I haven't posted on here for a while but thought it a real shame reading what's been posted on the last few posts.
as one who has been greatly despised (to some toe-curling degree I hasten to add!) by TVOC management for a considerable time, due to my voicing my own grave concerns about the management of the project since October 2007, it would be all too easy to simply say "I told you so!" Not quite though.
what brunty558 has said, several of us have known for quite a while, along with a lot of other stuff. However, it's a great pity that it's 'come to light' now, as this is the first time in quite a while that I personally have felt positive about 558's future. I know that seems daft, given the current financial situation and the Sword of Damocles hanging over 558, but my reasoning is actually very simple - the new management structure!
Various things that I have been working on for over a year are finally beginning to bear fruit, with respect to publicity and funding for 558. Putting it into plain English, Rusty's departure is the best thing to happen in a long long time; she was a completely disorganised and counterproductive control-freak, determined to have her fingers in every pie, whether it was the concern of the Commercial Manager or not.
I had many spats with her, usually resulting in her editing or deleting my posts on the forum and even various threats of legal action (to which i always replied "bring it on!") All to try and silence me and promote her own version of the truth. The more I learned about her 'management style' the more I realised just how much she (and a few others) were getting away with and the resulting mess that TVOC certainly was. Now her role has been re-ordered and filled by someone who actually seems to 'get it'!
Hallelujah!
my emails now get answered promptly, telephone calls happen as planned and finally it appears that there IS someone at the helm that GENUINELY thinks of 558 as OUR aeroplane, with many valuable supporters who have good ideas! That, believe me, is a completely new concept for TVOC!
my only caveat to all of that is that 'things' got too far down the slope for too long - so much so that the new structure and people will have a much harder task than they might have had six or twelve months ago; so much damage has been done. If things continue in the positive way that they have shown so far, there are certain people whose faces simply won't fit anymore - by default. Thus the transformation will be complete!
seeing things slide further and further down the slippery slope over the past few months, I really never thought I'd hear myself saying this but things ARE looking better, little bit by little bit. I'm a long way off shouting the sickening "Keep the Faith" battle-cry, but I now have far more confidence in the management than at any time in the past.
brunty558, thanks for the stalwart effort and support you've given over the months and years - I'm sorry that you've been driven to your decision, but I genuinely hope that I'm proved right in the medium term and you can possibly reconsider in the future.
sm