Cheap sailplanes

Well this new and "improved" google has me a bit
mystified......anyhow..........my point was the thermals we enjoy could
easily be removed from our enjoyment at the whim of our "elected"
officials, all under the guise of making us "safer". I for one would
rather take my chances with the mountain winds than the capriciousness
of the oligarchy.

Brad


Stewart Kissel wrote:
Well although it may/may not be a 'prequel' to how
we are living...how this applies to soaring still has
me mystified.




At 19:30 06 December 2004, Jack wrote:
Stewart Kissel wrote:
Hmmm, the George Orwell references are a little over
my head...but perhaps I am on a parallel track and
don't know it.

You have read '1984', have you not?

If not, then run -- do not walk -- to your local library
and demand a
copy. It is the prequel to the 21st Century as we
are living it.


Jack

Stewart Kissel wrote:

Apologies to those in this picture who may feel slighted...my
intent was to post what I perceive as a fairly accurate
image of our sport...and the challenge of making this
image cool.

http://windpath.ca/news/images/dv_lgpix/2_F1030012.jpg

Well, our club isn't a bit like that!

We NEVER have our chairs arranged in such orderly rows.



Jack

Michel Talon wrote:
Graeme Cant wrote:

Absolutely. The market will work for gliding as it does with most
things. Already, I know of three 25-30 year old glass gliders bought by
young men from deceased estates for trivial prices (a perfectly good
PIK-20B for $12000, for example). Cost isn't/won't be the problem.
Real prices will go on falling as the number of available gliders grows
at a faster rate than the number of buyers.


Corollary when the sport will be almost dying.

Prior to its rebirth in a different form - which almost none of the
existing participants will foresee - and certainly won't like.

But it will still be soaring.

Graeme Cant

Jack wrote:
Stewart Kissel wrote:

Apologies to those in this picture who may feel slighted...my
intent was to post what I perceive as a fairly accurate
image of our sport...and the challenge of making this
image cool.

http://windpath.ca/news/images/dv_lgpix/2_F1030012.jpg


Well, our club isn't a bit like that!

We NEVER have our chairs arranged in such orderly rows.



Jack
You guys have CHAIRS?? Sheer luxury!

Steve Hill wrote:
I continue to believe that the answer to building soaring has mainly to do
with making it more convenient.

I think licensing is quite inconvenient. This is a huge
hassle that the other sports just don't have.

I don't think it's the cost of the sailplane that's prohibitive, I
think it's the whole package...club fees/dues, tows, insurance, equipment,
etc...

Cost of licensing. A coupla thousand $$$$s? Now that's a huge initial cost.
I'm really excited about Sport Pilot transitions. The airplane guys
and ultralighters are our best shot.

They've already shown strong stomaches for turbulence, have many of the
skills already, and have money.

We definitely need to adjust our view as to who
our target audience is, and define a demographic...for the pursuit of fresh
meat....for our sport...

The newbie pure glider guys I've met are most excited about
acro (in the Fox), nice BBQs/social meetings, and "safaris" to new
gliderports, maybe ground launch?

Variety and social stuff. Y'know, fun! Personally, the stories about
landouts and heavy wings and fighting bulls and there I was at the
competition don't do it for me. I'm not an addict, I'm a soaring consumer.
Easy, reasonably priced, and fun. The ragged edge of performance still
isn't interesting for me.

But stories of water ballon drops, hammocks and BBQs?
Now THAT's a weekend!
--

------------+
Mark J. Boyd

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Steve Hill wrote:

| If I've seen one consistent thing amongst young new prospective sailplane
| types, its that they have a tough time justifying all the expense, for the
| limited amount of time they get to participate ....weekends...April till
| October...but for a few places in the U.S. that's a fairly common
thing. So
| we really come down to competing with EVERY other interesting
thrill-seeking
| venue out there.
| Methinks.
|
|
Yep I think thats a good observation. I always wanted to soar as a kid.
~ I got quite in to R/C gliders and still hold an interest. However when
it came to a point where I could afford to have a more expensive hobby,
I could not take the cost of soaring. Instead I went for paragliding.
I still get to soar, even if it's not as gracefully as in a real soaring
machine. Even if I brought a low cost glider, instead of a new car,
there are too many other costs involved, for the amount of time I would
get to fly.

Justin.
|
| Steve.
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Yep, I'm 24 and I would much rather do anything associated with flying
(even looking at aerofoils or learning more about weather systems) than
going out and getting drunk etc etc etc. Thats fine now and then, but I
don't know how these other guys don't get bored of it.

Justin.

e wrote:
On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 19:22:40 GMT, "Bill Daniels"
wrote:



We also need to stop pigeonholing young people. They come in all levels of
interest. Not all of them are into video games and hot rods. A wonderful
few really love soaring.

We need to stop driving them away.


Extremely well said, Bill.

Lennie (Surprised?)

Stewart Kissel wrote:
Hmmm, the George Orwell references are a little over
my head...but perhaps I am on a parallel track and
don't know it.

Soaring ain't going to become 'cool' anytime soon,
and I am not so sure it was in its heyday. So rather
then battling the fact that lumpy white old guys in
funny looking clothes are not a marketing tool...why
not examine who might be interested in an 'uncool'
activity.

The hang-glider population is not getting any younger,
and their landing gears continue to wear out...this
group seems to be making their way to sailplanes on
their own.

Software engineers seem to also be finding their way
to the sport...and the reality of the modern instrument
panel probably intrigues many of them.

I don't see young, fit skiers, snowboarders, parachutists,
cyclists as particularly fertile recruiting ground.

Don't be so sure. I paraglide, mostly because of the cost and also
convieniance. You will find the better paraglider pilots all have a
bigger interest in soaring as a whole, and respect and recognise the
skill soaring requires over any other sport (you have to read inivisible
weather systems, learn about areodynamics and so on). By soaring I mean
paragliding/hanggliding/sailplanes. Im sure when I have the money and
stability, I will move in to sailplanes.

Justin

And once the vid-game generation comes of age...things
will probably get even quieter at the glider port.

There are several sailplanes for sale in the UK for less than £2000 complete
with trailers ets. There's no time like the present!

Ian


"Justin Fielding" wrote in message
news:1102698925.a47248e379dbf1a123dc73f01a18448b@t eranews...
Stewart Kissel wrote:
Hmmm, the George Orwell references are a little over
my head...but perhaps I am on a parallel track and
don't know it.

Soaring ain't going to become 'cool' anytime soon,
and I am not so sure it was in its heyday. So rather
then battling the fact that lumpy white old guys in
funny looking clothes are not a marketing tool...why
not examine who might be interested in an 'uncool'
activity.

The hang-glider population is not getting any younger,
and their landing gears continue to wear out...this
group seems to be making their way to sailplanes on
their own.

Software engineers seem to also be finding their way
to the sport...and the reality of the modern instrument
panel probably intrigues many of them.

I don't see young, fit skiers, snowboarders, parachutists,
cyclists as particularly fertile recruiting ground.

Don't be so sure. I paraglide, mostly because of the cost and also
convieniance. You will find the better paraglider pilots all have a
bigger interest in soaring as a whole, and respect and recognise the skill
soaring requires over any other sport (you have to read inivisible weather
systems, learn about areodynamics and so on). By soaring I mean
paragliding/hanggliding/sailplanes. Im sure when I have the money and
stability, I will move in to sailplanes.

Justin

And once the vid-game generation comes of age...things
will probably get even quieter at the glider port.

At 18:01 10 December 2004, Justin Fielding wrote:.

I don't see young, fit skiers, snowboarders, parachutists,
cyclists as particularly fertile recruiting ground.

Don't be so sure. I paraglide, mostly because of the
cost and also
convieniance. You will find the better paraglider
pilots all have a
bigger interest in soaring as a whole, and respect
and recognise the
skill soaring requires over any other sport (you have
to read inivisible
weather systems, learn about areodynamics and so on).
By soaring I mean
paragliding/hanggliding/sailplanes. Im sure when I
have the money and
stability, I will move in to sailplanes.

Justin

http://www.windlines.net/modules.php...lbum99&id=PB18
0129&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=vi ew_photo.php

HA, I bet this guy just can't wait to jump into a
junky 2-33 with some crusty old-timer in the backseat
yelling at him...rather then what he is doing now