Raaus sport pilot magazine

[kasper]

Well as far as magazines go, I got a nice little "close call" magazine in the mail yesterday.It would be nice if that became a regular thing.

Would be interesting to know how this was distributed ... it came from CASA but has RAAus postal details ... has anybody at RAAus heard of privacy and not providing contact/personal details to government departments/authorities without permission???

Just saying ... not too profeessional to be doing this

 

 

[SDQDI]

Would be interesting to know how this was distributed ... it came from CASA but has RAAus postal details ... has anybody at RAAus heard of privacy and not providing contact/personal details to government departments/authorities without permission???Just saying ... not too profeessional to be doing this

Fair dinkum Kasper, we get a nice mag which, IMO, has some decent safety value to it and you complain?

Yes privacy is important but if it is just my name and address to send me a nice little book I don't mind.

 

 

[NT5224]

And fees have now gone up again

Yeah, I'm just renewing now, and fees are up.

 

So much for being shareholders of the new company, it seems to me like we're the customers to be fleeced :(

 

 

[pmccarthy]

At least we aren't shareholders of a milk company.

 

 

[kasper]

Fair dinkum Kasper, we get a nice mag which, IMO, has some decent safety value to it and you complain?Yes privacy is important but if it is just my name and address to send me a nice little book I don't mind.

But my problem with an argument that it doesn't matter because the outcome is good is that this is JUST the same logic that sits behind an argument that supports 'its for safety' and you can't challenge it.

While the posted material is not disputed to have value the apparent handing over of personal details without concern for the fact that RAAus hold that personal detail for limited purposes is not IMHO acceptable.

 

Because the same 'its for a good purpose' argument applies equally were RAAus to hand over our full postal and contact details to our current insurer so they could provide to us information on insurance options ... happy for an insurance company to have it?

 

 

[ev17ifly2]

But my problem with an argument that it doesn't matter because the outcome is good is that this is JUST the same logic that sits behind an argument that supports 'its for safety' and you can't challenge it.While the posted material is not disputed to have value the apparent handing over of personal details without concern for the fact that RAAus hold that personal detail for limited purposes is not IMHO acceptable.

 

Because the same 'its for a good purpose' argument applies equally were RAAus to hand over our full postal and contact details to our current insurer so they could provide to us information on insurance options ... happy for an insurance company to have it?

Mate, that's the least of your privacy worries. If you connect to the Internet or own a mobile phone then the world knows when you sneeze. RAA knowing your postal address is the least of your worries.

 

 

[Downunder]

So much for being shareholders of the new company, it seems to me like we're the customers to be fleeced :(

Fleeced from a monopoly where you have no say what so ever....

 

So this computerised, efficiency program, having less staff and online mag has cost us more money?

 

How does that work....

 

Quite embarrasing and concerning one of the first things to happen after "the vote" is the increase in membership fees AND rego fees. (I use the term "membership" quite loosely)

 

 

[Admin]

What is interesting is that 4 years ago we had just over $2m in reserves, now we only have $1m...we have lost over 1 million dollars in just 4 years, no hard copy magazine and fees have been continually increased. Imagine what would happen to the CEO and Board if that happened in a corporate and we have now shrunk that Board to the main players responsible for all this.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Yeah, I'm just renewing now, and fees are up.So much for being shareholders of the new company, it seems to me like we're the customers to be fleeced :(

We should be used to being treated like that in this great country. Telstra have been abusing the privilege of being a monopoly supplier in regional Australia for decades, Our monopoly supplier of representation, registration and licencing has treated us no better.

 

What is interesting is that 4 years ago we had just over $2m in reserves, now we only have $1m...we have lost over 1 million dollars in just 4 years, no hard copy magazine and fees have been continually increased. Imagine what would happen to the CEO and Board if that happened in a corporate and we have now shrunk that Board to the main players responsible for all this.

The argument was that we had no future if we didn't make these changes, by those sums our future looks like another four years. Wonder what the fees will be by then?

 

 

[johnm]

can't imagine one facet of life, that where there is money floating around; ............. in our case flying around - there isn't a gatekeeper, a money taker and a license regime (Bureaucracy). Its the simple way of greasing the wheels

 

think that was the reason that the guillotine was invented (wicker baskets were in common use)

 

 

[storchy neil]

when are the sheep out there going to wake up that they are being misled

 

lets get to the truth facts about raa

 

9/9/2007 crashed plane my fault

 

18/1/2008 plane was deemed airworthy buy rep off raa l2 l4 plus LAME

 

nov 2008 wanted raa to examined aircraft as it was not airworthy in my opinion

 

2009 con formation that the aircraft was not airworthy

 

windscreen replaced undercarriage replaced gasculator replaced legs replaced rudder peddles replaced carby balance line replaced leading edge right wing repaired engine frame replaced

 

engine mounts replaced return fuel line to be installed to comply with planes repair manual and rotax installation manual rigging not done correctly

 

2011 paper work sent to raa not our problem matter for your insurance

 

in the mean time I am accused of bringing raa in to disrepute

 

2015 letter from C E O that raa refused to have anything to do with me regarding my aircraft that I had to get rid off

 

meeting 14/ 5 / 2016 approached by two raa reps and their legal rep to resubmit all the paper work to find out what I wanted what I wanted

 

the bullxxx and cover ups have gone on for to bloody long neil

 

 

[facthunter]

It's been going on too long, Neil. It's unsatisfactory for sure and no doubt taking a large toll on yourself, as well. There's no guarantee of justice in this world, and the longer I live the more I realise it. Legal redress in this country is only available to the very rich (or connected) in reality. Nev

 

 

[kasper]

What is interesting is that 4 years ago we had just over $2m in reserves, now we only have $1m...we have lost over 1 million dollars in just 4 years, no hard copy magazine and fees have been continually increased. Imagine what would happen to the CEO and Board if that happened in a corporate and we have now shrunk that Board to the main players responsible for all this.

Its a bit more stark than that when you look at the investment disclosed values in our new systems.

2014 accounts - cash plus investment in system $1.39m

 

2015 accounts - cash plus investment in system $1.37m - movement of only $20k reduction ... and we had a magazine

 

2016 half year accounts - cash plus investment in system $1.11m - movement of $260k reduction in 6mths and we had no magazine

 

I am really looking forward the full year accounts because it appears that despite anything the board say we are hemorrhaging cash and from the general meeting it appears the people buying the magazine now are still being subsidized by the rest of us who are not getting it ... forget window dressing about saying the online is SOOOOO incredibly popular and cut the printed mag altogether.

 

It is in my opinion completely unfair on normal members to continually increase the fees to members to subsidies what is a failed commercial venture with the printed mag. which was supposed to cover its own costs.

 

And its not just cash look to the bottom line - equity of RAAus membes in the association

 

2015 saw $269k of value disappear (12% of the value gone in 12 months)

 

2016 first half only saw $235k of value disappear (14% gone in just 6 months)

 

 

[coljones]

What is interesting is that 4 years ago we had just over $2m in reserves, now we only have $1m...we have lost over 1 million dollars in just 4 years, no hard copy magazine and fees have been continually increased. Imagine what would happen to the CEO and Board if that happened in a corporate and we have now shrunk that Board to the main players responsible for all this.

RAA was sitting on a pot of gold while the world was collapsing around it chalking up future liabilities that did not appear on the balance sheet. These liabilities finally came home to roost when the CASA Audits materialised and the lack of proper management of RAA was revealed. It seems that past boards had a simple policy - collect money and shove it in the bank - hell can freeze over next week. I, as a starting position, think that the reserves are still too high and that the previous and current boards were never able to come to grips with a realistic reserves policy. I don't have a problem paying fair fees calculated on a realistic basis to maintain the integrity of the business and strengthen our privileges. I am deeply offended when I am just being used as a cash cow and a bulwark to the meanderings of a lazy board. I don't have a problem with the current rundown in reserves as they represent a financial transfer to put in place systems which will work and keep RAA pointing in the right direction. Runciman had a clue as did Don and Jim, who along with the rest of the Executive and the cluey members of the board were pushing in the right direction. Learning from the mistakes of the past is a relatively new phenomena in RAA and the current executive and future board should be encouraged to spend with purpose (while maintaining a suitable level of reserves) since hiding or ignoring the unseen liabilities has never done anyone any good.

Ian, you are providing a valuable service here and comment by you and others are always well read (and appreciated)

 

 

[Ayecapt]

After read ing the replies. I gotta say that it looks like i am not alone in this.

 

The thrust of my post was about the risk of members dropping out of the loop due to their ( mine ) recalcitrance in reading the on line version. And being outside the loop is not somthing that we want to be happening. Of course we can spend the cash and get the paper copy and prob solved. But i wont be subscribing.

 

Whilst the mag was included and sent out to us I felt that I was getting somthing tangible from raaus each month. I know they do do a lot more than just provide a magazine Maybe it should have gone to 6 issues a year. Anyway thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

 

[billwoodmason]

There should have been a massive windfall of cash injected by the membership through the increase in fees last year. $90 plus to get a magazine and no reduction in fees for those who elected not to receive a magazine. Logic would say that the latter also paid an extra $90 plus also. So 8500 x $90 = $765000 minimum extra in the coffers. Was this income reflected in the financial report? Has it been spent on system upgrades along with the other Mill or so. Is the Safety Manager on some fabulous salary that looks more like a telephone number than a wage?. I am astounded that the CEO would ask the members to dig deeper into their pockets after last years rise. All things being even we should have been exempt from fee increases for many years IMO. I believe that $200 for membership is about at the glass ceiling where people will question whether they should still be members. Falling services provided from head office only reinforces people's resolve to leave.

 

 

[Downunder]

Exactly Bill. Moving to an online mag and not reducing fees was a massive membership fee increase in itself.

 

The membership fees were always justified by saying "Hey, don't forget that includes a (paper) magazine."

 

Personally, I would have been happy to "split the difference" with the RAA and accept a $30 or $40 dollar reduction in membership fees and then making purchase of the paper mag optional.

 

Now I read neither magazine. Not sure if it is on the principal of being ripped off, or just disinterest.

 

Probably a combination of the two.

 

 

[facthunter]

When someone used to ask about fees one could list the benefits (which included the mag). We get insurance, Plus??? I'm not financial anymore but vitally interested in the U/L and Rec flying scene, but I lost big money with 2 aircraft that went backwards when RAAus changed rules and direction, Plus the disappointment with the final form of the RPL and I really haven't recovered from that. I don't blame the RAAus for all of it but there IS a limit to ones confidence in the system and how long you can wait hoping.

 

Can someone up with it all list the current benefits? IF you are active the amount appears to not be large when compared with things like Golf and competition licences for motorsports and insurance costs for events. I wonder if we have lost control of our patch? I gave up motorsport years ago disgusted with the CAMS who for one thing changed the rules with appendix"J" touring cars when I just completed mine. (Peugeot 203.) I pulled out and sold all the hot bits to Brian Walker. "Blackjack" Walker of Coral Sea Beaufighter fame who I got to know quite well but I never knew he was THE B Walker because he never mentioned it. Nev

 

 

[frank marriott]

I, as a starting position, think that the reserves are still too high

You won't have to worry about that for too much longer. Some have a different view but time will tell who is correct. I am glad you are happy.

 

Membership and registration in the future?

 

 

[jetjr]

There isnt a windfall from ditching paper magazine because we didnt, its still there however with not enough subscribers to make it pay.

 

Now the rest of members have to pay the difference

 

 

[billwoodmason]

By all accounts there's 6500 less copies being printed now. Has the rest of the money been spent on the electronic copy?. If this is the case then where were the savings from this move coming from?. There has to be a surplus!!.

 

 

[NT5224]

In considering the cost benefits of Sport Pilot hard copy vs digital, its not just the print costs which has bearing on the final margins. What about the revenues the printed version was generating? I'm thinking corporate advertising and also aviation classifieds. I wonder how the reduced hard copy circulation may have effected advertising and the overall margins of the magazine? I still don't see much difference myself but wonder if anybody knows..?

 

Alan

 

 

[farri]

in the mean time I am accused of bringing raa in to disrepute

Neil, Why would you be accused of bringing RA-Aus into disrepute?

 

Frank.

 

 

[jetjr]

The first copy of the printed magazine might cost $10,000 then $0.20 c each after that. Used to work like that in other industries.

 

I believe Neils issue involves a difficult series of events ending in a bad outcome in the courts. Maybe RAA didnt support well at the time,

 

There apears to be an expectation RAA will be able to take some action which goes against this ruling. It apparantly cannot.

 

 

[storchy neil]

so when a l2 l4 LAME repairs your 2 year old air craft with out repair manual for said aircraft or maintanance manual and raa was informed of this that there is a specific regulation and law for the repair of aircraft after an incident or accident not guide lines the repairer did not obtain repair manual raa reps did not act

 

there a few aircraft that do not have repair manual granted but part of the importation of aircraft is that they will comply with certain international laws and regulations

 

so why has raa reps now asking for data from l2 l4 and making a song and dance about it 8 years later when they have known or should have known to hard for them

 

if this senerio was out off their reach why not push it to the regulator cassa their the boss

 

p/s oh by the way cassa did pass the buck back to raa

 

farri after telling one ex rra rep to go back to school and learn to read and look at photos

 

I still have the parts that were removed from said aircraft that raa have on two occasions failed to have examine by them when they were less than 4 mtre from then neil