I can't help but agree with Wayne.
I have been told that Boomerangs or KA6's were around about the cost of a
family car when new.
Those around my club are used to my trite rhetorical saying:
"Why can't the manufacturers build some Commodore and Falcon type gliders
not all Rolls Royces, Mercedes & BMW's?".
My son, who is in Brisbane, thought he might get back into gliding but the
aircraft tariffs were enough to scare him away from the idea and he earns
relativly well. Gliding is definitly shifting across the socio/economic
spectrum and the sort of people who could afford it are such that they would
not put up with the conditions at most gliding clubs in the consumer society
of today anyway.
I agree with Robert Hart's comments a few moments ago, but he, like me,
seems to also be hoping that the sport will last long enough to see him out.
Chris McDonnell
(not normally & not wanting to be a pessimist)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Carter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 8:37 AM
Subject: [Aus-soaring] numbers
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
_______________________________________________
Aus-soaring mailing list
[email protected]
To check or change subscription details, visit:
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
_______________________________________________
Aus-soaring mailing list
[email protected]
To check or change subscription details, visit:
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
