How are joysticks 'powered' in gliders?

John Giddy wrote:
On 27 Feb 2005 18:51:37 -0800, wrote:

...

It seemed to me that if there was enough mechanical advantage in
a joystick, no one would ever have bothered to design with a
full-length control stick. The latter takes up more space and
weighs more.

...
experience in the gliding movement, "joystick" means any control
which
operates the control surfaces, and doesn't have a rotary wheel or
"yoke". The length of a joystick can be anything from about 9 inches
to a couple of feet, depending on the glider ...


Yes, I think of a joystick as short,in contrast to a normal control
stick. The idea of flying with a yoke or wheel was simply so
abhorrent that I hadn't considered it...

Refernces to joysticks being on the side of the cockpit also led
me to think they were short as otherwise there would be insufficient
travel to one side.

--

FF

In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

Let's not include the commercial operators in this, since you are mixing
apples and oranges, to extent.

Yes, agreed.

You might get to fly with another member, though I would be loath to
send an unknown instructor off with a relatively low time member.

Oh man, I've done this and had some of the best laughs of my
life. I tried really hard one time to hold back but we hit so
hard on landing I just couldn't help it. I've stopped telling
anyone I'm an instructor. They get all WEIRD and nervous on ya...
Maybe it's the whoopie cushion and the floopy shoes...

Put your SSA membership card in your wallet, next to your pilot's license
(and photo ID). Bring your logbook also. The problem is that at many clubs,
you might get treated like the problem of the day unless you've arranged
ahead of time for a visit. That may give the wrong impression entirely.

"Problem of the Day." Oh man, LMAO. I'm having a hard time breathing
here. I dunno about this wallet idea tho. If I put in every card I
own, it'd bust open. Good thing there's no money in it.

It is an unreasonable expectation to walk on and fly at most
clubs.

Hey hey now, I never said they should expect to be treated
BETTER than a member. If members are treated to a work party
walkin in the door, then give visiting members that too!
The "be a pilot" idea for $50 gets you a takeoff and immediate landing
at expensive airplane FBOs, and an hour flight at others.
Likewise, my "member for a day"
idea gets flowers and a free burger at some places, and
a dirty, paint stained shirt and a broom (inscribed
"member for a day") at other gliderports
(gotta stop laughing at my own jokes long enough to type here).

Even our members have no expectation of this, but can check the
schedule online or by phone for the most current information.

I still don't know why clubs keep their schedules "secret"
with all kinda passwords and stuff. Put out a guest password that
can modify, but can only looksie. Schedulemaster and flightschedulepro
allow this. What the heck is the big freekin' secret? be proud of your
schedule!

Fees are the least of the problem actually. Most clubs by-laws are a blend
of the constraints mentioned above. However, we'd be glad to put you on the
mower or hand you a paint brush, so you can really get the 'feel' for club
membership;^)

ROFLMAO! Ya know what, for me personally, this would be something I would
actually love. Commin' out to put markings on the runway, wax a glider,
dust the clubhouse, flip the burgers, etc. On a recent visit to
a club I was hangin out MIGHTY close to the BBQ. I think they
thought I was there 'cause I was hungry. NOT SO. I wanted to
get some spatula time in my logbook. Good thing they didn't
let me. They call me "the torch" in some circles....

You attend most golf and
country clubs as a 'guest' of a member, not as a walk-on. Indeed, you can't
play or eat without an invitation. Your charges go on their account for
this very reason.

Hmmm...this idea is morphing into a "member buddy" idea. Lemme
roll that one around in the noggin.

Assuming you are willing to assume the member responsibilities also. Some
clubs have $1000 to $3000 deductibles. Generally renter insurance does not
apply to members, even as member of the day. Unless the club carries glider
for hire insurance, you can't rent.

There may be some clubs with active reciprocal memberships and daily
memberships. However, if the idea is for clubs to gain new members from the
exiting SSA population that are not club members, giving a good first
impression would be much easier with some advanced warning. With that
courtesy, most clubs are probably quite welcoming.

This isn't so much about bad greetings by clubs, which I've really
never gotten. It's about the percieved "I dunno, what's it like over
there" that I hear from a lot of SSA members who don't bonk around
to other clubs much. I just want to see a BUNCH more "invitations" to
cross-swap, and this was one (maybe kinda lame) idea.

How many clubs have you
actually visited?

Maybe a dozen. Mixed bag indeed. I have had the absolute best time
just hangar flying tho. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm pretty much
bored with flying alone, and half the time I'd prefer to just sit there,
eat a tasty burger, and tell lies anyway. As an instructor, if
I tried to go flying WITHOUT a passenger I'd get a darned dirty look anyway,
so I have to sneak in on weekdays anyway...

What makes you think there are hidden costs?

Because I didn't see a big board with all the prices and the
option to "supersize" it :P C'mon, at every club I've been to in my life,
the very WORST and LEAST accessible amount of info is the prices.
Ask most of the guys in your own club how much an aero retrieve costs
:PPPP Hahaha...

I think it
may be easier to think of most clubs as a picnic rather than a buffet. As
such, it's a pot-luck endeavor. What do you bring to the table? If it's
your interest, then call ahead and get an invite. It's simple common
courtesy and will demystifye the process.

I'm tellin' ya, man, you are definitely on the money. Even with a
prior phone call, it IS a pot-luck.

Doug Easton, SSA director-at-large, is in the midst of updating the Where To
Fly website info and adding some tools. Many of the links, contact e-mails,
phone numbers, etc, were broken. This is a large task and will take him
some more time to complete. It will get rid of the deadwood too. This will
make clubs and FBOs easier to find and contact.

Yes. Important stuff. Oh, and at least one club I know
of needs to get an answering machine for their club phone!
You know who you are!!!! ;O

Frank Whiteley



In article . com,
wrote:

Bill Daniels wrote:
...

You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where to
fly" to
find the nearest location.


Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.

--

FF



--

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




--

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

www.soarcsa.org

No hidden prices, members know them, but they are posted also.

Schedule is publicly viewable, member changeable.

Read "What am I getting myself into?"

Let me know if you have trouble finding contact info.

We have an outdoor BBQ that can cook about 500 pieces of meat at once, a
kitchen with two ovens, and two hot showers to knock the dust off. If that
doesn't work, I can muster up a water balloon sling shot has a range of
about 75 yards at a moving target.

However, you'd best call ahead.

Frank

"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:42253357$1@darkstar...
In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

Let's not include the commercial operators in this, since you are mixing
apples and oranges, to extent.

Yes, agreed.

You might get to fly with another member, though I would be loath to
send an unknown instructor off with a relatively low time member.

Oh man, I've done this and had some of the best laughs of my
life. I tried really hard one time to hold back but we hit so
hard on landing I just couldn't help it. I've stopped telling
anyone I'm an instructor. They get all WEIRD and nervous on ya...
Maybe it's the whoopie cushion and the floopy shoes...

Put your SSA membership card in your wallet, next to your pilot's license
(and photo ID). Bring your logbook also. The problem is that at many
clubs,
you might get treated like the problem of the day unless you've arranged
ahead of time for a visit. That may give the wrong impression entirely.

"Problem of the Day." Oh man, LMAO. I'm having a hard time breathing
here. I dunno about this wallet idea tho. If I put in every card I
own, it'd bust open. Good thing there's no money in it.

It is an unreasonable expectation to walk on and fly at most
clubs.

Hey hey now, I never said they should expect to be treated
BETTER than a member. If members are treated to a work party
walkin in the door, then give visiting members that too!
The "be a pilot" idea for $50 gets you a takeoff and immediate landing
at expensive airplane FBOs, and an hour flight at others.
Likewise, my "member for a day"
idea gets flowers and a free burger at some places, and
a dirty, paint stained shirt and a broom (inscribed
"member for a day") at other gliderports
(gotta stop laughing at my own jokes long enough to type here).

Even our members have no expectation of this, but can check the
schedule online or by phone for the most current information.

I still don't know why clubs keep their schedules "secret"
with all kinda passwords and stuff. Put out a guest password that
can modify, but can only looksie. Schedulemaster and flightschedulepro
allow this. What the heck is the big freekin' secret? be proud of your
schedule!

Fees are the least of the problem actually. Most clubs by-laws are a
blend
of the constraints mentioned above. However, we'd be glad to put you on
the
mower or hand you a paint brush, so you can really get the 'feel' for
club
membership;^)

ROFLMAO! Ya know what, for me personally, this would be something I would
actually love. Commin' out to put markings on the runway, wax a glider,
dust the clubhouse, flip the burgers, etc. On a recent visit to
a club I was hangin out MIGHTY close to the BBQ. I think they
thought I was there 'cause I was hungry. NOT SO. I wanted to
get some spatula time in my logbook. Good thing they didn't
let me. They call me "the torch" in some circles....

You attend most golf and
country clubs as a 'guest' of a member, not as a walk-on. Indeed, you
can't
play or eat without an invitation. Your charges go on their account for
this very reason.

Hmmm...this idea is morphing into a "member buddy" idea. Lemme
roll that one around in the noggin.

Assuming you are willing to assume the member responsibilities also.
Some
clubs have $1000 to $3000 deductibles. Generally renter insurance does
not
apply to members, even as member of the day. Unless the club carries
glider
for hire insurance, you can't rent.

There may be some clubs with active reciprocal memberships and daily
memberships. However, if the idea is for clubs to gain new members from
the
exiting SSA population that are not club members, giving a good first
impression would be much easier with some advanced warning. With that
courtesy, most clubs are probably quite welcoming.

This isn't so much about bad greetings by clubs, which I've really
never gotten. It's about the percieved "I dunno, what's it like over
there" that I hear from a lot of SSA members who don't bonk around
to other clubs much. I just want to see a BUNCH more "invitations" to
cross-swap, and this was one (maybe kinda lame) idea.

How many clubs have you
actually visited?

Maybe a dozen. Mixed bag indeed. I have had the absolute best time
just hangar flying tho. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm pretty much
bored with flying alone, and half the time I'd prefer to just sit there,
eat a tasty burger, and tell lies anyway. As an instructor, if
I tried to go flying WITHOUT a passenger I'd get a darned dirty look
anyway,
so I have to sneak in on weekdays anyway...

What makes you think there are hidden costs?

Because I didn't see a big board with all the prices and the
option to "supersize" it :P C'mon, at every club I've been to in my life,
the very WORST and LEAST accessible amount of info is the prices.
Ask most of the guys in your own club how much an aero retrieve costs
:PPPP Hahaha...

I think it
may be easier to think of most clubs as a picnic rather than a buffet.
As
such, it's a pot-luck endeavor. What do you bring to the table? If it's
your interest, then call ahead and get an invite. It's simple common
courtesy and will demystifye the process.

I'm tellin' ya, man, you are definitely on the money. Even with a
prior phone call, it IS a pot-luck.

Doug Easton, SSA director-at-large, is in the midst of updating the Where
To
Fly website info and adding some tools. Many of the links, contact
e-mails,
phone numbers, etc, were broken. This is a large task and will take him
some more time to complete. It will get rid of the deadwood too. This
will
make clubs and FBOs easier to find and contact.

Yes. Important stuff. Oh, and at least one club I know
of needs to get an answering machine for their club phone!
You know who you are!!!! ;O

Frank Whiteley



In article . com,
wrote:

Bill Daniels wrote:
...

You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where to
fly" to
find the nearest location.


Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.

--

FF



--

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




--

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

Man. I saw that smile of that youngster on your page and got a little
teared up. I was at a gliderport last weekend and I couldn't even
look this 14 year old who'd soloed in the eye. I was
so proud of him. All I could think of is how I want
to keep the sport of soaring alive so my little daughter can some
day solo like I watched him do.

Flying, and soaring in particular, has been such a privilege
it sure is nice to see your club sharing it like you do...

In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:
www.soarcsa.org

No hidden prices, members know them, but they are posted also.

Schedule is publicly viewable, member changeable.

Read "What am I getting myself into?"

Let me know if you have trouble finding contact info.

We have an outdoor BBQ that can cook about 500 pieces of meat at once, a
kitchen with two ovens, and two hot showers to knock the dust off. If that
doesn't work, I can muster up a water balloon sling shot has a range of
about 75 yards at a moving target.

However, you'd best call ahead.

Frank

"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:42253357$1@darkstar...
In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

Let's not include the commercial operators in this, since you are mixing
apples and oranges, to extent.

Yes, agreed.

You might get to fly with another member, though I would be loath to
send an unknown instructor off with a relatively low time member.

Oh man, I've done this and had some of the best laughs of my
life. I tried really hard one time to hold back but we hit so
hard on landing I just couldn't help it. I've stopped telling
anyone I'm an instructor. They get all WEIRD and nervous on ya...
Maybe it's the whoopie cushion and the floopy shoes...

Put your SSA membership card in your wallet, next to your pilot's license
(and photo ID). Bring your logbook also. The problem is that at many
clubs,
you might get treated like the problem of the day unless you've arranged
ahead of time for a visit. That may give the wrong impression entirely.

"Problem of the Day." Oh man, LMAO. I'm having a hard time breathing
here. I dunno about this wallet idea tho. If I put in every card I
own, it'd bust open. Good thing there's no money in it.

It is an unreasonable expectation to walk on and fly at most
clubs.

Hey hey now, I never said they should expect to be treated
BETTER than a member. If members are treated to a work party
walkin in the door, then give visiting members that too!
The "be a pilot" idea for $50 gets you a takeoff and immediate landing
at expensive airplane FBOs, and an hour flight at others.
Likewise, my "member for a day"
idea gets flowers and a free burger at some places, and
a dirty, paint stained shirt and a broom (inscribed
"member for a day") at other gliderports
(gotta stop laughing at my own jokes long enough to type here).

Even our members have no expectation of this, but can check the
schedule online or by phone for the most current information.

I still don't know why clubs keep their schedules "secret"
with all kinda passwords and stuff. Put out a guest password that
can modify, but can only looksie. Schedulemaster and flightschedulepro
allow this. What the heck is the big freekin' secret? be proud of your
schedule!

Fees are the least of the problem actually. Most clubs by-laws are a
blend
of the constraints mentioned above. However, we'd be glad to put you on
the
mower or hand you a paint brush, so you can really get the 'feel' for
club
membership;^)

ROFLMAO! Ya know what, for me personally, this would be something I would
actually love. Commin' out to put markings on the runway, wax a glider,
dust the clubhouse, flip the burgers, etc. On a recent visit to
a club I was hangin out MIGHTY close to the BBQ. I think they
thought I was there 'cause I was hungry. NOT SO. I wanted to
get some spatula time in my logbook. Good thing they didn't
let me. They call me "the torch" in some circles....

You attend most golf and
country clubs as a 'guest' of a member, not as a walk-on. Indeed, you
can't
play or eat without an invitation. Your charges go on their account for
this very reason.

Hmmm...this idea is morphing into a "member buddy" idea. Lemme
roll that one around in the noggin.

Assuming you are willing to assume the member responsibilities also.
Some
clubs have $1000 to $3000 deductibles. Generally renter insurance does
not
apply to members, even as member of the day. Unless the club carries
glider
for hire insurance, you can't rent.

There may be some clubs with active reciprocal memberships and daily
memberships. However, if the idea is for clubs to gain new members from
the
exiting SSA population that are not club members, giving a good first
impression would be much easier with some advanced warning. With that
courtesy, most clubs are probably quite welcoming.

This isn't so much about bad greetings by clubs, which I've really
never gotten. It's about the percieved "I dunno, what's it like over
there" that I hear from a lot of SSA members who don't bonk around
to other clubs much. I just want to see a BUNCH more "invitations" to
cross-swap, and this was one (maybe kinda lame) idea.

How many clubs have you
actually visited?

Maybe a dozen. Mixed bag indeed. I have had the absolute best time
just hangar flying tho. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm pretty much
bored with flying alone, and half the time I'd prefer to just sit there,
eat a tasty burger, and tell lies anyway. As an instructor, if
I tried to go flying WITHOUT a passenger I'd get a darned dirty look
anyway,
so I have to sneak in on weekdays anyway...

What makes you think there are hidden costs?

Because I didn't see a big board with all the prices and the
option to "supersize" it :P C'mon, at every club I've been to in my life,
the very WORST and LEAST accessible amount of info is the prices.
Ask most of the guys in your own club how much an aero retrieve costs
:PPPP Hahaha...

I think it
may be easier to think of most clubs as a picnic rather than a buffet.
As
such, it's a pot-luck endeavor. What do you bring to the table? If it's
your interest, then call ahead and get an invite. It's simple common
courtesy and will demystifye the process.

I'm tellin' ya, man, you are definitely on the money. Even with a
prior phone call, it IS a pot-luck.

Doug Easton, SSA director-at-large, is in the midst of updating the Where
To
Fly website info and adding some tools. Many of the links, contact
e-mails,
phone numbers, etc, were broken. This is a large task and will take him
some more time to complete. It will get rid of the deadwood too. This
will
make clubs and FBOs easier to find and contact.

Yes. Important stuff. Oh, and at least one club I know
of needs to get an answering machine for their club phone!
You know who you are!!!! ;O

Frank Whiteley



In article . com,
wrote:

Bill Daniels wrote:
...

You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where to
fly" to
find the nearest location.


Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.

--

FF



--

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




--

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




--

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

Much in this thread is strong evidence that there has been too little reading of
aviation-oriented publications, whether fiction or non-fiction, from the first
three quarters of the 20th Century.


Jack

I have been to all the front range clubs to check them out.
These guys (www.soarcsa.org) know how to "do it right" for the
visitor,unlike one club that said that if I were to come out and work for
them a few weekends they "might" then let me join.
I would gladly drive the extra hour to fly there but
I work weekends.....

Rob

"F.L. Whiteley" wrote in message
...
www.soarcsa.org

No hidden prices, members know them, but they are posted also.

Schedule is publicly viewable, member changeable.

Read "What am I getting myself into?"

Let me know if you have trouble finding contact info.

We have an outdoor BBQ that can cook about 500 pieces of meat at once, a
kitchen with two ovens, and two hot showers to knock the dust off. If
that
doesn't work, I can muster up a water balloon sling shot has a range of
about 75 yards at a moving target.

However, you'd best call ahead.

Frank

"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:42253357$1@darkstar...
In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

Let's not include the commercial operators in this, since you are mixing
apples and oranges, to extent.

Yes, agreed.

You might get to fly with another member, though I would be loath to
send an unknown instructor off with a relatively low time member.

Oh man, I've done this and had some of the best laughs of my
life. I tried really hard one time to hold back but we hit so
hard on landing I just couldn't help it. I've stopped telling
anyone I'm an instructor. They get all WEIRD and nervous on ya...
Maybe it's the whoopie cushion and the floopy shoes...

Put your SSA membership card in your wallet, next to your pilot's
license
(and photo ID). Bring your logbook also. The problem is that at many
clubs,
you might get treated like the problem of the day unless you've arranged
ahead of time for a visit. That may give the wrong impression entirely.

"Problem of the Day." Oh man, LMAO. I'm having a hard time breathing
here. I dunno about this wallet idea tho. If I put in every card I
own, it'd bust open. Good thing there's no money in it.

It is an unreasonable expectation to walk on and fly at most
clubs.

Hey hey now, I never said they should expect to be treated
BETTER than a member. If members are treated to a work party
walkin in the door, then give visiting members that too!
The "be a pilot" idea for $50 gets you a takeoff and immediate landing
at expensive airplane FBOs, and an hour flight at others.
Likewise, my "member for a day"
idea gets flowers and a free burger at some places, and
a dirty, paint stained shirt and a broom (inscribed
"member for a day") at other gliderports
(gotta stop laughing at my own jokes long enough to type here).

Even our members have no expectation of this, but can check the
schedule online or by phone for the most current information.

I still don't know why clubs keep their schedules "secret"
with all kinda passwords and stuff. Put out a guest password that
can modify, but can only looksie. Schedulemaster and flightschedulepro
allow this. What the heck is the big freekin' secret? be proud of your
schedule!

Fees are the least of the problem actually. Most clubs by-laws are a
blend
of the constraints mentioned above. However, we'd be glad to put you on
the
mower or hand you a paint brush, so you can really get the 'feel' for
club
membership;^)

ROFLMAO! Ya know what, for me personally, this would be something I
would
actually love. Commin' out to put markings on the runway, wax a glider,
dust the clubhouse, flip the burgers, etc. On a recent visit to
a club I was hangin out MIGHTY close to the BBQ. I think they
thought I was there 'cause I was hungry. NOT SO. I wanted to
get some spatula time in my logbook. Good thing they didn't
let me. They call me "the torch" in some circles....

You attend most golf and
country clubs as a 'guest' of a member, not as a walk-on. Indeed, you
can't
play or eat without an invitation. Your charges go on their account for
this very reason.

Hmmm...this idea is morphing into a "member buddy" idea. Lemme
roll that one around in the noggin.

Assuming you are willing to assume the member responsibilities also.
Some
clubs have $1000 to $3000 deductibles. Generally renter insurance does
not
apply to members, even as member of the day. Unless the club carries
glider
for hire insurance, you can't rent.

There may be some clubs with active reciprocal memberships and daily
memberships. However, if the idea is for clubs to gain new members from
the
exiting SSA population that are not club members, giving a good first
impression would be much easier with some advanced warning. With that
courtesy, most clubs are probably quite welcoming.

This isn't so much about bad greetings by clubs, which I've really
never gotten. It's about the percieved "I dunno, what's it like over
there" that I hear from a lot of SSA members who don't bonk around
to other clubs much. I just want to see a BUNCH more "invitations" to
cross-swap, and this was one (maybe kinda lame) idea.

How many clubs have you
actually visited?

Maybe a dozen. Mixed bag indeed. I have had the absolute best time
just hangar flying tho. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm pretty much
bored with flying alone, and half the time I'd prefer to just sit there,
eat a tasty burger, and tell lies anyway. As an instructor, if
I tried to go flying WITHOUT a passenger I'd get a darned dirty look
anyway,
so I have to sneak in on weekdays anyway...

What makes you think there are hidden costs?

Because I didn't see a big board with all the prices and the
option to "supersize" it :P C'mon, at every club I've been to in my
life,
the very WORST and LEAST accessible amount of info is the prices.
Ask most of the guys in your own club how much an aero retrieve costs
:PPPP Hahaha...

I think it
may be easier to think of most clubs as a picnic rather than a buffet.
As
such, it's a pot-luck endeavor. What do you bring to the table? If it's
your interest, then call ahead and get an invite. It's simple common
courtesy and will demystifye the process.

I'm tellin' ya, man, you are definitely on the money. Even with a
prior phone call, it IS a pot-luck.

Doug Easton, SSA director-at-large, is in the midst of updating the
Where
To
Fly website info and adding some tools. Many of the links, contact
e-mails,
phone numbers, etc, were broken. This is a large task and will take him
some more time to complete. It will get rid of the deadwood too. This
will
make clubs and FBOs easier to find and contact.

Yes. Important stuff. Oh, and at least one club I know
of needs to get an answering machine for their club phone!
You know who you are!!!! ;O

Frank Whiteley



In article . com,
wrote:

Bill Daniels wrote:
...

You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where
to
fly" to
find the nearest location.


Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.

--

FF



--

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




--

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

Rob Hamalainen wrote:
I have been to all the front range clubs to check them out.
These guys (www.soarcsa.org) know how to "do it right" for the
visitor,unlike one club that said that if I were to come out and work for
them a few weekends they "might" then let me join.
I would gladly drive the extra hour to fly there but
I work weekends.....

The Soaring Society of Boulder
http://soar.boulder.co.us/
flys all week long (and all year, like all Front Range sites), including
regularly scheduled instruction sessions during the week.
The club has a nice fleet but modest (Ha, that's an understatement!)
on-field facilities, so the overhead and expected duties are similarly
modest. Great year-round soaring too.

Shawn

P.S. If it was someone from SSB who said the above, they were
*seriously* yanking your chain! The club is very welcoming to new
members. OTOH I know of one Front Range club that has had this attitude
in the past.

We are doing alternate Wed/Fri plus pickup dates starting in April.

Frank

"Rob Hamalainen" wrote in message
...
I have been to all the front range clubs to check them out.
These guys (www.soarcsa.org) know how to "do it right" for the
visitor,unlike one club that said that if I were to come out and work for
them a few weekends they "might" then let me join.
I would gladly drive the extra hour to fly there but
I work weekends.....

Rob

"F.L. Whiteley" wrote in message
...
www.soarcsa.org

No hidden prices, members know them, but they are posted also.

Schedule is publicly viewable, member changeable.

Read "What am I getting myself into?"

Let me know if you have trouble finding contact info.

We have an outdoor BBQ that can cook about 500 pieces of meat at once, a
kitchen with two ovens, and two hot showers to knock the dust off. If
that
doesn't work, I can muster up a water balloon sling shot has a range of
about 75 yards at a moving target.

However, you'd best call ahead.

Frank

"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:42253357$1@darkstar...
In article ,
F.L. Whiteley wrote:

Let's not include the commercial operators in this, since you are
mixing
apples and oranges, to extent.

Yes, agreed.

You might get to fly with another member, though I would be loath to
send an unknown instructor off with a relatively low time member.

Oh man, I've done this and had some of the best laughs of my
life. I tried really hard one time to hold back but we hit so
hard on landing I just couldn't help it. I've stopped telling
anyone I'm an instructor. They get all WEIRD and nervous on ya...
Maybe it's the whoopie cushion and the floopy shoes...

Put your SSA membership card in your wallet, next to your pilot's
license
(and photo ID). Bring your logbook also. The problem is that at many
clubs,
you might get treated like the problem of the day unless you've
arranged
ahead of time for a visit. That may give the wrong impression
entirely.

"Problem of the Day." Oh man, LMAO. I'm having a hard time breathing
here. I dunno about this wallet idea tho. If I put in every card I
own, it'd bust open. Good thing there's no money in it.

It is an unreasonable expectation to walk on and fly at most
clubs.

Hey hey now, I never said they should expect to be treated
BETTER than a member. If members are treated to a work party
walkin in the door, then give visiting members that too!
The "be a pilot" idea for $50 gets you a takeoff and immediate landing
at expensive airplane FBOs, and an hour flight at others.
Likewise, my "member for a day"
idea gets flowers and a free burger at some places, and
a dirty, paint stained shirt and a broom (inscribed
"member for a day") at other gliderports
(gotta stop laughing at my own jokes long enough to type here).

Even our members have no expectation of this, but can check the
schedule online or by phone for the most current information.

I still don't know why clubs keep their schedules "secret"
with all kinda passwords and stuff. Put out a guest password that
can modify, but can only looksie. Schedulemaster and flightschedulepro
allow this. What the heck is the big freekin' secret? be proud of
your
schedule!

Fees are the least of the problem actually. Most clubs by-laws are a
blend
of the constraints mentioned above. However, we'd be glad to put you
on
the
mower or hand you a paint brush, so you can really get the 'feel' for
club
membership;^)

ROFLMAO! Ya know what, for me personally, this would be something I
would
actually love. Commin' out to put markings on the runway, wax a
glider,
dust the clubhouse, flip the burgers, etc. On a recent visit to
a club I was hangin out MIGHTY close to the BBQ. I think they
thought I was there 'cause I was hungry. NOT SO. I wanted to
get some spatula time in my logbook. Good thing they didn't
let me. They call me "the torch" in some circles....

You attend most golf and
country clubs as a 'guest' of a member, not as a walk-on. Indeed, you
can't
play or eat without an invitation. Your charges go on their account
for
this very reason.

Hmmm...this idea is morphing into a "member buddy" idea. Lemme
roll that one around in the noggin.

Assuming you are willing to assume the member responsibilities also.
Some
clubs have $1000 to $3000 deductibles. Generally renter insurance
does
not
apply to members, even as member of the day. Unless the club carries
glider
for hire insurance, you can't rent.

There may be some clubs with active reciprocal memberships and daily
memberships. However, if the idea is for clubs to gain new members
from
the
exiting SSA population that are not club members, giving a good first
impression would be much easier with some advanced warning. With that
courtesy, most clubs are probably quite welcoming.

This isn't so much about bad greetings by clubs, which I've really
never gotten. It's about the percieved "I dunno, what's it like over
there" that I hear from a lot of SSA members who don't bonk around
to other clubs much. I just want to see a BUNCH more "invitations" to
cross-swap, and this was one (maybe kinda lame) idea.

How many clubs have you
actually visited?

Maybe a dozen. Mixed bag indeed. I have had the absolute best time
just hangar flying tho. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm pretty much
bored with flying alone, and half the time I'd prefer to just sit
there,
eat a tasty burger, and tell lies anyway. As an instructor, if
I tried to go flying WITHOUT a passenger I'd get a darned dirty look
anyway,
so I have to sneak in on weekdays anyway...

What makes you think there are hidden costs?

Because I didn't see a big board with all the prices and the
option to "supersize" it :P C'mon, at every club I've been to in my
life,
the very WORST and LEAST accessible amount of info is the prices.
Ask most of the guys in your own club how much an aero retrieve costs
:PPPP Hahaha...

I think it
may be easier to think of most clubs as a picnic rather than a buffet.
As
such, it's a pot-luck endeavor. What do you bring to the table? If
it's
your interest, then call ahead and get an invite. It's simple common
courtesy and will demystifye the process.

I'm tellin' ya, man, you are definitely on the money. Even with a
prior phone call, it IS a pot-luck.

Doug Easton, SSA director-at-large, is in the midst of updating the
Where
To
Fly website info and adding some tools. Many of the links, contact
e-mails,
phone numbers, etc, were broken. This is a large task and will take
him
some more time to complete. It will get rid of the deadwood too.
This
will
make clubs and FBOs easier to find and contact.

Yes. Important stuff. Oh, and at least one club I know
of needs to get an answering machine for their club phone!
You know who you are!!!! ;O

Frank Whiteley



In article . com,
wrote:

Bill Daniels wrote:
...

You really need to visit the nearest gliderport and take a ride.
Assuming
you are in the USA, check www.ssa.org and click the button "Where
to
fly" to
find the nearest location.


Uh, I think you're right. I belong to a local flying club, one of
our members is a gliding enthusiast who flys out of another club
in Pensylvania. I suspect I could go with her up there pretty much
any weekend.

--

FF



--

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




--

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

"Shawn" sdotcurry@bresnananotherdotnet wrote in message
...
Rob Hamalainen wrote:
I have been to all the front range clubs to check them out.
These guys (www.soarcsa.org) know how to "do it right" for the
visitor,unlike one club that said that if I were to come out and work
for
them a few weekends they "might" then let me join.
I would gladly drive the extra hour to fly there but
I work weekends.....

The Soaring Society of Boulder
http://soar.boulder.co.us/
flys all week long (and all year, like all Front Range sites), including
regularly scheduled instruction sessions during the week.
The club has a nice fleet but modest (Ha, that's an understatement!)
on-field facilities, so the overhead and expected duties are similarly
modest. Great year-round soaring too.

Shawn

P.S. If it was someone from SSB who said the above, they were
*seriously* yanking your chain! The club is very welcoming to new
members. OTOH I know of one Front Range club that has had this attitude
in the past.

OBTW Shawn, you've been personally invited for some winching, but have yet
to appear;^)

Frank

OK; somebody ask Sarah if the 2-33 is a neat glider!

www.soarcsa.org

At 01:00 03 March 2005, Rob Hamalainen wrote:
I have been to all the front range clubs to check them
out.
These guys (www.soarcsa.org) know how to 'do it right'
for the
visitor,unlike one club that said that if I were to
come out and work for
them a few weekends they 'might' then let me join.
I would gladly drive the extra hour to fly there but
I work weekends.....

Rob

soarcsa.org