We've always seen the XC clinics fill up. There's another big step between recreational XC and competition flying.

best,
Evan