New board Members 2011-2013

[Guest davidh10]

Those new reps planning on large mailing lists may get a rude surprise when you discover that your ISP limits the number of addressees of an email to help defeat SPAM Bots. Different ISPs may have different limits or none at all, but I've seen the limit set as low as 25. The only way to get around that if you encounter it is to register with your ISP as a business that needs to send large numbers of broadcast emails.

 

It would be much better if RA-Aus had a proper email list manager into which members could "Subscribe" and Reps could send to the list(s).

 

P.S. I don't use FB either :-)

 

 

[Admin]

You have to remember the history of the RAAus having their own email list (a type of pseudo forum which is done by email)...it was scrapped by the RAAus about 7 years ago due to the legal implications it placed on the RAAus. Remember that the RAAus can NOT stop a member from using it as a member being a part owner has the right to use it. The last one turned into a dogs breakfast that was commanded by a few to really attack the RAAus and the board and to sell their wares free of charge to every other member.

 

We have seen on here, an independent site, the politics that go on so you can imagine what will happen, as what happened before, if the RAAus had their own type of forum where members can say what they like about the board and politics...and who will spend the huge amount of time running it, anyone that does will have themselves right in the line of fire for what return and as soon as they moderate just one post BANG, they're gone as that will spread through the internet like wild fire.

 

In my opinion, and I am very biased offcourse, is that they are far better off to create a far better relationship with this site by way of a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and that way an agreement is put in place that benefits the RAAus and this site together providing for no cost in money or time to the RAAus and a satisfactory relationship between the two once and for all. The problem with this concept is that perhaps some of the current board have personal agendas against this site rather then what is best for the RAAus and the members and fix the issue between this site and them.

 

As a side matter you could imagine how much the RAAus could benefit from the technologies used on this site. In Feb the new RAAus website was to go ahead and completed within a couple of weeks. It was said that the cost of $13,000 would be offset by the revenue gained from advertising space sold on the site. An offer (from myself) was put in at a price of $1 and completed in 2 weeks which was rejected. The date the site completion was then moved from March to May to July...I said back then that it would at least be August...we are now past mid August and still no new site so this means the RAAus has lost around $20,000 of members money and it is growing...the $13,000 of development cost and 6 months + of advertising revenue NOT to mention the Opportunity Cost of $20,000 at say at least 6% at simple bank interest or perhaps up to 15% of Opportunity Cost if the $20,000 was used for other income generating projects. (I am willing to bet board members would go running to Google to do a search on the words Opportunity Cost now but it is a standard financial term).

 

Remember this site can be used by the RAAus in a very beneficial way if only they could manage FOR the RAAus and the members instead of..........

 

 

[winsor68]

You have to remember the history of the RAAus having their own email list (a type of pseudo forum which is done by email)...it was scrapped by the RAAus about 7 years ago due to the legal implications it placed on the RAAus. Remember that the RAAus can NOT stop a member from using it as a member being a part owner has the right to use it. The last one turned into a dogs breakfast that was commanded by a few to really attack the RAAus and the board and to sell their wares free of charge to every other member.We have seen on here, an independent site, the politics that go on so you can imagine what will happen, as what happened before, if the RAAus had their own type of forum where members can say what they like about the board and politics...and who will spend the huge amount of time running it, anyone that does will have themselves right in the line of fire for what return and as soon as they moderate just one post BANG, they're gone as that will spread through the internet like wild fire.

 

In my opinion, and I am very biased offcourse, is that they are far better off to create a far better relationship with this site by way of a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and that way an agreement is put in place that benefits the RAAus and this site together providing for no cost in money or time to the RAAus and a satisfactory relationship between the two once and for all. The problem with this concept is that perhaps some of the current board have personal agendas against this site rather then what is best for the RAAus and the members and fix the issue between this site and them.

 

As a side matter you could imagine how much the RAAus could benefit from the technologies used on this site. In Feb the new RAAus website was to go ahead and completed within a couple of weeks. It was said that the cost of $13,000 would be offset by the revenue gained from advertising space sold on the site. An offer (from myself) was put in at a price of $1 and completed in 2 weeks which was rejected. The date the site completion was then moved from March to May to July...I said back then that it would at least be August...we are now past mid August and still no new site so this means the RAAus has lost around $20,000 of members money and it is growing...the $13,000 of development cost and 6 months + of advertising revenue NOT to mention the Opportunity Cost of $20,000 at say at least 6% at simple bank interest or perhaps up to 15% of Opportunity Cost if the $20,000 was used for other income generating projects. (I am willing to bet board members would go running to Google to do a search on the words Opportunity Cost now but it is a standard financial term).

 

Remember this site can be used by the RAAus in a very beneficial way if only they could manage FOR the RAAus and the members instead of..........

So what processes does the board have in place to investigate this and work out how to stop it happening again? Going around in circles is not good governance... having no system to find out why is governing on the criminal...

 

 

[winsor68]

There are more than a few here that wish all the political wrangling would go somewhere else and we just get back to the fun side of aviation. Perhaps RA-Aus will provide a home for some of the more serious stuff.Thanks Ian.

In my opinion....I think we have to keep in mind that this site and it's "Politics" is essential to the core reason for having this site for me.

 

Its not all fun and games and chatting about your flight today or who went solo... this is the icing on the cake for us all. Its my opinion that the this site being a separate identity is essential to good governance... Otherwise we are back in the situation where you have the potential for a board to only tell its membership what it thinks they want to hear.

 

If Ra-Aus starts its own Forum for discussing its operations it would be in addition to this site... and not replace the political content... As for those that don't like it... you can always change channels.

 

Just my opinion for our newly elected Board Members... Thanks to you all again and to outgoing member Ian...

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

time for my 5c (that’s in Zimbabwean currency for those that think I’m overselling my worth )

 

The fact that people discuss RAA and politics on this site I see as healthy and of no concern to RAA or board members in a formal sense. That political discussion is a peripheral activity not central to the existence of this site and its subsequent moves to commercialisation.

 

The moment that it becomes a, or worse, the formal communication mechanism for RAA and its board members then I would be uncomfortable as their is no commercial arrangement in place between RAA and Ian and or family that sets out the obligations on both parties, nor is this published within the RAA mag and or website as the place to come when you want to ask a formal question.

 

To operate without a commercial agreement would be crazy for both parties. Obviously Ian offered and RAA declined, which ultimately says that there is no commercial arrangement. While RAA might intend to put up an alternate form it hasn’t happened yet and as such it would be easy for things to just happen and before you know it this is the pseudo site. That would be equally wrong. If the new board members need to communicate with the members then they need to do it within the constraints of what RAA offers them now to achieve that, or argue that a commercial arrangement be put in place with certainty for all.

 

Andy

 

 

[bushpilot]

That's a very, very poor voter turnout!

I agree.. So that's 83% of the membership that have no right to complain if they get part way through the year feeling that they are not being properly represented..

 

 

[cazza]

[Hi Ed and Don,

 

As you know, Iwas doing quite a lot of jobs for the organisation as a Board Member. It became very difficult and time consuming when I had to contact the office who contacted a member, who then asked the member to contact me, because of the privacy document wording. The Board passed a motion to change the document to say that no information would be given out to anyone except Board members engaging in BOARD business for the BOARD. That would allow those Board Members only who actually work for the organisation to contact those members they needed to contact without going through the office and wasting more time and money. That was passed in 2009. At every Board meeting I asked if the documentation had been updated and it still hasn't. It required the changing of only a few words. I know this is not the mass distribution you are talking about, but you have to know how difficult getting anything done can be - even something simple.

 

Cazza

 

 

[Ed Herring]

[Hi Ed and Don,As you know, Iwas doing quite a lot of jobs for the organisation as a Board Member. It became very difficult and time consuming when I had to contact the office who contacted a member, who then asked the member to contact me, because of the privacy document wording. The Board passed a motion to change the document to say that no information would be given out to anyone except Board members engaging in BOARD business for the BOARD. That would allow those Board Members only who actually work for the organisation to contact those members they needed to contact without going through the office and wasting more time and money. That was passed in 2009. At every Board meeting I asked if the documentation had been updated and it still hasn't. It required the changing of only a few words. I know this is not the mass distribution you are talking about, but you have to know how difficult getting anything done can be - even something simple.

Cazza

Hi Cazza

 

Your tireless efforts at Natfly over several years has definately been noted and appreciated by all of the Membership that attended. You are more aware than most that any event relies on the volunteers because it will simply not happen without them. I certainly trust that you will be heavily involved with Natfly 2012. Obviously i am still naive regarding the boards history, but with your experience and skill and of course local contacts at Temora, we should assist you to do this onerous task as much as we can. ( obviously i am praying that you are willing )

 

On another matter completely i would love to see some of your previously published and excelent educational articles reprinted in our Magazine.... hint hint...!

 

Best Regards

 

ED

 

 

[johnm]

Congratulations to the new board members - there has to be something speacial in a person to take such a position

 

The people that want to vote give a true indication of the vote - no need having people that don't want to .............. voting for no good reason.

 

Also probably; the people that don't vote, trust & rely on the people in this thread that understand the complexities of the politics. The people that don't vote probably are not even interrested in any issues involved ................................ power to the people

 

I don't reckon there is anything wrong in that viewpoint - that you don't have to partake in the 'vote'. I agree with the comments that there should be some sort of separation between the licensor / regulator and this web-site ? - otherwise how can we take a swing at them ? .............................. although we need to keep giving Ian - the site administrator - more work !

 

JM

 

 

[gavinthobaven]

My apologies to the forum for not getting on sooner.

 

I wish to start by thanking Ed Smith for all the work he has done representing WA and he has left me big shoes to fill.

 

Thanks also to everyone who voted in the election. I am very thankful for everyone who voted for me and I hope I can live up to your expectations. As you would see I only scraped in and that reflects on the esteem that Ed has been held in by the membership. You might think it sounds strange but I thank everyone who voted for Ed, I am glad that you take the process seriously enough to put pen to paper and contribute to it. We need to encourage our members to be a part of the system as it is only strong if we all take ownership of it.

 

Congratulations to all elected representatives and I look forward to working with you all. You will find me to be a person who debates strongly on matters that are important to me and the members I represent. My debate is always directed at the matter at hand and never at the individual debating any contrary view. I look forward to working together to the benefit of all of our members.

 

I encourage all members, particularly those in WA, to contact me to discuss matters of importance in relation to RA-Aus. I can be best contacted on my preferred email address of gavinthobaven at iinet (.net.au)

 

(note, to email the above address, replace at with @ and remove brackets...done this way to stop spam - Ian)

 

I intend doing visits to as many RA-Aus clubs as possible so I would be very grateful if you could advise me of the regular meeting dates of your club so I can arrange to drop in.

 

Thank you for the kind wishes expressed on these pages and I look forward to catching up with as many of you as I can.

 

Kind regards

 

Gavin Thobaven

 

 

[cazza]

Hi CazzaI certainly trust that you will be heavily involved with Natfly 2012. Obviously i am still naive regarding the boards history, but with your experience and skill and of course local contacts at Temora, we should assist you to do this onerous task as much as we can. ( obviously i am praying that you are willing )

 

On another matter completely i would love to see some of your previously published and excelent educational articles reprinted in our Magazine.... hint hint...!

 

Best Regards

 

ED

Hi Ed and Don,

 

I am a passionate member of this organisation and of course I continue to work for it. I am in the States now negotiating with a member of staff from Van's Aircraft to get them to come to Natfly and run sessions for the prospective and interested aircraft builders. Because I have organised the program for Natfly for 6 years, I have many contacts, not just the locals, but the people with skills and knowledge that are willing to provide forums. So I am more than happy to do as much or as little as is asked of me. Several people on this forum have put up their hands to help and it would be good if we could carve up the responsibilities; someone to organise the program for non-pilots (ladies), someone to organise the dinner, someone to organise the aircraft judging, someone to do the program, someone to organise something for the kids etc.

 

I am also beginning to write some new educational articles which I will in time submit to our new magazine. I am not upset with the organisation. I served it well and I will continue to if needed. I am glad you lot are putting up with the politics and that means I have more time to devote to the areas in which I can make a difference.

 

Best of luck.

 

Cazza

 

 

[Powerin]

I am in the States now negotiating with a member of staff from Van's Aircraft to get them to come to Natfly and run sessions for the prospective and interested aircraft builders. Because I have organised the program for Natfly for 6 years, I have many contacts, not just the locals, but the people with skills and knowledge that are willing to provide forums.

Wow Caz, you don't do things in halves! You want a builders forum so you go straight the biggest (I think) kit manufacturer in the world! Thanks for all you do for us.

And congrats to all our new board members!

 

 

[shags_j]

Man, seems in QLD here we have troubles reading instructions properly. sad to say I didn't receive my notice until too late (my address was not updated properly).

 

Grats to all the new board members and thanks again to Ian for providing the site for us as well as being a rep on the board and putting up with all that that entails.

 

cheers,

 

Shags