by David Habercom, President
World Class Soaring Association

   On 12 July 1999, five organizations co-hosted a meeting in Leszno, Poland, for the purpose of initiating a coordinated international marketing effort on behalf of the World Class and the PW-5 glider. This is my personal account.

    The sponsors were IGC, Warsaw University of Technology, DWLKK (a research and development firm in Warsaw), the Aeroclub of Poland, and WCSA. Prof. Piero Morelli, chair of IGC's World Class Subcommittee, represented IGC. Prof. Krzysztof Kedzior, chair of the university's Institute of Aeronautics & Applied Mechanics, and several of his faculty represented WUT. Krzysztof Drabarek, president of DWLKK, and his technical director, Rafal Mikke, stood for their company. Waldemar Ratajczak represented the Aeroclub. WCSA director Conrad Suechting and I attended from WCSA. Twenty-eight convened, including representatives from four manufacturers with an expressed interest in the World Class. I served as moderator.

   When WCSA first proposed a World Class marketing meeting in mid-1998, we used the hyperbolic "summit" label out of urgency. Many of those closest to the class felt a deep foreboding about the future, which by all common sense should enjoy spectacular success. Though we received little support for the idea of the meeting at the time, six months later dismal sales figures released by PZL-Swidnik, the only company actually building the PW-5, made the crisis clear to everybody, and the summit began to take shape quickly. Everyone now understood that the World Class had reached the lowest point in its short history. Swidnik's sales had dropped to near zero. Combined with a low turnout for the World Class World Championships, the sales slump shook confidence in the class at all levels, including in IGC, and generated speculation that no one was interested in the little glider, and the class would fail.

   Adding fuel to the doubt was Swidnik's remarkable inadequacy in even the most rudimentary marketing practices: no promotions, no package deals, no advertising, no demonstrations, needless delays in removing an artificially low operating ceiling, disinclination to install refinements, and a disregard for customer relations bordering on the arrogant. The company's manners frustrated the class's most ardent supporters. All this stood in stark contrast to the sale of 220 PW-5s in less than four years, almost universally positive pilot reports, and enthusiastic endorsements from every owner. More astonishing, a 1995 university marketing study had projected hypothetical sales of up to 4000 units worldwide - if manufacturers would undertake aggressive marketing programs, something which soaring had not seen since the days of the American company, Schweizer, which had focused only on the US.

   When we convened the "World Class Summit" at 10 AM, we needed to accomplish two things: lay the foundation for a coordinated marketing effort worldwide, and entice at least one additional manufacturer to enter the World Class within the next few months. Only a manufacturer could justify the financial commitment required for a proper promotional campaign, and only then would the efforts of World Class supporters have much impact. And if a new manufacturer did not appear before year's end, many of us believed we could, as we say in American slang, kiss the class goodbye. I can report that we achieved both goals, and I will get to some details below.

   To its credit, PZL-Swidnik sent a delegation, including its commercial director, Ryszard Cukierman, and directors of its glider program, marketing, and sales. And, to its credit, all except Mr. Cukierman stayed for the duration, despite getting beaten up again and again by every speaker who alluded to the company's miserable track record. Prof. Morelli began the presentations with an overview of the present unhappy state of affairs and his opinions about how we got there. Even his gentle manner did not mask the blame he attributed to Swidnik. But he went further and said he would be to new kinds of international World Class events and a possible "time extension of the World Class glider beyond 2009 (15 years after the type certification of the PW-5, in March 1994)."

   Norbert Niessler of Austria's Diamond Aircraft talked about how to shape an ambitious marketing program and emphasized that the manufacturer needed to commit significant money to promotions in order to penetrate this market. Germany's widely honored Fred Weinholtz followed with a powerful and compelling case for the cost-effectiveness of the PW-5/PW-6 combination for clubs when compared to present alternatives. (More on the PW-6 below.) He noted with frustration the failure of German manufacturers to recognize the PW-5 as the glider which could best enlarge the market pyramid on top of which they precariously perch.

   Prof. Miroslaw Rodzewicz reported on WUT's ongoing fatigue tests of the PW-5, now indicating at least 9000 hours of flying life, which allows certification up to 4000 hours. Mr. Cukierman spoke for Swidnik, making no apologies for past performance but acknowledging that the company might have done some things a little better. He went on to say that 1) the company will continue to manufacture the PW-5, 2) will begin production of the PW-6 when prototype tests have concluded, and 3) will continue to invest no money in marketing, since its financial circumstances will not allow it.

   Mr. Mikke presented DWLKK's offer to assist any manufacturer in building molds for the PW-5 and PW-6, and described a list of parts it is prepared to manufacture, as well as some retro-fit parts for existing ships. (DWLKK built the -5 and -6 prototypes.)

   Conrad Suechting and I described the components of a comprehensive marketing program, beginning with pricing strategies and ending with techniques for keeping customers loyal. We aimed to encourage World Class manufacturers to abandon the mannerly practices that sell high-end ships and push aggressively to achieve the broad-based appeal envisioned in the 1995 market study.

   Prof. Ratajczak closed the presentations with an impassioned appeal to take soaring to the Olympics, the ultimate marketing venue.

   Several hours of general discussion followed, during which WCSA promised to a section on its web site devoted to factual and documented information about the World Class, designed mainly to combat the persistent and sometimes irresponsible rumors that have filled the information vacuum so far.

   Did a new manufacturer step forward and commit to the World Class? Yes. I regret that I cannot at this time say who it is, but I can say that the company has access to the necessary capital and seems ready to devote very substantial assets to a worldwide marketing push. I have talked to the principals at length about the hard realities of money, and they seem ready and able. All glider pilots, they intend to manufacture both the 5 and 6 and offer them in a package to clubs. Their target price of less than DM100,000 would make the package an exceptional value. If events unfold as I hope - and have good reason to expect - we could hear an announcement within months and see the beginning of production in the first half of 2000.

   As for the PW-6, I can say it looks and flies like a heavy PW-5. An approaching storm abbreviated my one test flight, and in any case I lack the piloting experience to offer a significant evaluation. We will have to wait a while for a proper report. But one thing is certain: the 6 in combination with the 5 will attract a lot of attention.

   In summary: the meeting accomplished the necessary and probably all the possible. The next few months will determine whether this remarkable journey continues into the distant future or comes to a premature end. I, for one, have gone in one day from dark foreboding to strong optimism that the World Class will begin growing again - and can, indeed, strengthen our sport for the benefit of all classes and pilots.