SURVEY COMMENTS-GENERAL

5 =========== Steve Koerner *AT* Phoenix, AZ
Your efforts at bringing this facility into soaring are greatly appreciated by my. thanks.

8 =========== David Martin *AT* Soaring Club of Houston, TX
Really aprreciate all your work and look forward to imporvements. I will send results of flights based on blipmaps as appropriate.

11 =========== Gary Evans *AT* Estrella Sailport, Phoenix, AZ
The ETA forecast are of no valve to me as my schedule being very flexible allows me to fly whenever I wish. For my purpose I want the most accurate information and can only assume that would be the closest to the day. See you at the convention. I'll be doing a DG Solo engine presentation on Friday.

16 =========== Todd Herzog *AT* ADG (Adrian, MI)
(1) Wave & ridge. I look at Navy Mountain Wave Forcasts (MWF). Not sure how that ties to what you are doing, but I do use them. I also ridge soar in PA. This doesn't show up on MWF, but maybe you can do something here (2) I use (daily) the FSL interactive sounding. It adds info to the big picture but has limitations. It doesn't print well. What I really want is a summary of its information. Someone at Mifflin PA (Richard Kellerman, I think) did a nice contest wx briefing that summarized this info showing temp, cloud base and top, thermal strength for different times during the day (i can send a copy, if interested) This type for site specific report would be helpful

18 =========== Eric Rupp *AT* Hollister, CA
I'd like to be able to have a short cut (and put it on my desktop) for the latest CA-NV BLIPMAP, the most frequently used parameters like BL depth. That works for every other web page I use -- but not with the BLIPMAPS. Instead, I have to go through the web pages and click the links.
You can create your own web page on your local machine and put whatever plots you like on it!  (You have to know how to write an HTML page, but that is pretty simple and can often be figured out just by looking at an example.)

21 =========== ---------- *AT* Blairstown, NJ
Hey Jack, Hope you're well. Spring will be here before we know it. Blipmap rules!

22 =========== Bill Richardson *AT* Warner Springs, CA
No problems using IE 6.0 to complete this form. Any plans on bringing back WINDIP forecasting?

24 =========== Jonathan Gere *AT* Fairfield, PA
Fair weather cu. Take a stab at forecasting the bases. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If necessary, hire a grad student to drive around with a sling psychrometer quantifying the empirical distribution of unresolved variations in temperature and dew point in various climates : }.

32 =========== ---------- *AT* Menomonie, WI
You are really doing a great job. Thank you for the time and effort you are putting into this wonderful service.

34 =========== Dieter Jaeger *AT* La Grange, GA
I am really glad they are there.

36 =========== Tony Gaechter *AT* Truckee, CA
GREAT WORK!! THANK YOU!

37 =========== ---------- *AT* Turf Soaring, Phoenix, AZ
Look over all your questions to see if they would benefit from an answer in the category of "I don't know", "Haven't tried it", "no opinion", "don't know" or "none". That may help eliminate bias. For example, on your questions regarding blipmap use, some pilots might not want to click "not understood.." because it's an admission of ignorance. That might bias results. Adding a button for "No opinion" gives them an out. Also, on the question of funding, I'd suspect that near 100% would perfer that it "be paid for by an elite group". Why won't they want to get something of value that is paid for by someother group, especially if they are "elites". Any other response would leave me wondering what they could possibly be thinking. Asking surveyee's if they would pay a) 5$/yr, b)$10/yr, c) $15/yr... etc. would yield more useful data. Another problem with funding is that one pilot who subscribes is likely to share data with pilots who don't. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see an ETA model.

38 =========== Martin Hellman *AT* Hayward, CA
On the issue of contributions, I've been thinking that a model between freeware and shareware might make sense and BLIPMAP might be a good vehicle to try it out. Like freeware, no one is legally or morally obligated to pay for use, thereby encouraging widespread use. But a contribution is requested to help support the work and the people doing it. (If, as I suspect, you, Brian, Milt and others are putting in significant time on this, there's no reason you couldn't be paid for your time -- assuming enough is contributed.) People can wait until they've used it enough to gauge the value to make the contribution. I'd love it if such "middleware" (I need to think of a better name) ended up making people more money than charging would have brought in -- not probable with soaring, but who knows? I realize this is a bit off topic, but hope it is of interest.

39 =========== Tom Saunders *AT* Blairstown, NJ 1N7
Jack, Almost everyone in the Areo Club Albatore uses your program now. It has become an important resource for the soaring community in NE New Jersey. Keep up the good work, and if you need funds I am willing to help you raise them. Tom Saunders 25 years of Sales and Marketing experience. Never raised funds - but I may be able to help.

43 =========== John "bumper" Morgan *AT* Napa, CA and Minden, NV
Keep up the good work!! Thanks!

45 =========== Chris Ruf *AT* LaGrange, GA and Benton/Chattanooga, TN
I suggest you move the question asking for the email address to be immediately after the name. I overlooked it the first time. some comment boxes need to be bigger. Thanks JACK!

46 =========== Gale Winnett *AT* Marion Municipal Airport, Marion, OH
Please refer to my e-mail I sent under separate cover.

48 =========== David Piotrowski *AT* Wurtsboro, NY
I've told you this before. You should be extremely proud of what you have contributed to this sport. Now that I've used them, can't live without them. Everyone that I know that uses them feels the same way! Just tell us all what you need.

49 =========== Jeff Melin *AT* Terry - Indianapolis, IN
I'm looking forward to hearing your presentation at Dayton. Thanks

57 =========== ---------- *AT* Sterling, MA
You've done a great service to the community. Please keep up the good work.

58 =========== ---------- *AT* Terry(TYQ) Indianapolis, IN
My congrats to you for a lot of time and great expertise. I am an older, but fairly new pilot who started in 1995. I now fly an SZD55 and have entered two contests (Ionia) but unfortunately weather caused both to be non-contests. Thus not even a lowly standing. I know that all of our cross country people have become believers. The accuracy of base and uplift predictions is amazing close to actual conditions. That is very important in such soaring Mecca conditions as Indiana has. Thanks for all your work.

59 =========== Frank Peel *AT* Fremont, CA
Thanks, Dr. Jack, for giving us such a useful tool!

60 =========== Larry Hood *AT* Williams, CA
Dr. Jack: Great service to the soaring community! I hope you will continue to develop and refine such as with the ETA_BLIPMAPS. There is still a need to expand the interpretation and forecasting abilities of people like me... education.

62 =========== Matt Gillis *AT* Hollister, CA; Truckee, CA
Jack,= You've come up with coolest WX tool and certainly soaring forcast tool in history. Certainly there is always room for improvement, which will come as the inputs allow for greater resolution both temporaly and spatially. You should be awarded the Nobel Prize. But that is just one pilot's opinion.

68 =========== michael higgins *AT* Fairfield, PA
Blipmaps are a great soaring planning tool. Keep up the good work!

70 =========== Dominique Veillard *AT* Lake Elsinore, CA
I have not used the Blipmap yet but I look forward to

72 =========== Colin J Barry *AT* Boulder, CO
Thanks Dr Jack. Great thing you are doing here!

74 =========== ---------- *AT* Warner Springs, CA
Keep up the great work. When will the info be available in the cockpit during the flight?

76 =========== Lach Ohman *AT* Kendallville, IN
I guess my survey answers won't be of much help to you. I just want to add another "aye" vote for the BLIPMAPS.

77 =========== ---------- *AT* California City, CA
Please bring back the WINDIPS, they were an invaluable tool in the wave XC flyer's forecast kit.

81 =========== ---------- *AT* Rideau Valley Airpark, Kars, ONT, Canada
Thanks Dr Jack for your work on this project.

83 =========== Charles Griffin *AT* Crazy Creek, CA Minden, NV
Keep up the good work this is a really helpful service to soaring enthusiasts

84 =========== ---------- *AT* Caddo Mills, TX
Hope this second try works.

85 =========== ---------- *AT* Colgan ONT, Canada
As per our previous discussions, I am very interested in a few solutions. Primary of which is Animation/High Rez planning interface. I know that High-Rez would require a lot more computing horsepower, and I belive I may have found a solution. 8-16 way Multicomputer. The animations may be better dealt with in FLASH rather than regular DHTML/Javascript. Both High-rez and forcasting would be advanced interfaces, the basic BLIPMAP with an ANIMATED .MPG would be good for general browse use.

87 =========== John Earlywine *AT* Kendallville, IN
Thanks for all you have done on this. It is very useful to us and although we are a small group in northern Indiana, we have been very pleased with the results to date.

88 =========== ---------- *AT* Crazy Creek, CA
They're great Jack! :-)

90 =========== ---------- *AT* Williams, CA
Thanks for an amazing product. I feel that you have revolutionized soaring forecasting. Hopefully, you will get the credit you deserve!

94 =========== Chuck Deerinck *AT* Warner Springs, CA
I am still interested in doing the VRML version of the maps. I have produced several versions based on the dataset that you provided me. It would be very helpful if I could get access to the data on a more regular basis (different regions, and different days). This would help me finalize the animation aspect that I was hoping to do. I think what I have produced so far is useful, but it would need some more work to be automated, and usable to a wider audience.

95 =========== Charles H. Leu *AT* Air Sailing, Warm Springs, NV
Thanks again.

99 =========== Jim Hays *AT* Airsailing, NV
The single best forecast tool available for the soaring pilot. Light years ahead of the National Weather Service contributions.

100 =========== ---------- *AT* Dansville, NY
I find that BLIPMAPS are a truly outstanding resource for soaring. Thanks for implementing and maintaining this valuable resource.

101 =========== Tom Hubbard *AT* Hollister, CA
For the Hollister, Panoche, Avenal area the BLIPMAP is very accurate and has allowed us to fly further from Hollister than any of us imagined. I do use the TIPS as further confirmation on what to expect.

102 =========== ---------- *AT* HDH (HI), TRK (CA), MEV (NV)
Overall very useful and appreciated with perhaps to much information for the average user. The more esotericaly inclined no doubt love all the compilations.

103 =========== Bob Johnson *AT* Schlemeyer AP, Odessa, TX
I would particularly like to read feedback from Marfa visitors. These people are practically all visitors and, coupled with the lack of local RAOB, are probably big BLIPMAP users. Thanks for BLIPMAP!

104 =========== Bill Poole *AT* Jacksonville, FL
I am a cfi and use in teaching thanks for a great service

107 =========== Jim Phoenix *AT* Wurtsboro, NY
Blipmaps are great!

108 =========== ---------- *AT* LaGrange, GA
Great Resource... Thanks again for your hard work.

110 =========== Bob Lacovara *AT* Philadelphia Glider Council - Hilltown, PA
I truly appreciate the effort you have put forth for the soaring community. BLIPMAP is a valuable resource. Many times I will print the 18Z predictions and post them at the flight desk at Philadelphia Glider Council. People are starting to catch on to the significance. Keep up the good work!

114 =========== Ramy Yanetz *AT* Hollister, CA
The web site layout can be improved by using menus (navigation bar) to access various pages such as news, faq, feedback, rather then having them all listed in one long list.

116 =========== ---------- *AT* P15
More a question - how would or where would ETA-BLIPMAPs provide better predictability for the northeast given the comparative dearth of significant topography?
Would be less helpful there than at places with more topography.  Might give a better sea breeze front prediction if that would be useful.  Main advantage for you would probably be longer range prediction. I am probably not the best respondent for your survey given my experience and the limitations of the ne Blipmaps but I will continue to follow the development and look for useful correlations. Thanks for your efforts.

117 =========== ---------- *AT* Caddo Mills, TX
We all appreciate the work you have put in to make this tool available. Keep up the great effort!

119 =========== ---------- *AT* Pendleton, ONT, Canada
Keep up the good work!

120 =========== ---------- *AT* Monroe, GA
Great tool and quite reliable, especially in the real spring and summertime soaring season!

126 =========== Greg Arnold *AT* Santa Ynez, CA
Great resource, and I encourage you to keep improving on it.

129 =========== Hartley Falbaum *AT* Monroe, GA (D73)
Mostly helpful to task planning. Very nice for that. Many thanks

136 =========== Clay J Thomas *AT* Black Forest Soaring Society Elbert, CO
Jack, Your data helped me get 4th place in the U.S.A. Aerokurier online soaring contest in 2002! Thank you! Clay Thomas Parker, CO LS-3a

137 =========== ---------- *AT* Hinckley, IL
Thanks for all of your work on this project. When I started soaring over 20 years ago we had literally nothing available on a daily basis. Today, thanks to the Internet, soaring forecast programs and available soundings, and Dr. Jack we are armed with info that we could only dream about back then. Now when I drive out to the gliderport I have a reasonable chance of a good day!

143 =========== Doug Gray *AT* Truckee, Hollister, CA and Air Sailing, NV
Any chance of BLIPMAPs for British Columbia ? There are soaring sites just west of the Rockies, at Invermere and Golden for example. (Not all BC, just the triangle from long 118 deg W to the Alberta border).
That has now been done.

144 =========== Louis Fitzpatrick *AT* Philadephia Glider Council, Hilltown, PA
Great product and generally accurate & useful

145 =========== Dean Chantiles *AT* Warner Springs, CA
Thanks Dr. Jack for your hard work and a GREAT contribution to the soaring community! Dean Chantiles

146 =========== Sergio Colacevich *AT* Truckee/Williams, CA
I would like to take this occasion to thank you very much for your efforts. Your work is the best thing that happened to soaring forecasting in a long time. It magnifies considerably the enjoyment of a soaring day, allowing to select a task that is doable and that takes us in the best part of the soaring area in that particular day. It also helps avoiding flying in adverse conditions, like thunderstorms or areas of poor lift.

147 =========== Bob Fidler *AT* Ionia, MI
Blipmaps allow us to obtain a lot of information in a short period of time. I think about 95% of soaring community relies on a major amount of the information available from blipmaps.

148 =========== ---------- *AT* Front Royal, VA (Skyline Soaring Club)
I would like to thank you for making this excellent product freely available. I am a RAOB user, but it is very time-consuming. The wealth of information BLIPMAP gives me at a quick glance is extremely valuable. Extending the range of the forecast to three days would be VERY VERY extremely valuable for strategic planning to utilize the best soaring conditions! I really like the pictorial meteograms at the following site: http://www.usairnet.com/weather.htm. Click on the "Launch Code" button and select a location. It shows me in an instant what's happening at (near) my site today and over the next 3 days, flying-wise. I think the creator of the site uses ETA data. Very useful. I currently use the FSL site for "Spot Graphs", by keeping a list of coordinates that I can quickly copy and paste. This is only useful, though, on the morning of the flight after 8:15, and it's very time-consuming. Good luck with your future upgrades.

152 =========== Mike Koerner *AT* Crystalaire, CA
Explain that your seeking money up front, instead of waiting until the end.

153 =========== ---------- *AT* KLGU in UT
I love them in general. We are still learning what to trust and not to here in the Northern Utah (UT, ID, WY, NV corner). We have many influences that make them less useful so far, but looking forward to improvements and out learning of how to use them.

159 =========== James L Lamb *AT* Whitewater, WI
Would love to see you at SSA/USHGA convention. Also, both airsports could use your monthly contribution to the magazines, ala Tom Bradbury. It would help educate the large percentage of pilots that don't use your product, or haven't bothered (yet) to sophisticate themselves; and would grow the use of your website/subscription base! Thanks for your great work. It's truly appreciated.

160 =========== GUY ACHESON *AT* MEV, NV
The best single soaring weather tool I know of. It might be a thought for and "enhanced" subscription service to include Doug Armstrong's comments.

161 =========== Dale Kramer *AT* Harris Hill, NY
Hope you will be at SSA convention and if you are I will look you up. I believe your Blipmaps are the best thing to happen in soaring since the introduction of GPS and are truly a revolution of the same magnitude. I have promoted your Blipmaps vigourously here in the Northeast and would help in any way that I could to ensure that they continue to be provided on the web.

162 =========== ---------- *AT* Salida, CO
I am a telecommuter with a flexible work schedule. BLIPMAP is a wonderful tool for me to plan my work versus soaring. Working on understanding it better.

164 =========== ---------- *AT* MEV Minden, NV
Go for it.

165 =========== ---------- *AT* Crazy Creek (Middletown) CA
I am not useing the Blipmap right now because I don't know how to use it to predict wave. Also wave is easier to predict. In general I find it to be a great resourse and so do folks I fly with. This was reinforced at the recent PASCO safety seminar where there was a presentation on Blipmaps. I often campare it with pireps I read from CCS, Williams, and Hollister. I have not found the TIP map for Crazy Creek as predictive. It often underestimates lift perhaps because take into account the local ridges that produce good thermals. I know that Jim Indrebo feels that way.

166 =========== Al *AT* MEV
Keep it going Jack. Al

168 =========== ---------- *AT* Hollister CA
Fantastic work, and a real contribution to soaring of all kinds. THANKYOU!!

169 =========== Chris Cioffi *AT* Manquin Flight Park, Richmond, VA
It was longer that I expected, I didn't know what kind of details you would be seeking. I'm a relatively new pilot (a little over 2 yrs.) and it was only earlier this year that I really started paying close attention to the weather. If it exists, links to quality material on learning about soaring weather would be really good. Book reviews of weather texts may also be usefull. Thank you very much for providing this service. It is greatly appreciated by those of us who use it.