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Posted

Before I stopped farming, as farmer and share holder of a cooperative Sugar Mill, I got to see what went on with the board of our Mill, which consisted of sugar cane farmers...Cane farmers would be elected to the board and given the right to manage the running of the mill....Bad decisions as well as good decisions were regularly made...Next board election, some board members would be out, some reelected and some new members appointed, but always from the cane farmers, due to the constitution of the mill...This went on, until, finally! The Mill could no longer carry on financially, because of the bad decisions that were made along the way...As share holders, all the farmers were liable for the huge deficit that required to be paid, so in the end, the mill had to be sold off, to private, over seas interests.

 

Running a Sugar Mill, has always been "Big Business" and has always required people on the board with the skills required to run "Big Business"... By electing people without those skills, the demise of our mill was something that some of us farmers and share holders, could see coming, but could do little to stop.

 

Regardless of how well meaning, those who stand for election to the RA-Aus board are, it will not be run correctly, without the people who have the required skills to run, what has now become, not only an organisation to administer recreational flying, but, "Big Business."

 

Can this be achieved by simply electing board members, because they are members of the RA-Aus?...I believe not!!!

 

Frank.

 

 

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Posted

Feel free to apply the same comparison to local, state and federal government. Thank god RA's deficit isn,t anywhere near that of Australia's.

 

 

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Posted
Before I stopped farming, as farmer and share holder of a cooperative Sugar Mill, I got to see what went on with the board of our Mill, which consisted of sugar cane farmers...Cane farmers would be elected to the board and given the right to manage the running of the mill....Bad decisions as well as good decisions were regularly made...Next board election, some board members would be out, some reelected and some new members appointed, but always from the cane farmers, due to the constitution of the mill...This went on, until, finally! The Mill could no longer carry on financially, because of the bad decisions that were made along the way...As share holders, all the farmers were liable for the huge deficit that required to be paid, so in the end, the mill had to be sold off, to private, over seas interests.Running a Sugar Mill, has always been "Big Business" and has always required people on the board with the skills required to run "Big Business"... By electing people without those skills, the demise of our mill was something that some of us farmers and share holders, could see coming, but could do little to stop.

 

Regardless of how well meaning, those who stand for election to the RA-Aus board are, it will not be run correctly, without the people who have the required skills to run, what has now become, not only an organisation to administer recreational flying, but, "Big Business."

 

Can this be achieved by simply electing board members, because they are members of the RA-Aus?...I believe not!!!

 

Frank.

Yes and no.

 

  • The board sets policy and direction - they are the RAA members voice.
     
     
  • The paid employees implement policy and manage operations bringing items to the attention of the board as required - these are not necessarily RAA members and they are being paid for their skills to run a business.
     
     

 

 

In a very small organisation, and particularly a member run one, you will find board members doing more and more of the policy development and policy implementation, the larger the organisation the less involved in daily running the board members will be.

 

The RAA is not a small business but neither is it a large business - its in the middle.

 

IMHO:

 

  • RAA is having growing pains as it moves away from direct management control by board to indirect management control with the executive and employed management still feeling their feet.
     
     
  • The fact that the board numbers exceed the executive and senior management numbers by about 2 to 1 is not helping (too many cooks and all of that).
     
     

 

 

I look forward to a draft new constitution and how it is proposed to reform the board and the management of the membership - I really hope the RAA starts getting member engagement right on this area and it is sent as a draft discussion document well before it is implemented - unlike the current Ops Manual and hinted at Tech Manual where we find out after the event and deal with any peculiarities as they arise.

 

 

  • Agree 1
Posted

Just to get back to the original topic, I just paid my $90.00 for 18 issues of Sportpilot from July onwards & my invoice number is No 00000217. I like to relax & read a magazine & flip through pages rather than read from a PC or tablet so I have no problem paying the money, but if my invoice number is anything to go by, then not many of the rest of the 10,000 members think so at this stage. I wonder how many more will take up the offer by 1 July.

 

 

  • Agree 1
Posted
Just to get back to the original topic, I just paid my $90.00 for 18 issues of Sportpilot from July onwards & my invoice number is No 00000217. I like to relax & read a magazine & flip through pages rather than read from a PC or tablet so I have no problem paying the money, but if my invoice number is anything to go by, then not many of the rest of the 10,000 members think so at this stage. I wonder how many more will take up the offer by 1 July.

Hmm! You get 18 months? I only got 12 on a tax receipt dated 1st June. Is this us city dwellers getting screwed again?

Col

 

 

Posted
Feel free to apply the same comparison to local, state and federal government. Thank god RA's deficit isn,t anywhere near that of Australia's.

The libs cracked $38B in a year, a new record

 

 

Posted
Hmm! You get 18 months? I only got 12 on a tax receipt dated 1st June. Is this us city dwellers getting screwed again?Col

This is my receipt...I got 18months..I think you need to be a current financial RA-Aus member to get the extra 6 months..

Receipt/Tax Invoice

 

Invoice Number: 00000214

 

06-06-2015

 

David L

 

CABOOLTURE

 

QLD 4510

 

Australia

 

Sport Pilot Magazine - 1 Year Subscription + 6 months free subscription! (ending 06-12-2016) $90.00

 

Total (GST Included) $90.00

 

Thank you for your purchase. You will be sent a reminder via email two months before your subscription expires inviting you to resubscribe. You can also view Sport Pilot online at www.issuu.com or the Recreational Aviation Australia website.

 

Recreational Aviation Australia promotes safe, accessible, fun, enjoyable aviation.

 

Recreational Aviation Australia | ABN 40 070 931 645 | PO Box 1265 FYSHWICK ACT 2609

 

E: [email protected] | P: 02 6280 4700 | F: 02 6280 4775

 

 

Posted
Hmm! You get 18 months? I only got 12 on a tax receipt dated 1st June. . . .

Col, drop the CEO an email and I'm sure you'll get the 18 editions. Perhaps when you coughed up the decision to offer the bonus 6 issues had not been made. You will certainly be entitled to 18 issues.

 

Don

 

 

Posted
Col, drop the CEO an email and I'm sure you'll get the 18 editions. Perhaps when you coughed up the decision to offer the bonus 6 issues had not been made. You will certainly be entitled to 18 issues.Don

Done (to the staff), an hour ago - after all $45 is 20 minutes in a Jab!!

 

 

Posted

I wonder how many will take the offer of a printed magazine. I will have a guess of 500-1000 but closer to the 500 mark

 

 

Guest Maj Millard
Posted
Jim is a good guy. Pity he feels the need to stay away from this forum since joining the board, but it is understandable.

Jim does pop on occasionally........personally I don't envy his task as RAAus treasure on top of the fact that he is currently also studying at Uni....lots on his plate there.

 

 

Posted

Reality check !! I bet there is a heap of you pilots and armchair aviators who subscribe or buy other aviation magazines. So why the banging on about Sport Pilot. It is a by product of RAA not its sole purpose for existance.

 

As I stated previously - you can't even buy a membership to your local pub darts association for the price of a membership to RAA. If you are now finding aviation too expensive either trade the Audi in on a Kia or give it away.

 

 

Posted
Reality check !! I bet there is a heap of you pilots and armchair aviators who subscribe or buy other aviation magazines. So why the banging on about Sport Pilot. It is a by product of RAA not its sole purpose for existance.As I stated previously - you can't even buy a membership to your local pub darts association for the price of a membership to RAA. If you are now finding aviation too expensive either trade the Audi in on a Kia or give it away.

But you can be a member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia and receive 11 excellent magazines per year for around $ 90 and you as a member are covered for $20 million liabilty insurance when shooting.

 

 

  • Agree 2
Posted

Unless there is a continuing, sizeable take-up of the printed magazine, it could become too expensive to print in small volumes.

 

Oddly enough, the longer the print version remains around the longer the digital version will be held back from using the full functionality of the digital medium. That is, of course, as long as there is any attempt to keep the print and digital versions identical.

 

I noticed in the latest edition, just out, that hot links work in the digital version. That is just the thinnest edge of the wedge. Imagine when, e.g. the President/Chair's report is delivered by video and you get the full emphasis of what he/she is saying compared with the easily misconstrued black and white print ? Imagine when technical articles include hot links to the manufacturer's maintenance/operations manuals and the RAAus Tech manual? When you can actually *hear* the sound of a crook motor or gearbox?

 

Possibilities with the digital version are considerable and have barely scratched the surface of what is possible.

 

Possibilities of the print media have already been reached.

 

 

Posted
But you can be a member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia and receive 11 excellent magazines per year for around $ 90 and you as a member are covered for $20 million liabilty insurance when shooting.

Danza, as a primary producer I pay no fee for my shooters licence however I can understand why members of the SSAA need $20 mill cover given the way many of them conduct themselves when hunting (or poaching ) deer.

 

Not a valid comparison given that SSAA is a virtual political party

 

 

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Posted

Rubbish, they have a good safety record, and show how an Association should be run.

 

 

  • Agree 2
Posted

You are flogging a dead horse here, turbo. Let's get back to the thread where most flying under the auspice of RAA not only don't want to support the organisation that keeps them in the air but are also too tight to pay for their associations magazine.

 

 

  • Caution 2
Posted

I nearly hit a deer last night, big rack, just out of Newstead. Maybe I can sue the sporting shooters for allowing it live and present a hazard on our roads.

 

 

  • Haha 3
Posted

I a

 

I nearly hit a deer last night, big rack, just out of Newstead. Maybe I can sue the sporting shooters for allowing it live and present a hazard on our roads.

I'm surprised you didn't already have your light and 308 hanging out the window. Typical weekend up our way

 

 

Posted
Danza, as a primary producer I pay no fee for my shooters licence however I can understand why members of the SSAA need $20 mill cover given the way many of them conduct themselves when hunting (or poaching ) deer.Not a valid comparison given that SSAA is a virtual political party

My name's not Danza

 

 

Posted
My name's not Danza

I don't know Danza, sounds like a good name for a deer with a big rack. Lol

 

 

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