Wanting to start a new glider club

On Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 3:09:27 AM UTC-4, John Foster wrote:
How would you suggest I go about finding a "committed group of individuals with shared goals and sufficient funds and competences" in the middle of an Indian Reservation?

Your location in a sparsely populated area is the key obstacle.

Look at the history of Glider ops in similar locations.

Ronan MT is located in Lake County which had 28,947 people in 2013. It has a per capita income of $20,164

Salida CO is located in Chaffee which had 17,809 in 2010. It has a per capita income of $19,430

As of three years ago, there were several self-launch gliders based in Salida. The availability of a privately owned towplane for tows was uncertain.

Can others suggest other comparable glider operations?

Hey John,
Scott here, born in Bozeman, class of '79 Helena High.
I belong to a club here in Oklahoma, Operating out of Hinton Municipal Airport
located about 45 miles west of Oklahoma City.

Just wishing you the best of luck,
Scott N8915

Ask yourself the question, do you want to fly, or do you want to train? Those are really two different kinds of clubs. Training is not to be taken lightly. A model that might get you going sooner is to establish a club for flying, not trying to start an ab-initio flight school at the same time. Send people to one of the excellent commercial operators to get licenses, and focus your club around flying. That still means a towplane, some gliders of better performance than a 2-33, enough instructors for checkout, and most of all one or two single seaters to share. Gliders like Pegasus, ASW19, discus, etc., split 3-4 ways are remarkably cost effective.

John Cochrane

Hi Scott,

I just looked at Hinton Muni on google maps and didn't see a single
glider trailer.Â* Are you flying out of another airport?

On 4/25/2018 5:58 PM, Scott Williams wrote:
Hey John,
Scott here, born in Bozeman, class of '79 Helena High.
I belong to a club here in Oklahoma, Operating out of Hinton Municipal Airport
located about 45 miles west of Oklahoma City.

Just wishing you the best of luck,
Scott N8915

--
Dan, 5J

On Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 8:04:21 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
Hi Scott,

I just looked at Hinton Muni on google maps and didn't see a single
glider trailer.Â* Are you flying out of another airport?

On 4/25/2018 5:58 PM, Scott Williams wrote:
Hey John,
Scott here, born in Bozeman, class of '79 Helena High.
I belong to a club here in Oklahoma, Operating out of Hinton Municipal Airport
located about 45 miles west of Oklahoma City.

Just wishing you the best of luck,
Scott N8915

--
Dan, 5J

Last time I was at Hinton, the gliders and tow plane were in the hangar (no other aircraft). Could be when the image was taken. Winter may have found gliders in trailers in hangar. Summer, gliders rigged in hangar and trailers out side.

Frank Whiteley

Hi Dan,
the goggle maps image is from about three years ago,
but there are two enclosed trailers and four or five empty open frame trailers,
just south of the hangar.
Frank is right, 5-6 gliders in trailers inside and 5-6 assembled gliders plus tow plane.
Hinton airport is very supportive of our club!

Good lift,
Scott.

Thanks!

On 4/26/2018 7:55 PM, Scott Williams wrote:
Hi Dan,
the goggle maps image is from about three years ago,
but there are two enclosed trailers and four or five empty open frame trailers,
just south of the hangar.
Frank is right, 5-6 gliders in trailers inside and 5-6 assembled gliders plus tow plane.
Hinton airport is very supportive of our club!

Good lift,
Scott.

--
Dan, 5J