An Open Letter to GA - From CAA Complaints
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An Open Letter to GA - From CAA Complaints
Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.
Over the past year we have begun to see the beginnings of unprecedented changes in the CAA.
Some changes will take time to develop, some are already bearing fruit. But what is resoundingly clear is that the path on which the CAA had set itself, the path which would have led to the ultimate demise of general aviation in the United Kingdom, has been shifted.
It is no coincidence that these changes, from introducing a complaints procedure, to the creation of the new GA unit, to the new policies and direction that will be taken as announced in parliament, have come at the time that CAA complaints has been pushing for such changes.
We could not have had this impact without the wave of support that came from people across the country; from students, pilots, business owners, engineers and everyone in-between. To all of you for your support, even those that could not do so openly, we give our thanks.
Since the CAA was formed in 1972 no other lobbying group, association or club has had the success that we have had in bringing about beneficial changes to the authority. That is not to say that none tried. Over the years many have tried and some had partial successes, but organisations that challenged the CAA did so at their own risk. They always had to negotiate from an inferior position, with concessions granted as favours by the authority, rather than speaking as equals.
It will take time for attitudes and old ways of thinking to change, on both sides. It will take time for the right people to come into the right positions. It will take time for the CAA to see how great the benefits will be when general aviation is treated with the esteem that it deserves. It will take time for us to rebuild and inspire a new chapter in the history of general aviation in this country.
It is our hope that on these new foundations, general aviation in the United Kingdom will build new confidence and move from strength to strength. In order, as was said in the statement to parliament by Robert Goodwill and Grant Shapps, ‘to make the UK the best country in the world for General Aviation.’
Often it has been said that success has many fathers, but that failure is an orphan. We recognise that this statement will hold true now as it always has done before. Many may be aware of the person who started CAA Complaints Ltd. Some may also know details of the circumstances under which he was forced into action, which has ultimately led to the exceptional changes over the past year. We have no interest in revelling, or glory, only that others should recognise that seemingly impossible changes can be made by those determined to do so, and that they will learn from, and benefit from, our example of these past months.
Over one hundred years ago Theodore Roosevelt made a speech in which he outlined the character and prerequisites of those that choose to spend themselves on a worthy cause. This excerpt has since become known as ‘the man in the arena’;
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
We write to you in order to let you know that everyone can make a difference, to create a better future for GA.
Yours Faithfully,
CAA Complaints
Over the past year we have begun to see the beginnings of unprecedented changes in the CAA.
Some changes will take time to develop, some are already bearing fruit. But what is resoundingly clear is that the path on which the CAA had set itself, the path which would have led to the ultimate demise of general aviation in the United Kingdom, has been shifted.
It is no coincidence that these changes, from introducing a complaints procedure, to the creation of the new GA unit, to the new policies and direction that will be taken as announced in parliament, have come at the time that CAA complaints has been pushing for such changes.
We could not have had this impact without the wave of support that came from people across the country; from students, pilots, business owners, engineers and everyone in-between. To all of you for your support, even those that could not do so openly, we give our thanks.
Since the CAA was formed in 1972 no other lobbying group, association or club has had the success that we have had in bringing about beneficial changes to the authority. That is not to say that none tried. Over the years many have tried and some had partial successes, but organisations that challenged the CAA did so at their own risk. They always had to negotiate from an inferior position, with concessions granted as favours by the authority, rather than speaking as equals.
It will take time for attitudes and old ways of thinking to change, on both sides. It will take time for the right people to come into the right positions. It will take time for the CAA to see how great the benefits will be when general aviation is treated with the esteem that it deserves. It will take time for us to rebuild and inspire a new chapter in the history of general aviation in this country.
It is our hope that on these new foundations, general aviation in the United Kingdom will build new confidence and move from strength to strength. In order, as was said in the statement to parliament by Robert Goodwill and Grant Shapps, ‘to make the UK the best country in the world for General Aviation.’
Often it has been said that success has many fathers, but that failure is an orphan. We recognise that this statement will hold true now as it always has done before. Many may be aware of the person who started CAA Complaints Ltd. Some may also know details of the circumstances under which he was forced into action, which has ultimately led to the exceptional changes over the past year. We have no interest in revelling, or glory, only that others should recognise that seemingly impossible changes can be made by those determined to do so, and that they will learn from, and benefit from, our example of these past months.
Over one hundred years ago Theodore Roosevelt made a speech in which he outlined the character and prerequisites of those that choose to spend themselves on a worthy cause. This excerpt has since become known as ‘the man in the arena’;
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
We write to you in order to let you know that everyone can make a difference, to create a better future for GA.
Yours Faithfully,
CAA Complaints
Nothing personal CAA complaints, but what a bunch of longwinded pompous self promoting rhetoric.
Many hardworking organisations: AOPA, LAA, RAeS, BMAA, BGA.... have put dozens of man-years into influencing CAA, generally to good effect, in the favour of GA. Your non-organisation is trying to take the credit for all their hard work over many years, on the basis of your self appointed and anonymous role as industry "whinge-centre".
Actually I take back the first bit. Feel free to take this personally.
G
Many hardworking organisations: AOPA, LAA, RAeS, BMAA, BGA.... have put dozens of man-years into influencing CAA, generally to good effect, in the favour of GA. Your non-organisation is trying to take the credit for all their hard work over many years, on the basis of your self appointed and anonymous role as industry "whinge-centre".
Actually I take back the first bit. Feel free to take this personally.
G
I vaguely remember reading, I think on here, about "CAA Complaints" and looking at their website. The impression I got at the time was that it was something of a crackpot site set up by someone with an axe to grind, and I have never heard anything about it since.
I certainly don't believe that it has had the slightest effect in causing the CAA to make any changes; I think Genghis has already covered the organisations who deserve the credit there.
I certainly don't believe that it has had the slightest effect in causing the CAA to make any changes; I think Genghis has already covered the organisations who deserve the credit there.
