Wear Your T-Shirts in Public

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CraginS
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Location: Franconia
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Wear Your T-Shirts in Public

Post by CraginS »

Most of us wear our HG t-shirts when flying. OK. Sorta fits the situation. But who do we see when flying? Each other.
Yesterday at the weekend long hacker con I was wearing my CHGPA T-shirt. Standing at a table getting my first lesson in lock picking, the guy next to me pauses with pick in lock and asks, "I see you have a CHGPA shirt. Are you a member?" I met John M's new student Aaron. Talked about training and plans and such. Neat. Oh, MarkC and Janni - he's a network security guy at NIH.
Later in the day, met a guy from my own company who I had not known (different division, office on different floor, different customers). He asked about the shirt. Seems he's a former AF pilot, and took a couple of lessons with Steve Wendt 8 years ago. Just might get him out to try some more.

It pays to advertise!

By the way, wearing light colored HG T's at a hacker con helps you stand out in a crowd where 80% of the attendees are wearing black shirts (T or collared).
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jimrooney
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Re: Wear Your T-Shirts in Public

Post by jimrooney »

Back when I had a "real job", I used to ride lots of boats and trains to work (NYC) and poke away on my laptop on the ride. I took a big ole KHK sticker and plastered it on the back of the laptop screen... big ole thing, mainly a picture of a hang glider.

Yeah, starts a few conversations.
Key to the whole thing is the picture of a hang glider.
No one knows what CHGPA is (except members).

Jim
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CraginS
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Re: Wear Your T-Shirts in Public

Post by CraginS »

Jim,
Actually, I called it the CHGPA shirt to identify which of my many HG shirts I was wearing. The small chest logo includes silhouettes of both PG and HG, along wiht a large HG/PG graphic on the back. People recognized them and asked me if I fly paragliders. I said I fly hang gliders, but others in the club do both.
Dan T
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 5:58 pm
Location: Northern VA

Re: Wear Your T-Shirts in Public

Post by Dan T »

I took Craig's suggestion and wore one of the conspicuous long sleeve hang gliding shirts that I have to the Sunday Pub Poker tournament that I often play in when I'm not flying. One of the contestants ask me if I fly hang gliders. When I told him yes he said "I always wanted to do that! Do you fly at Kitty Hawk? I've seen them fly at Kitty Hawk." When I told them I fly the blue ridge mountains he said those hills must be smaller than the big ones at Kitty Hawk.

After I regained my composure I filled him in on what we actually do including foot launch and aerotow flights. He seems genuinely interested in taking a tandem. I referred him to our website and the list of schools there.

By the way the pub poker tournaments are all free games with real cash prizes that typically run in the neighborhood of $75 for first place and gift certificates for second and third. It makes for a great escape on a cold or wet Sunday afternoon.

Dan T
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