Hi Gus Having been introduced to the sport through this path myself 20 odd years ago I think the reality is that the majority of these kids just want to fly F/A-18's, and also they are unlikely to be in a position to, or have the desire to, get seriously into gliding for some time. A definite investment in the future though, just don't expect a return for a while, and definitely not much short term retention. Just my experience. I started gliding in 87 & by 93 had left to do other things .. but then I came back.
Cheers, Richard --- On Thu, 16/10/08, Gus Stewart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Gus Stewart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Targetting Groups for retention, and my own > recriutment, retention story > To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia." > <aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net> > Received: Thursday, 16 October, 2008, 8:10 PM > I think when it comes to retention, areas like the Air > Training Corps are > sorely overlooked. > > They (NSW) run approximately 4-6 courses a year, with about > 15-25 students > per course. I'm not sure about other states. Here we > have a large amount of > flying-crazy youngsters, and barely any of them join clubs > after that. I > learnt to fly with the AIRTC, and I think the amount of > people I know still > gliding from from the last 8 years of AIRTC camps, you > could count them on > your hands. > > Mind you, I'm not sure where kink in the chain comes > from there. I'm sure > efforts have been made to engage the AIRTC to encourage > their students to > join clubs after they leave the cadets. What I'd like > to know is why this is > falling down. Does anyone know? The junior gliding movement > in Australia is > slowly gathering momentum, however we can see this huge > group of > flying-obsessed youngsters but can't figure out why we > don't hear from them! > > > If anyone from the AIRTC group reads this and wants to > contact me offline, > please do! If there's anything we youngin's can do > to get more interested in > the sport, let us know! > > Gus > > > On Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 6:51 PM, Texler, Michael < > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >In my experience, long-term members are people who > always wanted to learn > > how to fly, but never knew they could do it as > accessibly as gliding. Kids, > > sailors and motorcycle riders tend to be > disproportionately represented. > > > > I think it has been mentioned before, that posters for > the local gliding > > club could be put up at sailing clubs or other > represented group. > > > > The other group of people to target are those who have > been more active in > > gliding or other aviation related activity in the > past. The task would be > > then to reignite their passion and interest. > > > > It would be interesting to know the retention rates of > Air Training Corp > > Cadets. > > > > My own experience: > > I was fascinated with flight ever since I hopped on a > TAA T-jet in 1974 > > (Adelaide to Melbourne flight). > > As a kid, I built planes out of lego, made a balsa > wood and doped paper > > throw glider, even considered getting into radio > controlled stuff. > > (i.e. I always wanted to learn how to fly) > > > > Just before I started Uni, my Dad had told me that he > thought there was a > > Uni Glining Club. A work colleague of my Dad was a tow > pilot at Waikerie and > > had told my Dad about the Adelaide Uni Gliding Club > (i.e. lucky word of > > mouth) > > > > So when I started Uni, at O'week, I actively > sought the Uni Gliding Club > > and signed up. At that time (prior to joining up), I > thought that gliding > > was a poor cousin to power flying (just glorified > paper darts), but any > > flying was better than no flying. > > > > My first day on field comprised 3 circuits off a winch > launch in a Bergy > > (GZM) at the end of the day. > > I was hooked. > > > > So either fortunately or unfortunately (depending upon > your opinion of > > me..;-) ), I am still keen on gliding some 21 years > later. > > > > Mind you raising a young family and having chronic > illness in the family > > has tempered my participation over the last couple of > years (my priority is > > to my family), but I anticipate that my activity in > the sport will increase > > as my kids become interested (they are only 4.5 and > almost 3 years old) and > > health problems settle. > > > > The challenge for the gliding movement in Australia is > seeking out those > > who wish to fly for pleasure, versus those who want to > do it and move on as > > they they tick the "been there and done > that" box. > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Aus-soaring mailing list > > Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net > > To check or change subscription details, visit: > > > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring Make the switch to the world's best email. Get Yahoo!7 Mail! http://au.yahoo.com/y7mail _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
