Not surprised - when compared to the cost of a joy flight in a cessna,
or a balloon flight, most clubs AEF rates are way way too cheap - even
if only for a 10 minute flight. For most people after a joy flight, 10
mins is actually enough and the "shock" of a winch launch really will
mean that 10 mins is enough for almost all !
Someone looking for an exciting different thing to try will compare
the costs and if a glider flight is 1/2 the cost of a balloon flight,
then it must be 1/2 the fun, so they will do the balloon flight !
Those complaining loudly should investigate the alternatives carefully
first - I expect they will be even less pleasant ! My minimum
expenditure to operate outside of the GFA is much higher than than
that of operating within.
On 16/10/2008, at 12:17 , D S Baker wrote:
Bit fo a side note, I remember hearing of a club who were getting
too many AEF's, and so put up the price, and instead of getting less
AEFs, they ended up getting more =S
2008/10/16 Kevin McGowan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Lets get real here, it is a well known fact, and stated on this
forum many times previously that AEF's result in few new members to
gliding, in fact often they just clog up the day but we do them in
the hope that maybe this one will join.
At my club we have a fairly simple way of charging for these
flights, work out what it will cost "worst case" for the launch, add
the cost of the glider, add a bit for the fudge factor, add a bit
for profit, then add the GFA fee whether it be $1 or $20.
Any club that says that the $20 GFA fee is taken from the club needs
to look at its administration as they are not doing their job
properly as an AEF should not cost the members but should profit
them. Most people who take an AEF do so for the experience only and
will pay whatever is asked, I have seen flights charged at $150 and
the club is still kept busy doing flights.
K
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:02:40 +1000
Subject: [Aus-soaring] AEF Charges - $20 to GFA
AEF's are a main source of revenue for some clubs in both dollars
and attracting new members. This is a blatant grab for club dollars
by GFA, taking revenue straight out of the clubs.
In small clubs the cost of operating will most likely be in the red
and are being propped up by donations from members (buying fuel for
winch, food for fund raising BQ, etc out of their own pocket). Now
their revenue is cut more even more. I thought that GFA was here to
support it's members and encourage gliding, not to make a profit out
of our sport.
In today's economy every organisation has to reduce cost, yes even
GFA, if we are to survive.
So what is going to happen in the future? Fees are going up,
therefore membership will decline, cost per member will go up, thus
fees go up, more members leave and the vicious circle has begun.
The answer is to keep reducing costs per member to attract growth
this is simple business logic.
Don't get me wrong, I think that GFA staff and board members are
helpful and doing a job which many of us could not do (or would not
do). And a lot of it at their cost.
But we still need turn around spending by GFA. The answer is
definitely not to keep slugging the members and clubs.
Barry Kruyssen
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--
<timmo> you know what i hate
<timmo> errors that wont go away
<Guilty> So you dislike children too
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