Dave.
--------- Original Message --------
From: aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net
To: "aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net" <aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Subject: Aus-soaring Digest, Vol 23, Issue 38
Date: 30/08/2005 13:36
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP?? (Mark Newton)
2. JoeyGlide 05 (Nick Gilbert)
3. easter School holiday '06 ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
4. Re: A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP?? (Terry Neumann)
5. Re: A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP?? (Geoff Kidd)
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 15:50:47 +0930
From: Mark Newton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION &
MEMBERSHIP??
To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
<aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Geoff Kidd wrote:
> What is Terry's email address please.
It's on GFA's web site under "GFA Development Officer" --
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- mark
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried an internal modem, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
but it hurt when I walked. Mark Newton
----- Voice: +61-4-1620-2223 ------------- Fax: +61-8-82231777 -----
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 11:05:12 +1000
From: "Nick Gilbert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Aus-soaring] JoeyGlide 05
To: <aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Hi All,
Just a quick update on where we are up to with the preparations for the 2005 Australian Junior Nationals.
So far, we have a staggering 21 payed entries, with at least another 9 to come that we know of. This is double the attendance of last year, and a testament to the hard work of many individuals & organisations who are giving up their time, gliders & sponsorship dollars. We are still a few gliders short, however, and are very interested to hear from anyone willing to give up their glider for a week in early december. As long as it is plastic, and relatively simple to fly, we have pilots ranging from 300 to 800 hours waiting to hear from you.
We would also be interested to hear from someone who is PC literate, has prior gliding & competition experience (not necessarily as a competitor), and would be willing to attend the contest from the 3rd to the 10th of December to manage the updating of the website. Prior web development experience is not necessary, as we can train you in what needs to be done. It would also be useful if this person is handy with a digital camera. We have grand plans for the website this year, involving constant live updates, live scores & several webcams relaying the action.
That's about it, keep your eyes on http://www.JoeyGlide.com/ for the latest updates.
Nick Gilbert
Contest Director.
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 21:18:24 -0400
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Aus-soaring] easter School holiday '06
To: aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net
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Gidday
I've just been informed that the Easter School holidays (Qld) will be the week before easter. This may effect planning of comps etc. Other states might be planning the same thing. Its to do with the length of a term being extended to twelve weeks.
Grant Harper
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 12:24:11 +0930
From: Terry Neumann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION &
MEMBERSHIP??
To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
<aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Geoff Kidd wrote:
> <>See http://www.glidingmagazine.com/FeatureArticle.asp?id=485 for the
> NZ article titled "Membership: It's not a pretty picture".
It may however be totally accurate - for here - as well as for New Zealand.
That's the scary thing about writing out a blank cheque for a group of
consultants, as some are advocating. Some 100+K$ later they will
almost certainly come up with the conclusion that gliding doesn't really
interest, much less excite the general population, and that other
"competing" pastimes come easier and/or cheaper.
We already know that, and it hasn't cost us anything (in monetary terms).
One of the things that the combined magazine should have taught us is
that gliding is pricing itself out of the sporting aviation scene, or at
least putting itself at the higher end of the options. Compare the
prices in the hang gliding classifieds with those of our kind, and you
soon get a picture of the relative costs of the equipment.
Furthermore, the price of the basic equipment sets the base line for the
cost of the complete operation. The simply fact is that a K-21 costs
more that (say) a Jabiru, and if you want to put an engine in the K-21 -
surely the only way to really set up even a basic training regime for
the "Satisfaction Now!!" generation - it gets even worse. There isn't
really much we can do about that.
I don't particularly like to see this in print myself, but all the
publicity, promotion and research doesn't change the basic facts of the
equation. Gliding these days is expensive; it also takes time, effort
and a certain dedication to 'make it'. Only an enthusiast is going to
see it through - even to solo stage - much less to go on to greater things.
Most people will make easier and cheaper choices - no matter what we do,
and how many consultants we hire, and what they tell us.
Of course we still promote the sport we love, and we need to do so with
the same enthusiasm and passion we show in our inner circle here. Terry
Cubley and the others who are working in this area are doing well, and
should be supported with ideas and action. However we need to keep
our expectations and ambitions within the parameters of our product.
Almost everyone I speak to about gliding expresses the wish to "go for a
flight sometime". However I just know that even if they do - and I
give every encouragement for them to go to their nearest club and give
it a try - that they probably won't be seized with the elusive addiction
that keeps the rest of us going over the years and even decades.
That's just how it is.
Now standing well clear of the fan .....
Terry
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 13:35:08 +1000
From: "Geoff Kidd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION &
MEMBERSHIP??
To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
<aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Terry
The points you have made are valid ... so come back here near the fan, but I would counter with the following:
We don't need to excite the "general population". All we need to do is excite 3000 people OZ-wide and we've just about doubled the size of the sport.
For the "satisfaction now" generation, if they are also the "money now" generation, why wouldn't you just shunt them off to Sportavia or Keepit and they can be solo in a week?
One option that we have is to narrow the marketing target a tad. One example is that while I was at Sportavia last Feb/March, the standout was that the most keen Glider Pilots who had shipped their machines and selves from overseas, were current or ex airline pilots, who were bored to death with their normal flying but kill-to-fly passionate about Cross-Country Soaring. So that group in OZ are a good place to start ............ BUT would you really expect to keep them all if you suggest to a 5000 or 10000 hour airline pilot that they should just go out to their local club for lessons?
Regards Geoff
----- Original Message -----
From: Terry Neumann
To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] A NEW APPROACH TO GFA PROMOTION & MEMBERSHIP??
Geoff Kidd wrote:
<>See http://www.glidingmagazine.com/FeatureArticle.asp?id=485 for the NZ article titled "Membership: It's not a pretty picture".
It may however be totally accurate - for here - as well as for New Zealand.
That's the scary thing about writing out a blank cheque for a group of consultants, as some are advocating. Some 100+K$ later they will almost certainly come up with the conclusion that gliding doesn't really interest, much less excite the general population, and that other "competing" pastimes come easier and/or cheaper.
We already know that, and it hasn't cost us anything (in monetary terms).
One of the things that the combined magazine should have taught us is that gliding is pricing itself out of the sporting aviation scene, or at least putting itself at the higher end of the options. Compare the prices in the hang gliding classifieds with those of our kind, and you soon get a picture of the relative costs of the equipment.
Furthermore, the price of the basic equipment sets the base line for the cost of the complete operation. The simply fact is that a K-21 costs more that (say) a Jabiru, and if you want to put an engine in the K-21 - surely the only way to really set up even a basic training regime for the "Satisfaction Now!!" generation - it gets even worse. There isn't really much we can do about that.
I don't particularly like to see this in print myself, but all the publicity, promotion and research doesn't change the basic facts of the equation. Gliding these days is expensive; it also takes time, effort and a certain dedication to 'make it'. Only an enthusiast is going to see it through - even to solo stage - much less to go on to greater things.
Most people will make easier and cheaper choices - no matter what we do, and how many consultants we hire, and what they tell us.
Of course we still promote the sport we love, and we need to do so with the same enthusiasm and passion we show in our inner circle here. Terry Cubley and the others who are working in this area are doing well, and should be supported with ideas and action. However we need to keep our expectations and ambitions within the parameters of our product. Almost everyone I speak to about gliding expresses the wish to "go for a flight sometime". However I just know that even if they do - and I give every encouragement for them to go to their nearest club and give it a try - that they probably won't be seized with the elusive addiction that keeps the rest of us going over the years and even decades.
That's just how it is.
Now standing well clear of the fan .....
Terry
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