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#11
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skyrides are at it again?
It is just as sleazy some places on the other side.
One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See: http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to: www.lvvsa.org and their phone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit? |
#12
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skyrides are at it again?
It is just as sleazy some places on the other side.
One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See: http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to: www.lvvsa.org and their phone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit? |
#13
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skyrides are at it again?
On Aug 22, 11:10*pm, Clyde Rasmusen
wrote: It is just as sleazy some places on the other side. One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See:http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to:www.lvvsa.organd their phone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. |
#14
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skyrides are at it again?
On Aug 23, 7:59*am, Grider Pirate wrote:
On Aug 22, 11:10*pm, Clyde Rasmusen wrote: It is just as sleazy some places on the other side. One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See:http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to:www.lvvsa.organdtheir phone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See:http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes *wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excuse me?? *I've been a member of the LVVSA for 10 years now. LVVSA does not, never has, and never will give glider rides for profit. * We participate in the FAST program. *When people call looking to 'take a ride' in a glider, we refer them to the local commercial operator. I personally give about a dozen rides a year - splitting the cost of the tow and glider with the rider, or in many cases simply paying for the entire ride myself.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Just for proof, I second Grider Pirate's comments, I am a fellow LVVSA member as well and that is the truth. Clyde has it wrong and I'm guessing he/she is part of the scam. No suprise the link does not work. And thanks again to Darryl's for his accurate (as usual) work with this. |
#15
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skyrides are at it again?
On Aug 23, 8:59*am, Grider Pirate wrote:
On Aug 22, 11:10*pm, Clyde Rasmusen wrote: It is just as sleazy some places on the other side. One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See:http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to:www.lvvsa.organdtheir phone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See:http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes *wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excuse me?? *I've been a member of the LVVSA for 10 years now. LVVSA does not, never has, and never will give glider rides for profit. * We participate in the FAST program. *When people call looking to 'take a ride' in a glider, we refer them to the local commercial operator. I personally give about a dozen rides a year - splitting the cost of the tow and glider with the rider, or in many cases simply paying for the entire ride myself. I think Clyde is referring to http://www.soaringcenter.net/ being the 'real' Las Vegas Glider Rides and somehow the Superpages listing is an attempt to 'hijack' this. However, my business is listed in Superpages (among 28 others, some of which have no actual presence or capability here). So using that as some kind of proof is bogus. No idea what the local Perhaps that's the commercial operator you mention. I searched for Las Vegas Glider Rides on dexknows.com for Las Vegas and found nothing. It did appear for Jean, NV and was the club's phone and address. Did the same for Yellowpages.com for Las Vegas and it linked to the club. However the website description talked about it being a member organization with no mention of glider rides. In neither case did the Soaring Center get resolved, so maybe they haven't paid for any advertising or listings. Clubs are not prohibited from giving rides if their insurance permits it and they comply with the appropriate FARs. However, they can't provide competing services at the same airport as a commercial operator. That's an IRS restriction. They can provide training to members only and redeeming FAST packages means they must make that person a member of the club/chapter and complete the SSA Introductory Membership if participating in the SSA Group Insurance Plan. A non-profit organization can make a profit. The restriction is what is done with the profit. It must be directed back into the stated purpose of the organization. Non-profits may also have unrelated income, for which they will incur a tax liability. Type Las Vegas Glider Rides into Google and see what you get and the order. That said, my opinion is that clubs shouldn't provide ride services as a general rule, but concentrate on growing their club and soaring. Club rides are generally priced such that it's not a big revenue stream. That said, there is at least one SSA region with no commercial operation. Selling rides to the public denies other members use of the equipment and perhaps instructors. In a club/ chapter, it's the membership that's important. Introductory memberships and mini-courses of 3-4 lessons allow a prospective full member to see if they are a good fit for the club and for soaring as an activity as an exploratory stepping stone, rather than asking them to plunk down the big money to join up to find that out. It provides 3 or 4 opportunities to set the hook, to soar away for an hour, and they hold in their hand a logbook with actual flight lessons logged. It also sets a price point that drives away the drive-by joy rides. Frank Whiteley |
#16
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skyrides are at it again?
Currently many commercial glider operations do not want to
work with some ticket agencies reselling their tickets because they cannibalize business from customers already searching for them online. They have professional sales people, slick yet vague websites, the advertising budget to get top search engine placement and can often sell for less than a commercial glider operator because they make a good profit off of unredeemed gift certificates. If commercial glider operators do not want to work with them now, then I would expect they will just quit the FAST program if it means they would have to accept gift certificates sold by a third party ticket agency. So then it is conceivable that commercial operations would see a loss of business and participating clubs would be over burdened with rides. If people are buying a gift for a glider ride, is it then legal or ethical to send the gift recipient to a non-profit club when the customer felt they were dealing with a commercial business? Does the fact that a ticket agency make a profit on the ride cause a problem for the non-profit club status? The way the SAA FAST program works now, the majority of people being sent to a flight school would not have otherwise found them and so are most likely helping increase their business. However, if most of the people sent to them through the FAST program are really just looking for a ride and typically would have bought directly from the operator, then the FAST program no longer makes since to operators. A commercial operation typically takes a loss when honoring a FAST certificate. Caution should be used before trying to remove any SSA business member since this may cause some legal problems for the SSA. New rules could be created for the FAST program to close any loopholes which could cause the program to collapse. Maybe only allow participating flight schools who actually honor the FAST certificates be allowed to resale the FAST certificates. You may also want to limit the number a FAST certificates each one can resale (since one could buy or lease a glider and towplane to operate just 1 day a year) plus require that sales methods for FAST certificates need to be directed primarily towards customers planning to use them at their own location. This needs more thought before setting the rules but this gives an idea of how to close the loopholes without causing legal problems. The US parachute association supposedly had a bad experience trying to kick out a business member once for similar reasons and were not successful in removing them I heard. A flight school who works with a third party ticket agency can still offer the FAST program to those students that schedule with them through the third party ticket agency and who really want a lesson. The flight school can purchase the book packets directly from the SSA for $50, give them to any students coming in for an intro lesson and then get their $50 back when the SSA receives the membership certificate. This is what the Hollister Soaring Center does with every new student. The SSA gets a new member and the student gets essentially free books plus a membership. There is no need or advantage for the SSA to work with any third party ticket agency that I can see. |
#17
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skyrides are at it again?
Currently many commercial glider operations do not want to
work with some ticket agencies reselling their tickets because they cannibalize business from customers already searching for them online. They have professional sales people, slick yet vague websites, the advertising budget to get top search engine placement and can often sell for less than a commercial glider operator because they make a good profit off of unredeemed gift certificates. If commercial glider operators do not want to work with them now, then I would expect they will just quit the FAST program if it means they would have to accept gift certificates sold by a third party ticket agency. So then it is conceivable that commercial operations would see a loss of business and participating clubs would be over burdened with rides. If people are buying a gift for a glider ride, is it then legal or ethical to send the gift recipient to a non-profit club when the customer felt they were dealing with a commercial business? Does the fact that a ticket agency make a profit on the ride cause a problem for the non-profit club status? The way the SAA FAST program works now, the majority of people being sent to a flight school would not have otherwise found them and so are most likely helping increase their business. However, if most of the people sent to them through the FAST program are really just looking for a ride and typically would have bought directly from the operator, then the FAST program no longer makes since to operators. A commercial operation typically takes a loss when honoring a FAST certificate. Caution should be used before trying to remove any SSA business member since this may cause some legal problems for the SSA. New rules could be created for the FAST program to close any loopholes which could cause the program to collapse. Maybe only allow participating flight schools who actually honor the FAST certificates be allowed to resale the FAST certificates. You may also want to limit the number a FAST certificates each one can resale (since one could buy or lease a glider and towplane to operate just 1 day a year) plus require that sales methods for FAST certificates need to be directed primarily towards customers planning to use them at their own location. This needs more thought before setting the rules but this gives an idea of how to close the loopholes without causing legal problems. The US parachute association supposedly had a bad experience trying to kick out a business member once for similar reasons and were not successful in removing them I heard. A flight school who works with a third party ticket agency can still offer the FAST program to those students that schedule with them through the third party ticket agency and who really want a lesson. The flight school can purchase the book packets directly from the SSA for $50, give them to any students coming in for an intro lesson and then get their $50 back when the SSA receives the membership certificate. This is what the Hollister Soaring Center does with every new student. The SSA gets a new member and the student gets essentially free books plus a membership. There is no need or advantage for the SSA to work with any third party ticket agency that I can see. |
#18
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skyrides are at it again?
clipped comments
As the current Treasurer and long time board member of Las Vegas Valley Soaring Association I can assure you that we do NOT sell commercial glider rides. Our insurance doesn't cover it and we are not interested in that kind of business. We refer all of those folks to (702)874-1010, the local commercial glider business run by Michael Henderson. They have been known as Las Vegas Glider Rides or the Las Vegas Soaring Center depending on what year and what document is used. Any connection of our club to that operation is a typographical error or an error in someone's research. We do support the FAST program as implemented by SSA. Jay McDaniel |
#19
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skyrides are at it again?
On Aug 23, 9:11*am, Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Aug 23, 8:59*am, Grider Pirate wrote: On Aug 22, 11:10*pm, Clyde Rasmusen wrote: It is just as sleazy some places on the other side. One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See:http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to:www.lvvsa.organdtheirphone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See:http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes *wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excuse me?? *I've been a member of the LVVSA for 10 years now. LVVSA does not, never has, and never will give glider rides for profit. * We participate in the FAST program. *When people call looking to 'take a ride' in a glider, we refer them to the local commercial operator. I personally give about a dozen rides a year - splitting the cost of the tow and glider with the rider, or in many cases simply paying for the entire ride myself. I think Clyde is referring tohttp://www.soaringcenter.net/ being the 'real' Las Vegas Glider Rides and somehow the Superpages listing is an attempt to 'hijack' this. *However, my business is listed in Superpages (among 28 others, some of which have no actual presence or capability here). *So using that as some kind of proof is bogus. *No idea what the local Perhaps that's the commercial operator you mention. I searched for Las Vegas Glider Rides on dexknows.com for Las Vegas and found nothing. *It did appear for Jean, NV and was the club's phone and address. *Did the same for Yellowpages.com for Las Vegas and it linked to the club. *However the website description talked about it being a member organization with no mention of glider rides. *In neither case did the Soaring Center get resolved, so maybe they haven't paid for any advertising or listings. Clubs are not prohibited from giving rides if their insurance permits it and they comply with the appropriate FARs. *However, they can't provide competing services at the same airport as a commercial operator. *That's an IRS restriction. *They can provide training to members only and redeeming FAST packages means they must make that person a member of the club/chapter and complete the SSA Introductory Membership if participating in the SSA Group Insurance Plan. A non-profit organization can make a profit. *The restriction is what is done with the profit. *It must be directed back into the stated purpose of the organization. *Non-profits may also have unrelated income, for which they will incur a tax liability. Type Las Vegas Glider Rides into Google and see what you get and the order. That said, my opinion is that clubs shouldn't provide ride services as a general rule, but concentrate on growing their club and soaring. Club rides are generally priced such that it's not a big revenue stream. *That said, there is at least one SSA region with no commercial operation. *Selling rides to the public denies other members use of the equipment and perhaps instructors. *In a club/ chapter, it's the membership that's important. *Introductory memberships and mini-courses of 3-4 lessons allow a prospective full member to see if they are a good fit for the club and for soaring as an activity as an exploratory stepping stone, rather than asking them to plunk down the big money to join up to find that out. *It provides 3 or 4 opportunities to set the hook, to soar away for an hour, and they hold in their hand a logbook with actual flight lessons logged. It also sets a price point that drives away the drive-by joy rides. Frank Whiteley- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Thanks Frank.. and others.. I can assure you that the Southern NV Club, LVVSA, listed in the original post has been in existance for over 20 years and a Charter Club listed under SAA. We have been registered with the State of NV for as many years as a "not for profit" club. We are not a 501C3 or 501c7 club for the IRS purposes. The "Commercial" Operation at Jean has only been in existance a few years and piggy backed on our name by using Las Vegas Glider Rides or Las Vegas Soaring Center. We at LVVSA have not contracted with any advertiser such as SUPERPAGES or DEXKNOWS or any company to advertise our soaring club. Those companies compile information from the local telephone yellow pages and internet data miners to try and put something together and then "sell" their adveristing to the user. I've contacted many companies listed in DEX or SUPERPAGES that have not contracted with those companies and had to put up with the FALSE advertising those companies produce without a contract. And just who to @#$%@#%$ is this CLYDE character that has no idea of what he speaks. Maybe he should come down to the Club and See the difference between the CLUB and the other oufit that operates at Jean. I would be glad to personally enlighten him. We only accept FAST certificates and no others. Bill Tisdale, Club President. |
#20
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skyrides are at it again?
On Aug 23, 9:11*am, Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Aug 23, 8:59*am, Grider Pirate wrote: On Aug 22, 11:10*pm, Clyde Rasmusen wrote: It is just as sleazy some places on the other side. One example, the southern NV soaring club uses the legal dba and trademark of the local FBO to solicit for profit glider rides. See:http://www.m.superpages.com/mobile/y...lid=0113644510 No accident the web link leads you to:www.lvvsa.organdtheirphone number. According to the local flying attourneys, this club is listed with the Internal Revenue Service and Clark County as a non-profit organization. Also advertises in the local yellow business pages and not for FAST rides although an SSA afiliated club. Just how many millions of dollars did Skydive Arizona win from Skyride for misrepresentation, fraud, defamation, trademark infringement and lost revenues? See:http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safe...age.cgi?ID=606 So who pays the fines, legal fees and verifiable loss of income when the glider club gets caught? Unaware club members with their dues and assets or the bond and note holders. Word of caution. Dangerous waters, glider clubs. CLYDE R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At 23:15 22 August 2011, JayM wrote: On Aug 22, 1:06=A0pm, Rex Mayes *wrote: It seems that the company SkyRides has now formed a new company called Soaring Sports and has become an SSA business member to hyjack the F.A.S.T program in order to sell rides. Some operators will not do business with Sky Rides by honoring the certificates it sells. =A0Sky Rides has contacted the SSA to sell the F.A.S.T. program to unknowing customers. =A0These customers call a gliderport to redeem the F.A.S.T certificate and the operator has no idea that it was not sold by the SSA but rather, by the Sky Rides company. Can any of the operators confirm this? I talked with Mr Barber today also and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But if they are really a re-wrapped Scam outfit we need to nip it soon. I wonder how much more than the usual $99 they will charge in order to make a profit?- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excuse me?? *I've been a member of the LVVSA for 10 years now. LVVSA does not, never has, and never will give glider rides for profit. * We participate in the FAST program. *When people call looking to 'take a ride' in a glider, we refer them to the local commercial operator. I personally give about a dozen rides a year - splitting the cost of the tow and glider with the rider, or in many cases simply paying for the entire ride myself. I think Clyde is referring tohttp://www.soaringcenter.net/ being the 'real' Las Vegas Glider Rides and somehow the Superpages listing is an attempt to 'hijack' this. *However, my business is listed in Superpages (among 28 others, some of which have no actual presence or capability here). *So using that as some kind of proof is bogus. *No idea what the local Perhaps that's the commercial operator you mention. I searched for Las Vegas Glider Rides on dexknows.com for Las Vegas and found nothing. *It did appear for Jean, NV and was the club's phone and address. *Did the same for Yellowpages.com for Las Vegas and it linked to the club. *However the website description talked about Frank Whiteley- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - The number I found looking up LAS VEGAS GLIDER RIDES in DEX is actually the company number, not the club number. Searching LAS VEGAS GLIDER RIDES in YELLOWBOOK does list the club and the club phone number. We have no control over how Yellow Book runs their search engine. Bill Tisdale |
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