SSA National Convention, every year, every other?

Chris OCallaghan wrote:


If I had the sense that a convention had many new, interesting
products and insights to offer, I might be enticed to make it a
regular pilgrimage. Under the current formula, I'm coming once every 8
years.

But would holding it every two years result in more new things to see or
talk about? I doubt that the manufacturers, vendors, or speakers would
be making/doing more just because the conentions were held less often.
Wouldn't it still take 8 years to get enough new things to entice you?

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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Vendors complain about the cost of SSA Conventions.I can't argue with them but
it is CHEAP when compared to any other conventions.
Oshkosh cost is "off the chart'. It is a major money making event for EAA.
An outside air convention during the flying season would be great. Need good
weather, willing host and no conflict with contests.
GA

I think every other year would be best. I think some people out there may be
under the impression that you can actually make money off soaring speaking
as a vendor look around do you see anybody in the business driving fancy
cars most people just scrape buy. I work 51/2 days a week at a regular job
just so I can pay all the bills. most of the people at the conventions
aren't there to buy anything just see what's new and see old friends in fact
it's mostly the same people year after year. I am already on the at least
every other year program the problem is that I may have missed some
potential customers in the years I did not attend . I think you also need to
look at the design cycle of the new products I think if you went to two or
three year cycles you would see more new products at each show and vendors
would actually try to have new products ready for the show this would make
it a much more exciting convention.

Pete
Sage Variometers

and......held every 2 years rather than every year the vendors who do attend
would be more willing to put their best foot forward and make it a better
event.......vendors would be more likely then to see the need....
and......quite frankly, without the vendors there in attendance there would
be no convention.....or nothing for the visitors to see....under the current
yearly program you WILL see fewer vendors.....I know at least one
less.......
tim
"Pete Russell" wrote in message
...
I think every other year would be best. I think some people out there may
be
under the impression that you can actually make money off soaring speaking
as a vendor look around do you see anybody in the business driving fancy
cars most people just scrape buy. I work 51/2 days a week at a regular job
just so I can pay all the bills. most of the people at the conventions
aren't there to buy anything just see what's new and see old friends in
fact
it's mostly the same people year after year. I am already on the at least
every other year program the problem is that I may have missed some
potential customers in the years I did not attend . I think you also need
to
look at the design cycle of the new products I think if you went to two or
three year cycles you would see more new products at each show and vendors
would actually try to have new products ready for the show this would make
it a much more exciting convention.

Pete
Sage Variometers

Pete Russell wrote:
I think every other year would be best. I think some people out there may be
under the impression that you can actually make money off soaring speaking
as a vendor look around do you see anybody in the business driving fancy
cars most people just scrape buy. I work 51/2 days a week at a regular job
just so I can pay all the bills. most of the people at the conventions
aren't there to buy anything just see what's new and see old friends in fact
it's mostly the same people year after year. I am already on the at least
every other year program the problem is that I may have missed some
potential customers in the years I did not attend .

But wouldn't you miss those same potential customers if no convention
was held?


I think you also need to
look at the design cycle of the new products I think if you went to two or
three year cycles you would see more new products at each show and vendors
would actually try to have new products ready for the show this would make
it a much more exciting convention.

Pete
Sage Variometers

I prefer the alternating coast... which for me makes it every other year or
every third year this time.. that I can attend the "Local" convention.

There is more to the convention than marketing.. there is the time spent
with friends..

BT

"Jim Culp" wrote in message
...

Questions of costs and benefits,
and preferences:

Who benefits from annual SSA national convention?


Do glider and electronics vendors benefit by annual
show, vs the cost to them to go?

Can you, vendor, afford to go annually and is it cost/benefit
justified?

Can you, SSA member, afford to go annually?

How much debt or cash or debt do you lay out to go
to SSA convention considering registration fees, dinners,
party fees, hotel, transportation, incidentals: As
a vendor? As an SSA member?

Would you be satisfied with an every other year convention,
as a SSA member or as a vendor ?

Who makes out well by annual SSA conventions?

Does SSA make money? If so, how much?

Does host club or committee make money? If so, how
much?

Are annual SSA conventions sufficiently well attended
to justify annual efforts?

How many full registrants were in Atlanta AirExpo2004?

Year before that?

Understand, I love the conventions. Good, yes.

Can I go annually. No way.
Can others?

Would every other year be just as good, and regional
or state soaring efforts could host 1 or 2 day sessions
like the Soaring Symposiums and similar efforts did.


Would anyone, and any vendor suffer if there were every
other year SSA National Convention? Would SSA suffer?
How?

Your ideas, preferences?

Kindest regards.

Dancing on clouds,
Keep it up!

Jim Culp USA
Asw-20c/Std Libelle
Gatorcity Florida

An outside air convention during the flying season would be great. Need good
weather, willing host and no conflict with contests.

Summer Soaring Fly-In: Is this something the National Soaring Foundation at
Hobbs was originally created to accomplish? A national soaring site? Hobbs
would be a good venue for a summertime soaring "fly-in".

SSA Member's Work Week: We could all go to our HQ and personally thank the
current hard-working SSA Staff. Let's volunteer to stuff envelopes or repaint
the SSA building. Wouldn't that be something? Imagine dozens of SSA members
converging on Hobbs to do club-type work on our infrastructure. I'm sure SSA
Staff could come up with a list of "honey-do's" that would save our SSA money
and rekindle our "national soaring club" spirit. Been to Hobbs lately?
It's lookin' good with new restaurants, motels, culture. (I bought a ukelele in
the local music store!)

SSA Conventions: We should continue with our annual winter SSA Conventions. I
sure enjoy them, and the cost for my Marfa Soaring booth was reasonable.

Another day! I wish our annual SSA Convention was a day longer - perhaps into
Sunday mid-afternoon. Perhaps more local folks would attend on Sunday. So
many great seminars, vendors, people to meet and talk with - never enough time
for me to see / do it all at the SSA Convention.

So I'll see y'all in Ontario, CA for the 2005 SSA Convention, then Dallas in
2006.

Burt Compton
Marfa Gliders, west Texas

But wouldn't you miss those same potential customers if no convention
was held?

The theroy is that if held every other year or every four years you would
have a higher concentration of people. There are lots of people that don't
go every year but if held on a longer cycle it would tend to force everoyone
to attend on that year.

Pete

I go when I have the time available to go and the event is within a
day's drive, or the airfare is cheap enough.

Since 1988 that has happened three times.

Shift to a two year or longer cycle and the likelihood of the stars
aligning just right decrease.

Dave Rolley

Or you might make more of an effort as you would know you won't get a chance
the next year.

Pete

"Dave Rolley" wrote in message
k.net...
I go when I have the time available to go and the event is within a
day's drive, or the airfare is cheap enough.

Since 1988 that has happened three times.

Shift to a two year or longer cycle and the likelihood of the stars
aligning just right decrease.

Dave Rolley