Re: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP??

Sat, 27 Aug 2005 01:34:12 -0700

Geoff,
You haven't got it wrong. I have been saying for years that the traditional approach to learning to glide is a thing of the past. I get shot down at my clubs meetings when I push this point. Terry Cubley suggested a similar approach with the clubs in the Wagga area, combining their basic training at one site and then members going back to clubs that were restructured to advanced flying. These clubs would be using higher performance 2 seaters and single seaters stimulating new gliders being imported. 
For goodness sake, we have three clubs at Bacchus and still can't get any agreement on training new pilots with a combined approach. I would suggest that most clubs are just not able to get their heads around the concept, it would however, require raising the sport to a higher level of professionalism, a step many clubs are either unable or unwilling to do. I suspect the idea has been mooted but people are unwilling to take the risk and in some ways I don't blame them.
I wish I was able to try the concept at Bacchus ( read financial enough) along similar lines to Lasham in the UK. All new pilots there are trained by the one organisation and then they move onto one of the 15 or so clubs that are based there, choosing which one they feel suits their requirements.
I agree the GFA needs new members that can readilly afford the sport and want the challenge of high performance flying. If the approach of using one training organisation can't be realised then clubs need to develop an approach that satisfys those needs. An often used comment has been the lack of advanced training in clubs, a point that is slowly being addressed with the idea of sports coaches and cross country weekend training. The sports coaches have developed a sylibis for this to happen. The question is, Are clubs ready for it? I would suspect not. So what do we do? keep pushing change at a club level, keep developing new ideas, make sure people are made to feel welcome at training weekends no matter which club they come from and support change.
Interestingly the most disagreement for change comes from the pilots who were trained in the 60's, not the older ones who agree change is required or the younger ones who have voted with their feet.
So there you are, I agree with you emphatically, the biggest mistake we continue to make is to look from the inside. I agree my vote would be for a person who knows nothing about gliding to come in and tell it like it is, then no one can accuse anyone of bias. I suspect a "professional" would throw up their hands and say you blokes must be kidding!
Cheers
Ian P
Kookaburra Precision Soaring Team.
----- Original Message -----
From: Geoff Kidd
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 8:11 AM
Subject: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP??

G'day Ian
 
    Following the comments received, and in the knowledge that this Forum is viewed by plenty of high profile individuals with plenty of horsepower ... sorry L/D ... in the GFA and elsewhere, I have decided to float my suggestion here and risk getting shot down here by my peers.
 
    This suggestions relates to the Marketing of Soaring and the growth of the Membership and I have looked hard at what has been the thrust of promotion over recent months.
 
    I accept that the "It's cheap and it's safe" in a Club based structure is a valid way to sell the sport (although it can readily be argued that it is neither), however I know of a number of associates who were not happy when they tried the Club based learning and flying structure ... and who then left and bought a GA aircraft. These were guys who had the money available to buy a new Sailplane but ended up sending that money to Cessna.
 
    I say that the GFA should continue with their present campaign ..... BUT should consider a parallel campaign aimed at successful business executives who are interested in aviation and who are looking for a thrill.
 
    THRILL ??? I hear you say.
 
    One of the problems that "Gliding" has is that it is perceived by the uninitiated (& even by some of the initiated) as short duration local flying in an older ship with a CFI constantly riding you. That and the use of Club owned Gliders is attractive to people who want a cheap and safe sport, however that is part of the problem why not many or enough new ships are coming onto the Australian Register ... and the existing fleet is ageing.
 
    I say that the GFA want new members who can readily afford the sport and many of whom can buy their own new or near new ship .... and that type will want or demand to get going with X-Country flying as soon as it is safely possible.
 
    That type of person is most probably going to want to get his training done quickly in a professional atmosphere and many would be frustrated and discontent in the traditional Club atmosphere.
 
    My suggestion is therefore that the GFA consider a very slick and professional promotion to Business Executives (I favour a series of great & professionally designed bi-monthly colour adverts in business magazines), with the key points being that we are offering "Cross-Country Soaring" (not just "local Gliding"), that "Cross-Country Soaring" offers the ultimate Aviation & Intellectual Challenge, yet it is not difficult to do, that there are Professional Instruction establishments (as well as the Clubs) where the attendee can go solo within a week and within $2,500 if they have any natural ability for the sport, and that they can be flying Cross-Country within a week or 2 of going solo.
 
    In short, the GFA should be selling to these people that a proven method exists to "fast-track" them into Cross-Country flying and the GFA should direct them to the few training establishments that offer live-in training and a suitable fleet for them to progress their flying after going solo.
 
    I suggest that this 2nd prong to the GFA's marketing approach has potential to attract new members who are the most likely to invest in new machines and if successful this will give the GFA a kick along (and not a kick in the pants) ...... and I say that a professionally generated promotion based on a quick path to "Cross-Country Soaring" (rather than this being the end goal of an 18 month Club training program) has the potential to rejuvenate ... or further juvenate ... the entire scene.
 
    NOW ........... please advise ...... where have I got it wrong?
 
Regards Geoff
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Patching
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] team vs individual

Geoff,
I suggest you talk with Ian Grant who has taken on the role (volunteered) of looking at ways these concepts can be discussed and implemented. He is open to discuss any concepts that will help our sport.
The overall promotion of the sport should be with the National body. States and individual clubs need to work together to promote individual sites. There are different ways of promoting the sport in a myriad of different ways. In my role as promotions officer for the VSA I have been involved in a variety of ideas.
We produced an informative video that each club in the VSA received. We suggested the VSA provide a full colour generic folder for clubs to be able to place their advertising details into that could be updated cheaply by them. We couldn't get this up as the clubs felt they could come up with something better. Not suprisingly nothing came from it.
There is no hidden agendas with Ian, he is concerned about the future of gliding, and his reinvigorating of the VSA has been terrific. He has been able to achieve what I couldn't do and that is getting the clubs and their members interested in the role of the VSA.
He can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED]  I'm sure he would be happy to discuss this with you.
Cheers
Ian Patching
----- Original Message -----
From: Geoff Kidd
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] team vs individual

    I wonder what is the Forum where this type of thing can best be fairly debated & discussed by the members of the GFA.
 
    I, for one, would love the opportunity to discuss this and potential ways to better or best market improved promotion of the Sport, to put up some points and hear what others have to say ............... and I can't believe that the best way to do that is thru my Club then thru the State Body to the National body, when we have such a relatively small membership like this Federation.
 
    Does anyone have an opinion on whether this should best be done in an article to SOARING, a Letter to the Editor of Soaring ........ or should we just do it here .... or should we ask for permission to address the GFA Board?
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 9:44 AM
Subject: [Aus-soaring] team vs individual

In a post a week ago Leigh picked up on the societal move toward individual and impulse recreation away from organised and team sports.
As Leigh notes, gliding encompasses both team and individual aspects.
 
Thereby not falling comfortably into either in the public mind.
 
At the same time, the societal move is reflected in the parallel call by individual pilots for more autonomy - ie once you have the license, why can't the system just let you get on with flying.
Concurrently the system continues on its path of more and more control by edict from on high. Even while at the coal face instructors in particular are acutely aware of their personal liability from being 'in charge' of solo pilots flying cross country or otherwise out of sight from the home field.
 
That control mindset then mismatches not just with the the public expectations of recreation, individual pilot desire for personal decisionmaking, but also the realities of the onerous load being put on the club level volunteers who do the real jobs in the sport.
 
Please heed the sign 'wrong way, go back'.

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