HA, I think if you examine the entrails of this thread towards the beginning, the theme was taking students on cross countries while they were training. This is not quite the same as early cross countries where the low hours pilot is doing it for themselves.
Have you talked to air experience customers or student pilots about what the early X-C pilot aspires to? A Foka? A KA 6? A Rhonadler? Or a J21? The suggestion was that if you turned off the clock and gave a free X-C flight to a pre-solo pilot, you might get them addicted to the pastime. But if you take them in a Pucatec, the chances are that they will be rigid with fright all the time in case the thing doesn't make it back. I know I was. I love vintage gliders and possibly the most fun flight I have had was in a T31. I was not scared at all because we never crossed the boundary fence. However an X-C experience it was not. Climbing into some flakey, buckled, creaking, noisy and worn thing like a 28 or a Puc with dusty heritage instruments, torn upholstery and sweat stained harnesses nearly put me off for life… early on. The point is to sell gliding and I believe that most people's expectations are to fly a modern glider and their aspirations are over 40:1 not under it. Heritage fliers can offer all the low-rent excuses they want but isn't this exactly the plan which has seen participation numbers dwindling? Why not try something different? Of course we need some low-cost entry level gliders but I really doubt that this is what ab-inito fliers see themselves ending up in. How many current drivers would choose an EH Holden over a Porch? D _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
