It's not easy making a living as a hang gliding instructor. Only a few people are truly successful at it. And like most folks who earn their living from teaching, they are not well paid for their vital work. It is because of their work that you are a hang glider pilot.

You weren't born knowing how to fly. Between you and your dreams of flying stood a hang gliding instructor. Some one with enough ability to get you through your first steps safely enough that you didn't kill or too badly hurt yourself.

I have met a small number of dedicated and hard working hang gliding instructors. Without them the hang gliding community that depends on them for their own survival would either not exist or be seriously depleted. There would not be enough participants to keep the sites open and the flying a social event.

Where there isn't a talented hang gliding instructor it is clear that the local hang gliding community is suffering. When I go to a place and see strong participation and growth I invariably find a hang gliding instructor who has overcome the barriers to be successful in his instruction and in his business.

I have not been every where, nor seen all the viable hang gliding communities, nor spoken with all the key instructors. I have only seen the pattern not all the pieces.

Given that the local hang gliding community relies on its instructor for its well being, the community has to look long and hard at how it supports that instructor and how it can continue to have additional instructors as time goes on.

One of the ways an instructor is supported is through sales of hang glider equipment. The community can sell much if not all of its equipment through the instructor. Another is by paying the additional cost for instructor liability insurance through local membership dues.

I'm sure that the local clubs can see the value that a dedicated local instructor provides and can see the need to support that instructor and not place all the burden for the community's continued health on that instructor's shoulders.

Discuss Instructors at the Oz Report forum
 
 
 
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