There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal recently
regarding the problems with golf. Roughly 10% of golfers quit each
year. The reasons include:

1. The game is too difficult.
2. The game is too expensive.
3. The game takes too long.

It seems that many new courses are designed to impress the pros, to
the total frustration of the duffers. The rules committee is totally
concerned with maintaining the "integrity" of the game and has no
regard to the average player (sound familiar?).

Solutions offered to reverse the trend include different rules for
pros to speed up the game, better training for instructors ("club
pros"), and lower greens fees.

In retrospect, I don't know if I would put with, today, what I had to
endure 25 years ago to get my license. Training could be sped up thru
the use of computer flight simulators. I tried one out at the
Convention that was very realistic (you really need a set of rudder
peddles). I think it would help out if used in conjunction with
instructor feedback.

Costs could be significantly reduced if we used winches more for
training. You will need between 50 and 100 launches to get a license.
This costs $1,500-3,000 for aerotow costs alone. Winching would drop
this to $250-500. If you reduce this cost then you will attract more
students, which will reduce the fixed costs (depreciation, insurance,
maintenance, advertising, etc.). Also, it is imperative that the
training location be reasonably close to major population centers.
Clubs need to have a $25 intro flight.

I think that if you reduced the total cost of the license to $1,000
you would be turning students away!


Tom Seim
Richland, WA