snip-
I guess he can - but to what purpose?
I really don't care whether gliding in Australia is growing, shrinking or
tying itself in knots. I would like MY OWN CLUB to continue in existence
and it seems to be doing that very nicely, with relatively stable numbers -
perhaps slightly increasing. I've introduced a few friends to gliding and
every now and then other members do and the club chugs along nicely.
I don't care if gliding becomes more popular. It appears it was much more
popular in the late 70s but since it has shrunk from then, that popularity
clearly didn't translate into a better gliding experience for many of the
members - because they left.
It seems to me that if we all try to make sure that our own club stays a
happy, solvent organisation which provides as far as possible an affordable
and enjoyable gliding life for those who wish to be part of it, then that is
the best we can do. Growth will then take care of itself. By which I mean
- it will happen if that is what makes people enjoy gliding more. And if
not, it won't.
The only thing I can do about the state of world gliding is to help keep my
own club viable. That's all you can do too. The rest is gum-beating.
Graeme Cant
When we drool over a 50+, dream of a 70+ and imagine a possible 100+ L/D ship -all quite feasable- we must face reality that the technology used in our sport is at the expensive forfront of aviation design. When this technology is safely available to the public we buy it, but there must be a large base of consumers to keep it economically viable, thus the increase in participants is essential.
When the old ships are damaged, and there are few replacements, even your club will go down, as a new ship will cost even more, due to declining sales. Can you imagine what the cost of the first new model Holden off the line is? $B! -yet we pay only $20k+.
Although our own lifespans will see gliding easily accessable, our kids and grandkids will not unless the figures are changed.
Safe, Wayne
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