North Queensland Board rep.......................

[Guest Maj Millard]

Much against my belief that sport and politics make very bad bedfellows, I have decided to throw my hat in the ring for the position of NQ board rep this time. I met a few of the current board members at natfly, (and some of the old ones!) and I do like the look of the current team led by my friend and fellow local Steve Runciman. There is a real good team in place there at the moment, and I'd be happy to add my imput.

 

My basic agenda will be for maintaining our sport with as minimum interference and regulation from CASA as possible. We are supposed to be a self-regulating organization, but CASA continues to try and mould us in their vision, not ours.

 

CASA is a contolling entity, have no doubts about that, and and if the new regs and requirements keep coming we will soon be 'the new GA', with all the same restrictions and financial excessive costs, that has bought GA to it's knees in recent years.

 

We need to strongly oppose those changes and stand alone on our organizations' strength, and good record that we have fought for in the past 25 years or so.

 

If you happen to have similiar views, your support would be appreciated........................Ross Millard 010233 L2

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

If I was in Qld, I'd happily support your candidacy. Good luck Ross.

 

I also agree with your comments about a good team.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Good luck with the campaign Ross.

 

All the best

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest Wigg]

Good luck with the campaign Ross.All the best

Pud

Good luck Ross if we were up there you would have both our votes also.

 

 

[facthunter]

Who are you up against Ross?. From what I have seen of you on this forum you seem to have the drive and focus for the job. I don't have the ability to vote for you . The organisation needs all the talent, experience and energy we can get. There are big challenges ahead. Nev

 

 

[winsor68]

Thankyou Ross...

 

Good luck and you have my support.

 

 

[Admin]

Are you standing against Runciman Ross?

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Well I don't know who I'm up against atm, don't know if Steve is re-running or not. I'm not opposing him because he hasn't done a good job, just the opposite, I feel he's one of the best imputs we've had for a while. I would just like to do what I can to keep CASA from spoiling all our fun if that's possible !.........and to further support the good people on the board currently...There is certainly no power trip on my part thats for sure, I'm way past that BS..................................................Maj...

 

 

 

[Wayne T Mathews]

Who are you up against Ross?. From what I have seen of you on this forum you seem to have the drive and focus for the job. I don't have the ability to vote for you . The organisation needs all the talent, experience and energy we can get. There are big challenges ahead. Nev

What Nev said, Ross...

 

Do you have to run against Steve? Or can you run for one of the other QLD seats?

 

 

 

[Neil_S]

Good luck, Maj! You would have my vote if I was up there....

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Thanks Neil and all others for all the kind thoughts. We only have one position up here in the North, so if Steve needs to be the Northern rep to maintain the Presidents' position, I will gladly remove my hat from the ring....I'll give Steve a call today and see what goes....hold the train !!.........................................Maj...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

that was a short political career. do you remember Mal Melinga?

 

 

[Yenn]

Ross. I think that Steve has the best interests of us all, but if he doesn't stand, then go for it. I know you will do your best for us.

 

 

[RKW]

that was a short political career. do you remember Mal Melinga?

That's one of your best posts. Poor old Mal, too honest for a career in politics!

 

 

[winsor68]

I think it is important that, regardless of the standing member, we have members who are willing to put their hands up and be counted.

 

Personally I believe Steve R has been a fine member for us Northerners... but without options it just ain't democracy. Thus like I said I fully support Ross if he choices to run...

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I haven't been able to get hold of Steve today, regardless I won't oppose him if he runs. I just don't see any point in doing so, as I feel he's one of the best RAA presidents (and prev treasure) that we have had for a while, and there's no way I could match him in that arena. However if he decides not to run again, then I'll run for sure..........................................................Maj...

 

 

[farri]

Ross, You`d have my support but as for CASA continuing to mould us in their vission,not ours,with new regs and requirements and possibly becoming the new GA!.. Is it realy CASA " moulding us " or is it the RAA members who are forever demanding more privliges into what was previously the GA domain, thereby, requiring CASA to implement evermore regulations?

 

When we talk about " Our Vision ", Who`s vision are we realy talking about?...It appears to me that there are numerous visions within the RAA membership!

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Couldn't agree more Frank. What we need to decide once and for all is what is the cut-off line. Where do we want to go in the future, and where do we want to stay ???.................

 

I believe the line has already been set, and that the manufacturers are already building aircraft within those constraints. You can only go so fast, yet still maintain a stall speed no higher than 42 kts !...........some of the latest European offerings that I viewed at Natfly recently appear to have done it very well.

 

We do have a faction within our ranks that want no limits on the top end. These people INOP need to go back to GA, or modify their expectations for the good of all who are more than happy with what we have currently............................................................................Maj...

 

 

[farri]

Couldn't agree more Frank. What we need to decide once and for all is what is the cut-off line. Where do we want to go in the future, and where do we want to stay ???.................Maj...

Ross, I`ve no problem with anything that you are saying but here is how I see it!... A Rep is elected to represent the members in their area and to do that correctly the Rep needs feedback from the members, making it quite clear, just what it is that they do want and what they don`t want...If a Rep doesent get a clear message, in writing, from those members,then he or she is realy only representing themselves...The first step is that the members need to write to their Rep, stating exactly what they want the Rep to do for them.

 

Deciding the cut-off point is almost impossible under the present system!..How many 95.10/25/55 aircraft were there at Temora Natfly this year? Bugger all!..They`ve become the minority and majority rules!

 

Where do we want to go in future? As I said in my previous post, who`s vision and future are we considering?...I did my bit plenty in the early days and I thought we`d settled our future with flight in VMC, BO50, OCTA and flight into non controled aerodromes!

 

The fact of the matter is that far north QLD is a minority and regardles of what our wishes are, without the support of other states any proposal put foward would be defeated.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Yenn]

So maybe now is the time for us all to say what we want. I have been vocal in the past saying I want RAAus to represent all recreational flyers, by that I mean anyone who flies for fun in any kind of aircraft. Over the years I have flown only for fun, but in Cessnas, Pipers, De Havilands and other real ultralights. That may not be what the majority want and it is not what we have now. If the GA recreational licence with only a medical up to drivers licence standards comes in I can see a reduction in RAAus numbers.

 

 

[facthunter]

Perhaps a truly representative body should be designed from the ground up with a full analysis of the whole picture, and all the possibilities that could reasonably be available. A pre-requisite could be that no existing class will not suffer reduction of conditions. ( Be left without an organisation.).. There's no point it pitting one group against another, and casting aspersions about them. Energies should be directed at progress and without undue restriction and keep regulation at a minimum. Use as much of the EAA model as possible. Nev

 

 

[kaz3g]

I seem to remember posting to a similar thread a while back. My take is that, if we don't all work and fly together we will surely nearly all be grounded together.

 

There is no efficiency in having a plethora of relatively small groups all vying to represent those of us who fly smaller aircraft: AOPA, RAAus, SAAA, Warbirds, GFA, HGFA to name a few. It suits our political masters, of that there is no doubt. While we are fragmented, we have no real voice. There is strength in numbers and individually we are very few. We are regarded as wealthy or elite because of what we do. So we need to unite and have a common voice when speaking to Canberra or our respective State Govts.

 

I despair when I hear a Tecnam driver criticising ALL GA pilots, or a Cessna driver denigrating the airmanship skills of ALL rag and tube pilots, for example. There are good and a very few bad amongst us all and the good need to take control.

 

That's how I see it, anyway...

 

Kazo

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Kaz

 

Agree 110% we are our own worst enemy with our constant apparent need to subdivide ourselves. Those that really have the most fun in recreational flying probably do so in multiple groups where, instead of denigrating for percieved differences because they have no experience agaionst which to test their biases, they get that experience and probably start to understand the others points of view. For me getting my trike pilot certificate was an eye opener, I originally thought how hard can flying those be, they only have 2 axis of control, and before I started I felt that they must have been inferior pilots, yet in reality you learn a whole series of skills that are different to 3 axis machines and flying a trike isnt simple, it comes with its own set of learning objectives that you must master.

 

Perhaps Dick Smith is a good example where (pressumably) fiscal constraints dont exists, he has a trike, 3 axis, rotary and jet and probably enjoys them all....

 

I hope to have the same problem myself one of these days :<) if Im really lucky I'll add a flying parachute and maybe gyro as well

 

Andy

 

 

[Admin]

Whilst I agree with a single representative body in a "perfect world", in reality my thoughts are against a Monopoly situation. Duopoly, whilst having the ability of a Monopoly style representation if they worked together in representation, in this case to CASA, would also have all the added advantages of competition resulting not only in the freedom of choice for the user but also in providing much more for the user by way of the inherited advantages of competition.

 

A Monopoly is also dangerous in terms of performance for the users which could result in a greater amount of potentially dissatisfied users as we are seeing now with RAAus

 

However, if a Duopoly was in place, both parties would need to be balanced to each other. For example unions between RAAus + SAAA + HGFA and a GFA + Rotorcraft would not result in an equal balance of representation so a Duopoly can also represent disadvantages to the user if not properly formed from the beginning to allow the benefits of competition to have effect.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Whilst I agree with a single representative body in a "perfect world", in reality my thoughts are against a Monopoly situation. Duopoly, whilst having the ability of a Monopoly style representation if they worked together in representation, in this case to CASA, would also have all the added advantages of competition resulting not only in the freedom of choice for the user but also in providing much more for the user by way of the inherited advantages of competition.A Monopoly is also dangerous in terms of performance for the users which could result in a greater amount of potentially dissatisfied users as we are seeing now with RAAus

 

However, if a Duopoly was in place, both parties would need to be balanced to each other. For example unions between RAAus + SAAA + HGFA and a GFA + Rotorcraft would not result in an equal balance of representation so a Duopoly can also represent disadvantages to the user if not properly formed from the beginning to allow the benefits of competition to have effect.

Agree, 2 probably better than 1, both however much better than 10+

 

That said, dissatisfaction within a group shouldnt lead to abandoning the group, that leads to the 10+ situation we have now, rather use the constitution where possible (as the RAA membership has done in years past) and accept the minor failings of democracy, they are better than the failings of a government mandated bureaucracy (A lesson Labour are likely to have to relearn at the next election again and again)......

 

Andy