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It is pleasing to see such a strong response to
this issue, it is certainly critical for the future of our sport.
In terms of getting youth into the sport, I agree
that the ATC and air league groups are doing a great job. There is also a
schools system in WA which includes flying as a senior school subject - but many
of these kids actually go power flying, looking at a career in avation. The
gliding clubs are attracting some of them.
To my surprise, the main ATC clubs use aerotow or
self launching, none use winch - surely this must be a problem in light of the
comments below about youth flying in the UK?
Rolf Buelter has identified a major problem, the
clubs need to be prepared to handle junior pilots - their demands and interests
are often at odds with the more 'traditional' folk that run most of our clubs. A
few clubs are getting their act together here, and including junior pilots in
their decision making. A critical-mass of juniors is very important - one junior
amongst the mass of 30/40/50 yo members just doesn't seem to work in most
cases.
Sue Schluters info on the junior soaring group is
really exciting. These pilots are getting a great response to theri web page and
chat group, and they are setting some great goals - they are very active and
hopefully this will be the start of a great junior movement. If your club has
juniors, point them in the direction of the junior group - you may be surprised
by the enthusiasm they are generating.
With regards to junior development. The sports
committee has been having serious discussions with the British coaches of their
junior programs for the past 2-3 years. This is bearing fruit this December when
the GFA is bringing Brian Spreckley (World champion at Benalla 1987) to run some
coaching camps for junior pilots, women's team squad members, club class squad
members and sports coaches. The aim of this is to provide coaching to these
individuals and through this to improve our understanding of these techniques.
Brian is being supported by Martyn Wells (UK world comps pilot and coach
of their junior team) plus Paul Matthews and Bruce Taylor (Aust world comps
pilots). OUr coaches wil be learning directly what it is that we can be doing to
improve performance of our junior and other world comps pilots. This has all
been arranged by Lisa Trotter who is responsible for the Australian coaching
system.
Terry
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 5:28
PM
Subject: RE: [aus-soaring] Fwd: Winners -
3rd FAI World Junior Gliding Championship
The
following rambling is from a recent arrival from the UK who was part of
the team that ran the 2000 UK Junior champs.
Accessibility is definitely important, but not the end of it. Some
clubs have had great success in attracting young members and then generating
XC pilots.
The
clubs who have managed this all seem to have a "cadet" scheme. Ours offered
"free" flying to solo (they had to pay membership) and are given a lot of
encouragement to carry on after that - I have leant my Std Cirrus to a very
keen 17 year old for the UK summer. The last thing that anyone wants is
for them to stop flying through lack of money. The luck ones have family who
have been gliding for a long time and borrow their parents gliders at any
opportunity - the rest will spend all they can on flying (I know someone who
spent �200 on a car and �5000 on a glider share).
Others have learnt with the air cadets, but this typically is only as
far as going solo and flying circuits.
The
real key is that once they are safe to fly XC, that is what they do. A
teenager flying circuits all the time once they have Silver will give up very
quickly.
The
other major area of assistance comes from the Universities - not sure they
realise it, but the Uni gliding clubs have been very imaginative in getting
funds from the Uni to operate very cheap flying. They all operate from a
"normal" club site, but have their own gliders and usually instructors, but
both sides tend to share when needed.
It
is common to see them flying just about every day during the long summer break
- occasionally working to pay for the flying. Winch launching is also common
and about 1/5 the cost of an aerotow. Most pilots are very good at scratching
away from what seems to be unacceptably low here (500' is
common).
10
years ago I gather the Junior championships was being flown by early XC pilots
in K8s and similar. Over the years, both the standard of flying and the
quality of the gliders made available to them has increased substantially,
many now flying LS8s or similar, but still with a K8 on occasion. Some of the
Juniors will also make the main UK team for international comps - and win.
many of those who are now too old will help in running the Junior comp to keep
the momentum going. It takes a lot of hard work from all.
The
big question is could this be done in Australia - I think it can, but it will
need strong direction from the GFA and the Junior pilots themselves - don't
take no for an answer seems to be a good start. It will also take time - don't
expect results for several years.
Matt
I
agree with you Andrew, I am an ex ATC, but only knew about bugsmashing in
power planes when I was in Seven Squadron at Bankstown. Gliding did not get
a mention. Today we have a member of our club who is very active with
teaching the ATC guys at Bathurst each year. Out of that we have at least
one active member flying single seaters etc and instructs for the ATC as
well himself.
/daveb
ANDREW WRIGHT wrote:
Peter
My 2 cents worth. (For what its worth.)
I recently saw my gliding club and the GFA spending lots of
money on a radio advertising campaign with MMM. Their target
audience was the 30 year old + male. The success of this campaign
is yet to be determined but from what I have heard was very limited. It
seems that we (The GFA) are targeting this older demographic and
not the younger person.
On the flip side I am (very proudly) associated with the airforce
aircadets in Adelaide. My role is that of auxiliary instructor. The
Adelaide flights of the RAAF ATC are overflowing with young,
enthusiastic, talented and very aviation minded young people. The
RAAF ATC Gliding Club based at Gawler has six or seven young boys
and girls learning to fly gliders. Some of these are already asking to
go cross-country. It seems we already have a good mechanism to get
young people into gliding, namely the Air-cadet movement. Why don't
we (The GFA) actively support this movement instead of pouring hard
earned cash into commercial radio stations?
My 2 cents has run out so I had better stop.
Flame suit ON
In most sports it is recognised that to have continued success at the
highest level that you need a strong junior base which also reflects
the long term health of that sport. Great Britian junior pliots placed
1st, 2nd & 5th in Standard class and 4th and 6th in Club class.
Germany was not far behind with 3rd and 4th in Standard and 1st and
3rd in Club Class.
It begs the question if Great Britian can achieve this sucess at
Junior level why can't Australia do the same? What is Great Britian
doing at a Junior level to attract and develop elite junior pilots?
What is preventing Australia developing similiar programmes and
achieving the same success?
This will only now serve to attract more junior pilots into gliding in
Great Britian.
Regards
Peter Robinson
From: FAI - Anne-Laure Perret <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], News IGC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"IGC, Information"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Winners - 3rd FAI World Junior Gliding
Championship Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 10:57:22 +0200
Sport: Gliding
Title: 3rd FAI World Junior Gliding Championship
Type : World
Date: 5 - 19.07.2003
Location: Nitra, Slovak Republic
Final Results :
Club Class
1st : Michael STREIT GER ASW 19
2nd : Peter TOFT DEN Std Cirrus
3rd : Stephan ZEMMEL GER ASW 19
Standard Class
1st : Jez HOOD GBR LS 8
2nd : Luke REBBECK GBR LS 8
3rd : Achim BESSER GER Discus 2
The full results can be found at the following address :
http://events.fai.org/
FAI congratulates the Winners and thanks the Organisers of the
Championship.
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