02/06/03
2003 Summary of where the pilots come from
Thanks to aid and patience form Bill Bolosky and Steve Roti, I got the data that
shows where hang gliding pilots come from and gives indication of what needs to be done
to get and maintain a stable member base.
The single most glaring fact is that there are seventeen states without hang gliding
instruction formally available. There are instructors in 34 states which includes Puerto Rico.
In seven of those states there is only one instructor. In ten other states, there are two or
three instructors. In nine fairly large states, there are four instructors.
Of the current membership, nearly twenty percent (over 1100) pilots show no H-1 or
H-2 rating which implies that many were self taught. Fifty percent of the current membership
that received H-1 ratings (more than 3700), got their ratings from instructors who had eighteen
or fewer ratings to their credit IN THEIR ENTIRE TEACHING CAREER. Twenty five
percent of the current membership comes from instructors with eight or less.
Roughly the same distribution holds for pilots who received H-2 ratings but the total of
those in the membership is over 4700. Those numbers will probably change with a greater
percentage coming from more high volume instructors as we lose more small schools and
part time instructors. This would not necessarily be bad for hang gliding if the membership
numbers represented pilots who were here to stay. In the past, the bulk of the USHGA
long-term membership originated from the many smaller schools and low volume instructors.
It would be unfair to look simply at the percentage of pilots that an instructor
rates that remain active as an indicator or anything, as the larger the school, the less
"selective" they can be about who they teach. Volume becomes important for survival. The
transient membership from a two or three year pilot make the USHGA books look good but
really, the thing needed for long term survival is pilots who will put up with all the
inconvenience involved with hang gliding and fly for years until they can't remember their
name.
The increased popularity and production of aerotow operations cannot be accurately
evaluated yet in terms of what percentage of ratings issued that remain active. Not enough
years to see a real picture. The overall improvement in hang gliding exposure from the
aerotow flight parks will at the very least help people learn about hang gliding and the
easier
path into the air will now bring people into hang gliding that particularly in this instant
gratification world, would not otherwise have considered flying. The additional benefits
of being able to get people with physical disabilities into the air will help the cause if
not by numbers, then by example. Of course, how many people want to run an aerotow operation?
How many places can you do it?
Somebody offered to buy us a tug if we would start an operation. We declined. Not our
type of thing. It is probably an economic mistake but -----------.
Any Comments?
Back to the Instructor's Forom
Of the current membership, nearly twenty percent (over 1100) pilots show no H-1 or
H-2 rating which implies that many were self taught. Fifty percent of the current membership
that received H-1 ratings (more than 3700), got their ratings from instructors who had eighteen
or fewer ratings to their credit IN THEIR ENTIRE TEACHING CAREER. Twenty five
percent of the current membership comes from instructors with eight or less.
Roughly the same distribution holds for pilots who received H-2 ratings but the total of
those in the membership is over 4700. Those numbers will probably change with a greater
percentage coming from more high volume instructors as we lose more small schools and
part time instructors. This would not necessarily be bad for hang gliding if the membership
numbers represented pilots who were here to stay. In the past, the bulk of the USHGA
long-term membership originated from the many smaller schools and low volume instructors.
It would be unfair to look simply at the percentage of pilots that an instructor
rates that remain active as an indicator or anything, as the larger the school, the less
"selective" they can be about who they teach. Volume becomes important for survival. The
transient membership from a two or three year pilot make the USHGA books look good but
really, the thing needed for long term survival is pilots who will put up with all the
inconvenience involved with hang gliding and fly for years until they can't remember their
name.
The increased popularity and production of aerotow operations cannot be accurately
evaluated yet in terms of what percentage of ratings issued that remain active. Not enough
years to see a real picture. The overall improvement in hang gliding exposure from the
aerotow flight parks will at the very least help people learn about hang gliding and the
easier
path into the air will now bring people into hang gliding that particularly in this instant
gratification world, would not otherwise have considered flying. The additional benefits
of being able to get people with physical disabilities into the air will help the cause if
not by numbers, then by example. Of course, how many people want to run an aerotow operation?
How many places can you do it?
Somebody offered to buy us a tug if we would start an operation. We declined. Not our
type of thing. It is probably an economic mistake but -----------.
Any Comments?
Back to the Instructor's Forom