They did, just no one wanted them. Modern glider design is frequently conducted as university research into making them quicker, better l/d, etc. This means that new gliders are generally at the top end of possibilities. Given the biggest cost in any new glider is the people time used to build it, we end up with the "Falcon" costing 5% less than the "Mercedes", not 50% less !
There are a large number of good quality used gliders about however, and they are constantly getting life extensions - I'm sure we will see 50 year old glass gliders, they often cost a lot less than a new car. This means that in 50 years time, we should still be seeing Discus, LS6, LS8, etc flying, by which time they will be costing a lot less than the then new cars. If you are right that the people who today can afford to fly are different, then unless we can provide the facilities/product that they will accept, then they won't be attracted. A product is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. A product I don't want is worthless (you couldn't even give it to me). Unless there are enough people willing to accept the products we offer, there will be no future. We either need to find the people who will accept it (huge $ in marketing), or change the product to suit more people. A club that is growing obviously has a product that people want. A club that is shrinking does not - the issues will not always be the same though. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Christopher Mc Donnell Sent: Friday, 16 December 2005 10:47 To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] numbers 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 _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
