BOPA

[Mr Brewster]

Is anyone on the new AOPA Board not from Bankstown?

[thorn bird]

err?? is that a problem?

[Aussie Bob]

Is anyone on the new AOPA Board not from Bankstown?

it's probably easiest for them to all be together so they can drop whatever they are doing and fawn to CASA whenever required.

[Mr Brewster]

It is a problem if my membership fees are just being used to fight YSBK problems.

[LeadSled]

It is a problem if my membership fees are just being used to fight YSBK problems. Mr. B,
Even if they were doing that, it would be something.
At least the new President has a pulse -- .
Tootle pip!!
PS: The answer to your question is yes, look up the web site.

[Mr Brewster]

Sorry, I don't feel an obligation to support Bankstown.

I get better representation from SAAA and my aeroplane isn't even a homebuilt!

So unless AOPA lifts its game and gives up on Bankstown centricity I don't see why I should renew.

But I take your point about a pulse. The last few years have been positively gerriatric!

Shot out.

[Lookleft]

Doesn't AOPA just represent the disfunction that exists in GA?:E

[Mr Brewster]

AOPA has be fked since a couple of millionaires used it as a plaything or route into high office.

It never recovered from that. The last decade has been a forelock tugging disaster.

[Frank Arouet]

Oh! Goodness, history being re written again. The last decade represented what happens when millionaires aren't involved and the bureau-servants get hold of the reigns. I was going to give the new bloke a go to see how things worked out before I made comment, but too late I guess. The experts are at it already.

[Aussie Bob]

Oh! Goodness, history being re written again. The last decade represented what happens when millionaires aren't involved and the bureau-servants get hold of the reigns

Couldn't agree more, the millionaires were the best chance we ever had and we blew it.

Dunno Frank, the new bloke is too little too late I reckon. I quit a couple of years ago after being a member for over 20 years. Wrote them a letter explaining why and never even got a reply, nada, nothing. Heck a couple of lines could have talked me into rejoining. They don't give a ****e about GA, their members or anything much but pandering to CASA in return for advertising bucks.

[Mr Brewster]

I too wrote them a letter about membership, same thing. No reply.

I wrote about the bull****e CASA prop AD. No reply.

I wrote about medical issues and Avmad, no reply.

I find it interesting that three directors resigned within a month of each other in 2009 and nothing was said. At least two of those are no longer members.

I wrote the same letters (except membership) to SAAA and got instant replies. I get 6c a litre from them as well. Guess which membership I am keeping.

[Sunfish]

It is not unusual for "membership organisations" to get "captured" by the bureaucrats and politicians.

It isn't very hard; "we don't want to talk to individuals, you are the voice of the industry,we want to talk to you."

…'The Minister would like to know your views".

…."The Minister would like to meet you in his office in Parliament"

.."we are having a little cocktail party"……


its very easy.

Instead of telling the government what your members want, you end up telling your members what the Government wants……...

[Capt Fathom]

You've made your point Brewster.

Good luck with your endeavours!

[triadic]

In 1995, AOPA had over 10,000 members, with a committee member in most states. By 2000 or thereabouts it was down to less than 4000. I don't know what it is now, but the damage done in that period was significant and although we all need a strong and respected representative body to provide a unified voice for GA, it seems to be a big ask. There are far too many pulling in different directions and what AOPA needs more than anything else is a strong, respected and knowledgeable leader who is not afraid to bang the table occasionally for the greater good and help bring GA together and keep those that we have to deal with open and honest. If the new President is that man, then lets see him out there - it would I am sure bring back some that tossed their membership in back then. The GA industry need this (strong and good representation) now more than anything.

[gerry111]

So true, Triadic.


But that is a massive ask.

[LeadSled]

Mr. B,
Have you ever nominated for the AOPA Board?
After all, it's all volunteers, and seldom much competition for the regular (as demanded by the constitution) vacancies.
Do you want to have a dog in the race, or just sit on your arse and bark??
Tootle pip!!

[Mr Brewster]

Heh heh.

Nice fishing leaddie.

Ta ta.

[LeadSled]

Mr. B,
I am not the least bit interested in whether you have or have not, or what your identity might be, but I get very tired of demands that "they should do something", when the "demander" has not the slightest interest in making a personal or volunteer contribution to the general good.

As for SAAA "representing your interested", in my opinion there is no organisation that has pursued the warm embrace of CASA more assiduously than SAAA, all the while trying to regain the power and income they (SAAA) had prior 1998.

Forget the revisionism and happy slogan, the SAAA fought the introduction of the US style Experimental certificates (for anything, not just amateur built) tooth and nail, in an attempt to retain the control and cash flow the old AABA system granted them.

They lost, to the very great gain of the amateur builders and Australian aviation in general.

For their efforts, CASA have granted SAAA a monopoly on the Owner Builder maintenance course (whatever its proper name, and of course, it has precious little to do with maintenance, it is largely all about often irrelevant paperwork) and it is a nice little earner.

Others who have wanted to produce a course (including one TAFE, I am advised), as provided for by the regulations, have been refused CASA approval out of hand.


Tootle pip!!

[Mr Brewster]

Well Leaddie, does more than 5 years on 'the Board' count.

Not impressed with the old school or the current mob. But then, it was a total sh!tfight in the early 2000s.

SAAA. Well they had a bloody good go at CASA over AVMAD whereas AOPA just gave in.

But since about 2009 AOPA has just been a CASA fan club in my humble opinion. Truly sick of the million hour autopilot professionals pretending to represent GA. Perhaps why I prefer SAAA?

On a side note I see FAA has just released a service bulletin just after the CASA NPRM on propellors. Plagiarism perhaps? (CASA that is).

[LeadSled]

Perhaps why I prefer SAAA?


And just what good things have SAAA done, last I noticed even the fuel discount was available with AOPA.bSo what have SAAA's big achievements been, CASA wise.

FAA releasing "service bulletins" --- now there is a new concept, next thing you know, manufacturers will be issuing ADs.

I can't see that either have done much of any importance for their general membership in quite a while, and too much not in the member's interests.

I didn't here anything from either about the PIFR being emasculated, just one example. Serious input into Part 61 before it was too late??

Five years on the AOPA board, that narrows it down to to a big field of nonentities and malcontents of no particular achievement.

Tootle pip!!

[Sunfish]

My impression is that the SAAA is at least trying these days.

[LeadSled]

Sunny,
So true, trying, very trying.

Seriously, I am sure both organizations think they are going about things "the right way", but the facts are clear.

There has been no serious change in over regulation since the AOPA achievements between 1996 and 2000, and a number of the achievements of that era ( Part 21 and the PIFR are standouts) have been effectively reversed , without any serious effort to stop them.

Many vital things have been lost, the "CAR 35 Engineer" is one, the CASA substitute is expensive, inflexible and Oh! So bureaucratic. The "GP" of aircraft engineering is gone.

The SAAA trying to wind back some of the freedoms of the 1998 Experimental Amateur Built category is a betrayal of members.

I didn't note any serious comment about Part 61, and the debacle it has caused, along the way from either, or from other sections of the aviation community, for that matter.

Part 91 is the next debacle off the rank, with Part 135, the latter in particular will do dreadful damage to GA.

I have seen no evidence that either is much interested, or, for that matter, even understand the problem.

Tootle pip!!

[Sunfish]

Leady, I will try to keep my ears open at Ausfly.

[LeadSled]

Sunny,

I might come up for a day, but the last one was not very encouraging.

Narromine is a great venue, it is a pity RAOz abandoned it (and have now abandoned NatFly altogether), one year I counted over 500 aircraft on the ground , and the weekend count was a bit over 800 aircraft --- and about 25% were GA, not RAOz.

Tootle pip!!