Worst state of affairs for Microlighting!

[Bundy]

We seem to be reversing the trend just a little, and our activity is increasing - albeit just a bit. Main thing is it is moving in the correct direction.

The scary thing is that a few of us started flying together and we were the youngest in the club at about 25. Now almost twenty years on, and we are still the youngest But that does not bode well for continuity. We have very few youngsters joining the sport in our area.

That last part is worrying Skybound....something I think we at MISASA really need to take note of.

There is another facet here that also contributes very negatively to newcommers and that is the "Safety perception" that Joe Public has about GA in general. Yes, we have a long road to go to make flying as safe as it can be, but flying IS NOT as "dangerous" as the sensationalist media makes it out to be. I have a big problem with the way accidents are reported in the newspapers, it does nothing to help create a positive interest in our passion.

I have even been called "Suicidal" by one uneducated person when I mentioned I fly a trike?? Crazy stuff....Flying, just like any other activity, is as safe as you chose to make it.

[ZULU1]

Well I have to add my 20 cents worth...

WILL SOMEBODY FLY TO PIET RETIEF AND LAND AT DAWIE LIEBENBERGS STRIP ? hes doing his bit and he's bored with no one to play with ? He's doing the work, do a few flips with locals etc. Otherwise I will go up next week. People like Dawie are passionate aviators and we don't pile in to help out...

I think that type of enthusiasm is wanting in the sport...maybe hes OTT but its good stuff..

Me I vote with my feet and will definitely make the effort...

Zulu1

[Madman]

Hey Bundy

One of the guys I took for a flip,loved it..flew with me alot..was my bomber in the flour bombing comp at Crosswinds which we won..and not long after that,bought a trike

I think it is exposure..we just need to put it out there.

[CVStrong]

Well I have to add my 20 cents worth...

WILL SOMEBODY FLY TO PIET RETIEF AND LAND AT DAWIE LIEBENBERGS STRIP ? hes doing his bit and he's bored with no one to play with ? He's doing the work, do a few flips with locals etc. Otherwise I will go up next week. People like Dawie are passionate aviators and we don't pile in to help out...

I think that type of enthusiasm is wanting in the sport...maybe hes OTT but its good stuff..

Me I vote with my feet and will definitely make the effort...

Zulu1

Zulu,

As soon as I am up in the air, this will be a destination I will like to head towards on my way to Sodwana...

I agree with much of the sentiment here on this thread so far, in that people need to be introduced to the sport, and shown how awesome it can be... People need to be welcomed at the various fields, as I was on my first visit to Aero 57...

A positive thing being done for exposure by Sue in Magalies, is basically intro flights (from what I saw on her Website)... Schools need to do as much flipping as possible... I am not saying it needs to be done for free, but it must be done as much as possible... you then have half an hour to "indoctrinate" a potential newbie about flying...

Another good option we should be looking at is sponsoring prizes at some school events (as in high schools, not flight schools)... put up a stand about the flight school or the whole of MISASA, have a trike there too so people can ogle it... have a draw for a free 30 min flip... It's all about marketing ourselves...

Cheers

Craig

[Air Hog]

I think it is exposure..we just need to put it out there.

I seem to agree with Madman. I know times are tough but I am sure there are still Potential Pilots out there that can afford it. They must just be exposed to the sport.

Maybe in conjunction with MISASA, we must arrange something like Open days at our Clubs to give more people exposure to Microlight flying.

Can MISASA maybe do an advertising campain or whatever?

[Dish]

"A positive thing being done for exposure by Sue in Magalies, is basically intro flights (from what I saw on her Website)... Schools need to do as much flipping as possible... I am not saying it needs to be done for free, but it must be done as much as possible... you then have half an hour to "indoctrinate" a potential newbie about flying.."

The thing is that Sue is an extremely high time Bantam Pilot / instructor (with the emphasis being on instructor) and the flips she does she does for a living. Im fully in agreement with maximising exposure and introduction to microlighting but then we need to start being careful as we cant charge or take payment in any form. Heres an idea - back in my diving days, we used to approach schools and varsities to get interested groups together and then all gather at a pool where we would give the people a basic intro and then sign them onto a course. We had a slide show that we would give presentations with that included spectacular photos of sodwana and what could be expected. Im sure we could put together a stunning PPoint presentation and maybe raise interest like that - how about we post flyers at schools, perhaps establish flying clubs within a school?? On another note, how many flying schools are actively advertising in sa flyer, african pilot etc...?? the misasa magazine may contain a few adverts but thats approaching an existing base of pilots so probably not that effective.

I chat to so many people who express such an interest in flying when you speak about it and ive heard the comments like "I have always wanted to fly and get into microlighting" soo many times, so why arent they??? _ MY biggest regret is not getting into flying long before I did and that was based on the perception that it was unaffordable. When I chat to people and tell them what the running costs of the bantam (or any microlight) are they are always quite pleasantly surprised. So, how we target varsities, technikons and schools with an emphasis on the affordability of sport flying??

[Tumbleweed]

I think what attracted most of us to flying is the adventure. Reading up on Numbi, the Cherry Festival, Drakensberg and coastal trips did it for me. These guys need to post more.

I think why guys do less daily trips is being put off after experiencing k@k conditions on the 11h00 return flight (terrified pax), concern of getting juice from headwinds or being stuck on some remote spot due to weather.

I find it less stressfull doing a longer trip not time resricted, knowing their's fuel, accomodation and buddies to wash down the thirst.

We need to encourage the okes that fly these trips to share their experiences and post the destination/ contact details for the armchair and cabbage patch pilots to become a little more daring. All it takes is to get 2 of your hangar braai buddies to commit. Case in point the Tribal croc initiative.


Maybe Misasa or the mag could encourage these okes who don't follow the forum to join the and post their experiences here. I'm sure many of these clubs would'nt mind if others who normally fly alone would join them. Even by posting their jol we could round up some stragglers to arrange another trip.

These private airstrips need to be supported, especially guys like Blue Max, the crocodile eater and the place in Van Reenen that advertises in the mag which I've never heard anyone going to.

I suggest we all commit to doing at least 3 overnight trips per year. I've done Battlefields and Numbi several times and am really keen on coastal trips. A stop over at Piet Retief, over Pongola to Sodwana sounds awesome. If the Wild Coast trip is on place the dates and reccomended route used.

How about we start a new thread recommending stop overs and destinations that we have been to with a brief description i.e. fuel, b&b or self catering, contacts and coordinates e.t.c.?

[John Boucher]

The chap on our committee to manage the DEVELOPMENT of the sport is ROY GREGSON and with ALAN HUSSEY haven taken the bull by the horns, I am sure we can put something together... I am speaking out of turn but I agree with much of the sentiment and suggestions already made!

[Bundy]

I will very soon be trying to get the guys at my own airfield together to come up with some nice ideas to improve things at our local level....which I am convinced must be the starting point.

1: A set monthly brekkie/braai date (perhaps the 2nd weekend of everymonth for instance) Even if the weather is not flyable, the guys and girls and their families came come through and socialise We will invite pilots from other airfields too.
2: Once this sort of group is established, Id love to org some lectures etc by Instructor's, AP's, even a flippen "climatologist" would be interesting...to help us improve our understanding of various topics related to our sport. (these would be open to all pilots)
3: Improve the facilities at the airfield through small fundraising events, comps etc
4: I really love the idea of a "Bring a newbie" fly in (or something) where on the day we all pitch up with someone who has never flown a trike before....what better way to improve the numbers than by giving that person a taste of what we are so priveledged to be able to do.

Just a few thought off the top of my head

First and foremost though.....the Tedderfield Event!

[Dish]

I sooo fondly remember my days training at Rhino.... we used to have the Rhino Braai..... almost every saturday morning, oom Agent Graham, Rudix, myself, the chap with the storch replica.... just a bunch of good guys, flying or not, was just lekker...

[bobthebuilder]

Hi Alan,

Most of the clubs / fields had a set weekend breakfast date at some time or another. Microland included.
I don't think that breakfast is a strong enough enticement.

Another option could be some form of treasure hunt to try and get the dust off of the wings of the trikes.
We could stash a prize and give online clues to the whereabouts. Folks can then fly all over the place to try and find it.
The Johannesburg special rules east area for example, could serve pilots from Microland, Bapsfontein, JAG, Petit, Springs and Rhino Park.
An entrance fee could cover the cost of the prize, or a scoring system could be used to create a national event. We could then have one national winner at the end of the year.
This may also spur more interest in competition flying.

The sport must be promoted to outsiders in order to grow. The "Bring a newby" campagne sounds like the way to go.
Could an event not be planned and advertised on the radio and in the papers, whereby free flips are offered to entice people?
In fact, insted of "free" flips, maybe a donation could be made to a pre-selected charity? (the "Save the trike foundation" .... jokes ... some or other kiddy fund)
It could maybe become a regular event at selected airfields.

What about buying a trike or two in a consortium that can be rented out to pilots who have a license, but cannot afford an aircraft?

Are there any other ideas?

[Dish]

I like it Bob, good ideas all round.... like the treasure hunt idea... another huge plus is that with winter looming we know we can expect smoother weather a lot more of the time...?/

[bobthebuilder]

SCHOOLS! Try and drag the parents and kids out for a filp?

[Dish]

Thats what im getting at !!! get a school to buy the plane and have a school flying club??? Membership to the school flying club goes towards ownership and fees for the plane.... cant be that hard to introduce ??

[Loco]

I will very soon be trying to get the guys at my own airfield together to come up with some nice ideas to improve things at our local level....which I am convinced must be the starting point.

1: A set monthly brekkie/braai date (perhaps the 2nd weekend of everymonth for instance) Even if the weather is not flyable, the guys and girls and their families came come through and socialise We will invite pilots from other airfields too.
2: Once this sort of group is established, Id love to org some lectures etc by Instructor's, AP's, even a flippen "climatologist" would be interesting...to help us improve our understanding of various topics related to our sport. (these would be open to all pilots)
3: Improve the facilities at the airfield through small fundraising events, comps etc
4: I really love the idea of a "Bring a newbie" fly in (or something) where on the day we all pitch up with someone who has never flown a trike before....what better way to improve the numbers than by giving that person a taste of what we are so priveledged to be able to do.

Just a few thought off the top of my head

First and foremost though.....the Tedderfield Event!

awesome ideas!!! i wish rhino park was like this!!!

i must say i've only been there since Dec 2011 but some guys/gals have been nice enough to bring in boerewors and rolls for a quick braai and uncle alex's coffee and rusks are the best!