Briefly ..
Add-on benefits for us were retrieving back to the launch point, and cable retrieves. The key is having the right ratio of students to aircraft/instructors. Too many students and, as well as not flying, there's not enough support work to keep them busy and interested.
Although I'm reasonably hi-tech in everyday life, I am (so far) a fairly lo-tech flier. Maybe I need to get real (I feel a thread starter coming on). I guess money saved by GPs on hourly costs can be spent on tech stuff.
I am reasonably familiar with a 40 mile radius of my home field, but you're right, I was always within 4 or 5 miles of Lasham, i.e. in sight.
ATC is interesting - there was also a fly-in while we at Lasham - everything from Cub to Twister to DC3.
Relief. Well in my case it's part of my pre-flight checks and post-flight actions. It's never yet been an in-flight emergency (odd, that's not in any of the check lists I've seen. Another thread-starter?). Pray tell more.
SD