RAAus Member Insurance

[Admin]

(From email sent out today)

 

We have some fantastic news for members of RA-Aus. Over the past couple of weeks I have been working very hard to improve insurance coverage for members. I am very pleased to announce to all members that from midnight 31 October 2014 all RA-Aus financial members will be covered by our new member’s liability coverage policy. Please see our website for a copy of the policy.

 

The best part of this new policy is that I have secured additional cover for members to extend the policy beyond simply operating your aircraft. In previous policies members were only covered for this type of insurance whilst they were operating the aircraft. The policy now covers you even if you are not operating the aircraft. This means that if you exit the aircraft and it rolls away, or is caught by wind and damages property, this new policy will cover you for third party property damage. This is fantastic news for members.

 

Even better is that I have been able to have this cover included at no additional cost to RA-Aus.

 

A CPI increase and the cost of doing business will require us exploring increasing membership fees in the coming six months by a few dollars.

 

As I said at our AGM, members are central to everything we do, this new cover is an example of RA-Aus working very hard to improve our membership benefits.

 

Members Liability Insurance

 

Michael Linke

 

CEO

 

 

[Russ]

Good news. ( now to find the " devil in the detail " ) .....if, there is any.

 

( Insurance co's often have difficulty writing out chqs. )

 

 

[Downunder]

Good news. ( now to find the " devil in the detail " ) .....if, there is any.( Insurance co's often have difficulty writing out chqs. )

The devil is right there with increased fees.........

 

 

[billwoodmason]

Dead right DownUnder, I and most of my RAA acquaintances in my corner of the world following a number of price rises for Pilot Certificates and Aircraft Registration in recent years are of the opinion that these fees have reached saturation point as far as to what will be tolerated by the membership. I believe that any price rises should be avoided at all costs. It is not uncommon at pilot gatherings to hear talk of "flying black" when the subject of rising fees. There has already been a downturn in membership recently as people weigh up their involvement with RAA - any further rises will see more members drop off the radar. I say tread very carefully RAA - do not assume members will benignly take another price rise in the neck to cover previous mismanagement. By the way I did you notice how the subject of a fee increase was mentioned almost as a throw away line at the end of the insurance announcement - was that sly or what?. I'm a little disappointed to say the least !.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Dead right DownUnder, I and most of my RAA acquaintances in my corner of the world following a number of price rises for Pilot Certificates and Aircraft Registration in recent years are of the opinion that these fees have reached saturation point as far as to what will be tolerated by the membership. I believe that any price rises should be avoided at all costs. It is not uncommon at pilot gatherings to hear talk of "flying black" when the subject of rising fees. There has already been a downturn in membership recently as people weigh up their involvement with RAA - any further rises will see more members drop off the radar. I say tread very carefully RAA - do not assume members will benignly take another price rise in the neck to cover previous mismanagement. By the way I did you notice how the subject of a fee increase was mentioned almost as a throw away line at the end of the insurance announcement - was that sly or what?. I'm a little disappointed to say the least !.

Bill, the current board and administration is at least being very honest with the members , which is a very pleasant change to those of the past. It has been the boards commitment now for around two years to be open and transparent to the membership that it serves.

In respect to your comment about a membership downturn, well I for one am watching that very closely and it just hasn't been the case yet.

 

The current members financial report now available on the RAA website ( members area...so you do need to be a member to access it) states........Quote;

 

"By the end of September we are stating to build a bette image of how we are tracking. Membership fees and aircraft registrations remain strong, with solid increases totally $56,000 compared to budget. Our ongoing commitment to improving the registration process and closer attention to our member's needs are behind these increases."....End quote.

 

In my opinion this is not the time to be running away from your sport and national organization, but rather to be well onboard for an exciting future, and fully supporting it.............Maj....

 

 

[frank marriott]

Cost saveings ?

 

Fly and accomodate members for a meeting in Melbourne, then within a month do it again for another meeting, and this from a board talking up electronic communication?

 

Sounds like junkets to me.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Cost saveings ?Fly and accomodate members for a meeting in Melbourne, then within a month do it again for another meeting, and this from a board talking up electronic communication?

 

Sounds like junkets to me.

Frank, the constitution as currently written says that board members must meet face to face twice a year. In conjunction with the required board meeting in Melbourne (Geelong) on the Sunday was the AGM on Saturday at Lethbridge airfield which was in line with the RAAas ' taking the AGM to the members' policy every two years. You may remember the last of those being at Jacobs Well in Qld. two years ago.

 

In conjunction with those two meetings the board also spent two half days (Sat morning and Sunday morning) undergoing requiredgovernance training to allow them to operate better as a board. I would suggest that any money spent to transport members ( all economy fares with discounts by the way) was money very well spent.

 

The special strategic meeting in Canberra next weekend has been called by President Michael Monke to address a few unique opportunities that the organization is facing right now, and to set strategic direction for the organization for the next few years. There is also a requirement in the constitution for the organization and board to have a ' strategic plan' which was ignored by past boards.

 

I am unable to go into exact details right now but unique opportunities which may be discussed could include......current dealings with CASA and the new administrator including our decision to not accept the current 'deed of agreement' with CASA. The future of Natfly and possible inter gration of of the event with other interested RAAAos to everybodies mutual and financial benefit, and the possibility of moving the event around a bit to allow better access to members and public alike. Plus future planning for the directionin the next ten years and beyond. The further integration of RAAus with other like recreation bodies to greater mutual benifit for all. The strategy meeting is only a one day affair and will again be intense and very busy for all involved. I'm not sure I'm looking foward to it but it has to be done. As far as costs go for this event , eight of the eighteen attendees are alteady in Canberra so don't require any money to be spent on airfares or Accomodation. Two are driving from Melborne and one from Temora, one is flying from Tasmania and the remaining six flying from Brisbane or Sydney. Many of the participants ( CFIs) will be continuing under their own steam to the first Instructors and training conference in Dubbo commencing the following week. Once again money well spent which will return benifits to members in the long and short term.

 

 

[robinsm]

With a perfectly good base in Fyshwick and a supposed flyin each year, why do we need to fly people all around the country and accomodate them when they can have the meetings twice a year any way. Lethbridge, jacobs wells and melbourne, yep, centres of civilization all. Can I carry bags to the next one and enjoy the extra to?

 

 

[Downunder]

Personally, I would be happy with the existing insurance and NO fee increase.

 

Thanks for asking RAA.......

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

With a perfectly good base in Fyshwick and a supposed flyin each year, why do we need to fly people all around the country and accomodate them when they can have the meetings twice a year any way. Lethbridge, jacobs wells and melbourne, yep, centres of civilization all. Can I carry bags to the next one and enjoy the extra to?

robinsm..........please read my reply in post # 7 above................Maj....

 

 

[Russ]

Damned if you do.....and damned if you don't.

 

Hang in there Ross.......and other reps here.

 

 

[Methusala]

I have never seen myself as a cheerleader for the AUF (as I still see it in my mind's eye). I have at times even disagreed with their policies and particular decisions. However it is obvious that they play an essential part by liaising with the governing authorities on behalf of we, the members. Any member is free to pursue a more active role in this area by seeking election to the board. They may also petition their rep on the board. I think that launching an anonymous attack on those reps in this forum is a poor dummy spit. Please show due respect to board members such as Major Millard. Don

 

 

[robinsm]

robinsm..........please read my reply in post # 7 above................Maj....

Yep re read it, still doesn't explain the junket outside Temora and Canberra, courses can be run in the office just as well. However, Methusala's comment is noted. My hat is off to those who do the governance job, its just the expenditure I am querying, not the people...

 

 

[Geoff13]

The way I read it they have achieved an increase in insurance cover at no extra cost. "Very good and well done".

 

We may face a small increase over the next six months due to CPI. "Understandable and not unusual in the current economic climate".

 

Probably would have been better to just tell us about the improved insurance in the insurance email and left the bit about fees till the next mail out. He has quite clearly stated that they are not linked so possibly should not have been in the same notice but apart from that possible small criticism then it seems all good to me.

 

Cheers Geoff13

 

 

[Geoff13]

As for the travel costs, boards need to meet from time to time, sometimes for constitutional reasons sometimes for other reasons. If we start griping about our volunteer board members getting their travel costs and other operating costs refunded, then just sit back and think about the quality of board members we could end up with. The RAA is a big organisation with both legal and constitutional responsibilities and board members should not be out of pocket for their expenses. Their time that is a different matter, they are after all volunteers, but not their expenses. If we start to stomp on necessary board expenses, we will very quickly start to find it very difficult to attract suitable volunteers.

 

Cheers Geoff13

 

 

[robinsm]

I dont have a problem with paying them to attend board meetings at the normal places, if you read my posts you will find that I object to junkets etc. Board expenses are necessary, but lets keep them normal, especially when the powers to be are mooting another fee increase, looking at cancelling/reducing the magazine publication, etc.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I dont have a problem with paying them to attend board meetings at the normal places, if you read my posts you will find that I object to junkets etc. Board expenses are necessary, but lets keep them normal, especially when the powers to be are mooting another fee increase, looking at cancelling/reducing the magazine publication, etc.

Just so happens the best governance trainer was in the Melbourne area . This could very easily have been a snore a minute course, however the presenter was very comfortable and experienced in her presentation so we all learnt a lot, and the money wasn't wasted. We as a board are now better qualified to lead and make the proper decisions, on your behalf. Cost us a fortune to keep Andy in tea bags however !......

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Damned if you do.....and damned if you don't.Hang in there Ross.......and other reps here.

Not going anywhere mate...got me for another two years at least....!.....

 

 

[fly_tornado]

lol

 

http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/how-to-waste-company-time-and-get-ahead-have-a-meeting-20141031-11erbl.html

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Personal view:-

 

A few days back FT posited that we need to shrink back from empire building and focus on core and essential activities, others have suggested we need to immediately focus on IT Automation to save costs, others suggesting magazine is very imoortant, others to chase additional privileges, others not wanting a bar of them.

 

So what do we focus on and in what priority?

 

Where would one look to answer that question?

 

The answer is we have no articulated overarching strategy and as such with 10000 members we probably have at least that many views.......

 

This next meeting is to lay the groundwork for that articulating document.

 

Do we need to meet to do that? No it could be done in much slower time remotely, but it's my opinion that in getting together we will make more progress than would be otherwise the case.

 

Not all board members are attending, those that are, are meeting at HQ so staff are available to contribute and to understand the basis of our decisions and to understand our views related to timing.

 

I would not be involved if I felt it a junket! I am prepared to be judged by the membership wrt the outcomes.

 

I'm probably biased in that I seconded Michael Monks election stand but I believe that he will be good for RAAus. We are a multimillion dollar organisation face to face meetings a few times a year with a board size as we have is hardly excessive, in fact go back a few years and the board meeting that was run in 1/2 a day 2 weeks ago took 3 days and was by all accounts a screaming match the whole way.

 

Andy

 

 

[sfGnome]

I have twice weekly meetings with business partners in the US via conference calls with shared screens, and video if required (thankfully not normally, given that I do many of them from home in my dressing gown ), but sometimes you just make much more progress when you're all in the same room. I can't speak for the board, but I find business trips (and RAA board meetings are simply that) to be no fun at all. Just the insides of airports, taxis and hotel rooms. At least phone link-ups make life easier than 20 years ago when I had to go to Europe for 3 days every three months! :sleep:When people called that a junket, I just wanted scream.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Agreed, similar experience. Face to face meetings are essential for any board, at least annually and ideally every second meeting. It is no fun.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Agreed, similar experience. Face to face meetings are essential for any board, at least annually and ideally every second meeting. It is no fun.

4 weeks after a face to face meeting, hardly annual. But quite frankly I no longer care. A Safety Bulletin on how to fill a fuel tank, really! What's next how to pump up a tyre. Shades of a CASA approach, just keep producing more directives. Lost my interest I'm afraid.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Personally, I would be happy with the existing insurance and NO fee increase.Thanks for asking RAA.......

In keeping with the boards decisions to provide additional member benifits, and the CEOs responsibility to find us the best insurance deal whilst saving money, the new insurance deal was decided upon...greater coverage for the members at no additional cost, plus a more flexible insurance company that is talking to us about customising our requirements for the best possible coverage, and much more good news to come.....what's not to like ?...seems we will always have whingers on this forum whatever we do!..........

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I have twice weekly meetings with business partners in the US via conference calls with shared screens, and video if required (thankfully not normally, given that I do many of them from home in my dressing gown ), but sometimes you just make much more progress when you're all in the same room. I can't speak for the board, but I find business trips (and RAA board meetings are simply that) to be no fun at all. Just the insides of airports, taxis and hotel rooms. At least phone link-ups make life easier than 20 years ago when I had to go to Europe for 3 days every three months! :sleep:When people called that a junket, I just wanted scream.

sfGnome.......The board and excutive have discussed online hookups but the best advice we have is that they become ineffective with over about five people. We have a board of thirteen plus the CEO and board secretary would need to be online also, plus anyone else that the board has requested........not going to happen anytime soon. Nothing beats a face to face meeting, and properly run as the latest ones have been, is still the most effective and productive decision making tool.