AK7274;
I am an ATPL holder advancing into middle age. I own a PA32 and an LAA homebuilt. I have voted to take the award away from T C-T as I believe it was given in good faith for an "achievement" that was at best a good jolly, at worst a publicity seeking ripoff.
Because I own an LAA homebuilt I am forced to be a member of the LAA and pay their subs and other fees. I require the LAA to stand up and prove to me that they are fit to hold the role they have within GA. There have been various weasel words from the LAA about this subject, I require honesty. If they cannot be honest about this then I believe they are not fit to hold the (effectively) regulatory role they do. Can I trust them to be utterly honest about permit type approvals etc? I don't think the LAA realise that some of their membership see this subject in such a way. It is not just about some pilot flying a flight others have flown before, and over stating their prowess, it is now for the LAA to prove their integrity, to prove their suitability for their role and for T C-T to finally be up-front.
Finally: I have met the lady concerned, at Goodwood. I was very unimpressed. I have met her type before, I am never impressed by pilots boasting of their brilliance when others have achieved so much more with so much less.
If you require proof of my bona fides i am happy to show you my license and log books so that you may see I am no troll, just a professional aviator who requires standards from all those he has to work with, just as my employer, fellow pilots, ATC, the CAA and LAA require certain standards of me.
Finally T C-T, if you read this, I flew 19 solo, single engine transatlantic trips in the late 90's, early 2000's, 16 solo trips to sub-Saharan Africa, three to the Cape. it isn't difficult, and if you think it is then, as I have posted before, you are an utterly inadequate pilot, worthy of re-training, not awards.
SND