Is it the type of Society or contest formats that are changing the
competitive soaring environment? Overall USA Club
membership/participation is down.
From my perspective the Europeans have more vacation time and
spendable income than USA residents have experienced in over 30
years. Remember when the 40 hour work week was standard? And most
had 4 weeks vacation by the time they were 30.
Perhaps more science needs to be taught in school? Perhaps too much
emphasis on sports and not education? Soaring geeks in the USA just
don't rank high on the celebrity list.
I think many of the answers and solutions are rooted deep in the
economic and social threads of our society. The USA is losing it's
position in the world. We have to just follow now.
Steve Meyer
At 11:00 AM 1/11/2008, Tom Copp wrote:
Wow lots of stuff here.
In general contests outside the USA are well attended. Contests attendance
inside the USA is diminishing. Why?
Outside the USA they typically fly F3J or a local version of F3J with F3B
winches that the pilots supply btw. They are strict about being on the line
in time; they don't "soften" the task for anyone. They play hardball over
there and their attendance is thriving.
Inside the USA most of our formats are the same since the late 70's while
our models have evolved over the last 30+ years the contests have not. Our
attendance is shrinking, we give in to a sandbagger, and we don't want to
change anything to keep the pilots we have coming back. We don't push
ourselves to try anything new and learn something. Sure the new guy has lots
to learn starting from zero but after 6 months what is next? Guys soaring is
not difficult.
How many of us are significantly better pilots after the first 2 or 3 years?
What have you learned the last 3 years? We quit flying if the conditions get
a little rough. You can choose your issue all day long as why we get board
or why attendance is shrinking.
BTW, Each and every contest I have been to is a social event! That's the
nature of humans. We tend to have fun when we can. I would say lets play a
little hardball and push our skills a bit and move up a peg. The USA was at
one time a soaring leader we sure can't say that anymore.
Tom Copp
Composite Specialties
www.f3x.com
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