Ideas for recruiting and retaining new pilots

[huddlec]

Not sure you'd get many pilots through the high schools. I've gone to the local schools to give talks. The last time it was a physics class, high school level, and only one kid expressed (a little) interest in learning. The rest were in the 'too cool to pay attention' thing.

Too bad that our litigious tendencies would likely make impossible having a system as the one in France where the 18-35 year olds can learn how to do all kinds of sports that most young'uns can't afford to do unless their parents have some money. Check out their website: http://www.ucpa.com/ and eat your heart out. I took windsurfing lessons and skiing lessons (several times) through this when I lived in France. (They bent the age rule for me.....)
Christy

[davidtheamazing1]

What if there was a merit badge through boy/girl scouts? Those are usually a little bit more in depth than a school curriculum, and although scouts tend to be a bit dorky, learning to fly would be way cooler than basketweaving or wood-carving. Perhaps work with the BSA council to create requirements that bring students almost all the way to hang1? I would say giving kids a chance to fly wouldn't be much more dangerous than giving them rifles for riflery merit badge. Take a look at the Radio Merit badge requirements and tell me if we could set up something similar:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/scouthbk/ib.html

[brianvh]

It's gotta be sold to the teachers. Believe me, we got plenty of mass mailing stuff that went straight to the circular filing cabinet. Many of them were probably great ideas with excellent support resources.

There are only two ways to catch a teacher's attention:
1. sell it to the science office at the top, who can then do a workshop on the idea.
2. one of the teacher's pals talks it up. This is the most likely scenario.

I like David's idea of selling it to the boyscouts. It's a pretty hidebound organization (I've got plenty of experience with it) at the top, so don't know about getting a merit badge instituted. But presentations can be made at the local level. Again, it's like the teachers: it takes a HG pal to talk them into it.

[deveil]

I'm starting this thread to encourage discussion of the various ways that we might attract new pilots to the sports of hang gliding and paragliding . . .

encourage the national organization to expand efforts/take on this task? assumption being that they have a mandate to do this type of thing, more resources and personnel dedicated (paid?) to take on these types of tasks - as the benefits would accrue to the sport as a whole and the clubs individually, in a more comprehensive, efficient fashion?

. . .frustration that there was nothing at the CHGPA website that provides a big-picture view of how one can go about learning to fly.

or does the very fact that this club feels compelled to take on the task of "getting the word out about the sport" already speak to the point of what the nat'l organization is/isn't, can/can't do regarding the matter?

. . . and to encourage newly-rated pilots to continue in the sports once they are ready for solo flight.

then the local clubs could turn their efforts to this type of activity, which they are in the best position to accomplish?


garyD
("Hints from Heloise" will only let me post once every six months )

[crowland]

I'll be happy to be a guinea pig for you. A friend of mine went skiing in France last winter, went for a tandem paraglide flight, and came back completely sold on the idea. She convinced me; I convinced my boyfriend, and now the three of us are looking to start lessons right after Christmas. Of course we have the best intentions of following up on lessons with buying gear, doing lots of flying, reaching P3, etc. After all, even lessons are a pretty major financial commitment for a bunch of college students who are paying an arm and a leg for school.

What I can't help you with, though, is explaining the lack of interest. When my friend came back from skiing and told me we could go flying, it didn't take a whole lot to convince me that this was the best idea ever.

So I'll keep you updated on how/why we stay interested and involved.

[deveil]

dear ms. crowland (is that your given name? ),
in that those more active in the sport are,well, involved in being more active in the sport , i'll chime in to express appreciation for your pertinent posting of your 'ground level' view and its relevancy to this discussion. there's a certain irony in your being one of those 'expressing enthusiasm and interest in entering this brother/sisterhood' having not been greeted with an acknowledgement and welcome (you bunch of boneheads! )

[crowland]

Sorry, totally forgot to sign that. My name is Clare.

Thanks for the welcome!

[deveil]

how about this?
the HG magazine runs an annual issue/story/(your idea here) on how to get into the sport/training methods/locations/instructor of the year/(your idea here) and the nat'l organization runs some kind of nat'l campaign promoting that issue (adds in other broad-appeal mags/(your idea here) just to get the word out in a regular, widespread fashion.
just once a year - so people sort of bump into it and there's an initial source to keep word-of-mouth flowing.
maybe distribute promotional materials/magazine copies to the clubs to pass out to outdoor shops/wherever/(your idea here).

[and yep. . . 'responsibility-avoidance' once again. but it's a bit too early to be sitting here at the keyboard with a beer popped - sobriety is in order as the wife left her car home today so i can go disassemble the rear brakes and find out what all the squeaking, howling, (meowing?) is about.]

[KathyC]

As a relatively newer H2 with little airtime, there has been one thing that has really helped me since I moved to this area...having an observor that was willing to be "my observor" for as long as I needed him (sorry Shawn..gotta out you ). This helped me relax a little and not stress about who I should contact, getting used to a new observor and vice versa, worrying about inconveniencing someone, worrying about scheduling and so on. I don't know if everyone would be able to be dedicated to an individual pilot, but it sure has made my transition easier. I think this method also helps the individual pilot become part of the club atmosphere too. Just my two cents. Kathy