I think the reasons are many. First, a quick note on what my initial goals were. I had spent many years competing sailing at an international level. I stopped because I had stopped enjoying it and couldn't see any way I could do better than I had already within my financial situation. I went looking for a new challenge (gliding). When I started, I had a single goal - to compete at as high a level as I could. I haven't reached it yet.
This meant that going solo, first 50k, etc were just mile stones to pass and never seen as the end point, actually, they weren't very important. Others have said that in general, training is focused on going solo - this is because that is where the hard work from the club ends (but it shouldn't) and the hard work from the pilot begins. New pilots perceive the process as being to get them solo. They get there, and then what ? If luck, they have already thought about it or been lucky enough to be enthused by others. If not, they see this as the end, with no obvious way to do anything more - reinforced by several flights where they can't stay up whilst others do with ease (it took me a long time to get past this) - so they just give up. Others may discover that it just isn't for them 1/2 way through and continue just to get the badge. How many get air-sick without asking if others do and look for suitable means of control ? - The number of pilots taking Qwells (or similar) before flying at Benalla for the Club Class nats amazed me - I thought I was alone before ! What are check flights used for ? Do the pilot and the instructor have the same agenda ? The pilot probably wants to do the quickest circuit possible to then get some solo time in, rather than using this as a great learning flight (thermalling technique, short x-country, etc). How often is this planned or even discussed before flying ? -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Leigh Bunting Sent: Monday, 13 February 2006 23:16 To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Soaring training Kittel, Stephen W (ETSA) wrote: >From: Allan Armistead >is it really credible that when someone comes onto an airfield and >joins a club that they are planning to stay to solo and then go away again? > I too, have seen this often over the years. As much as I fail to understand it, there are many people for which the fascination of flight, the moods of the atmosphere, the wonder of trying to understand an invisible medium and of being up there amongst it, of being able to move in three dimensions instead of the the normal two that are available down here amongst the groundhogs, has little or no meaning or significance. Flying is just another mechanical activity as they move through their 'Reader's Digest' lives of just sampling things and moving on and not of immersing themselves and savouring all it has to offer. These people are happy with Chateau Cardboard and have no interest in the Grange. They are cows cropping the tips of the grass and failing to understand that all the flavour begins in the roots. I don't know how that can be changed. As a list member has often said of people, " You can tell 'em, but you can't give 'em the f.....g brains to think with." -- Leigh Bunting Colonel Light Gardens South Australia <Open Windows and let the bugs in> _______________________________________________ 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
