Dav, you are probably correct in the case of "most clubs". However there are some, like us, who have exclusive use of our own airfield. This was provided in our case by a small number of members digging into their pockets to varying degrees to find the capital to purchase the land and to erect the hangars, club house etc. These members are entitled to an ANNUAL income from their "investment", and the only place they can get this is from the members who use the airfield. The annual charge also has to allow for some maintenance of the field, which usually requires machinery, even if it is only a local farmer's tractor and spray outfit to maintain the 20m firebreak required by the council. Likewise, the annual fee for parking a caravan or the ground rent charged to those who elect to put up their own hangar, is part of the income to the guys who put up the money. They will not, in a number of years, say "OK guys, I don't want any more income from this money I have invested".
I don't think it is just cost which is driving people away. If that was the case, our ski fields would be going broke, and the better golf clubs would no longer exist. I just think that people these days won't put the effort into gliding; and it does need effort - running wings, driving winches or tow planes etc mean that the average member must be prepared to do more than just turn up for his flight and then push off. This is where GA and Ultralights score over us. You can just go to the airfield, check out your aircraft and go. No-one else is needed. Cheers, John G. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dav" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 8:16 PM Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] CAUTION about Cross modal fatality rates + BOLD STATEMENTS | - | Hi John, | | I could not agree more I would be more than happy to pay a reasonable | yearly fee ,that was not really what I was objecting to. | | Consider this- this particular clubs costs do not change wether or not I | keep a caravan there (there are always dozens of empty sites) and I have to | travel 180 Kilometres to get there so I do require accomodation. Such items | as powerpoints have been there for 10 years+ (and fully depreciated I would | expect). | | As for a nightly fee this should reflect the true cost of power and such | items as showers etc. At the most $10 should easily cover these sort of | costs and make a profit. Your example is a good solution. | | If these charges were applied to non members visiting, fair enough but clubs | that are running out of members should be doing everything to keep costs to | their members down and the fact is membership is in a constant decline | indicates to me that cost is a major factor. | | The fact is most gliding clubs own all their non flying assets apart from | the airfield and they were paid off in the 60s and 70s a fact always ignored | by those who write trite analysies on how expensive Passenger flights and | aircraft hire should be. | | Incidentally I am strongly of the opinion all GFA sanctioned gliding clubs | should be required to provide passenger flights to the public at reasonable, | if neccassary regulated cost to not do so is an abrigation of responsibilty | to promote our dying sport. | | The final straw was the fact that the application for membership form had a | section basically saying the club could disallow you flying with no reason | at any time with no refunds of fee's etc-Directly contradicting a specific | clause in their own constitution forbiding exactly that!!!!!! | | | Regards all | | Dav | ---- Original Message ----- | From: "John Giddy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 5:00 PM | Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] CAUTION about Cross modal fatality rates + BOLD | STATEMENTS | | | > | > ----- Original Message ----- | > From: "Dav" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 2:06 PM | > Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] CAUTION about Cross modal | > fatality rates + BOLD STATEMENTS | > | > | > | Hi Guys, | > | > <<< other items snipped >>> | > | > | | > | 5.In respect to falling GFA membership it is IMHO due to | > greed on the part | > | of the bigger commercial clubs particularly-I have just | > changed clubs due to | > | the outrageous charges for accomodation, and the fact I | > will not pay a club | > | more than one joining fee, especially when other clubs | > don't even charge a | > | joining fee how can such someone who has already | > joined-its a flat out | > | ripoff. Another example at the club I have left there is a | > charge of $200+ | > | per year just to leave a caravan there, not to mention $26 | > PER NIGHT if you | > | use your own caravan. These people are pricing themselves | > out of existance. | > | The small clubs that do not try to be a business do not | > have as much of a | > | problem as I see it. | > | > Dav, | > The annual charge for parking a caravan is quite justified. | > Who paid to have the land available ? Who paid to prepare | > the area for caravans, including (in our case) power outlets | > for those caravans ? Don't they have any right to receive | > some interest on their outlay ? | > The $26 per night in addition seems a bit steep. We charge | > for electricity usage with meters on each caravan supply | > point. | > | > Unfortunately, it seems that the gliding fraternity wants | > all the best facilities at little or no cost. It won't work | > guys ! | > | > John G. (Mangalore GC, and Locksley Fly-In Estate) | > | > | > -- | > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. | > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message | > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. | > | > | | -- | * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. | * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message | * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. | | -- * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information.
