Who to vote for RAAus election

[scre80]

I am meeting a candidate this weekend, coming to our airfield to talk to people, and hopefully another one the following weekend at a fly-in. The cost question I will be putting to them, but also what their vision is to grow raaus and how they are going to do it.

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

From memory, we had $16 mill in savings in 2012, now it is about $ 12 mill, and shrinking.

I have to disagree there - and I have been following the finances closely for many years.

2012 The RAA total assets = $1,080,529 of which the building value was $1,017,500

 

There was $1,782,494 in the bank.

 

I remember the furore over purchasing a building when some thought renting was adequate. I recall the questions asked about the mounting nest egg and why they needed to keep raising memberships to squirrel away coin - for what purpose? Then finding out they had it on low interest and the Treasurer, apart from not realising they had made a LOSS for the year, had no idea that the surplus could be earning lots more in term deposits. It was later invested and earned RAA members 12.5%. Then the reluctance to spend any money came back to bite HARD. CASA stopped RAA renewing aircraft (loss of revenue), made them pay for consultants to vet everything etc. The Executive of the day had ignored Audit after Audit. Members called a Special Meeting. Criticism of the Old RAA has some justification. I don't want to go back there again.

 

The tendency has been to vote for a bloke who "flies my type of plane". But we need people with business, accounting, legal knowledge as well. The "old" RAA was mostly Flying School owners and CFIs. It didn't work.

 

I have not made up my mind yet, I tend to do a lot of homework before you get my vote. The candidates are well spread geographically from WA to Nth Qld. There's quite a lot of claimed experience and expertise. Consider carefully, and Vote.

 

 

[Chillfox]

The $250 000 spent on the website last year which is now apparantly an "asset". How many more "assets" can we afford to blow a quarter of a million bucks on?

It's pretty clear that we got ripped off on that one (a full-time senior developer would cost us less than half). But at least we got ripped off by professionals and the website is solid.

 

 

[BusaKaine]

My magazine also arrived today. The closing date is 28th of September, seems like plenty of time!I will be carefully reading the candidate statements and be considering which of these candidates may best represent my interests. My own personal experience of flying RAAus has been mostly positive, but this perhaps is coloured by the fact that I only hire and do not own an aircraft.

 

I understand that some people are pessimistic and angry. Although I am reasonably happy with my flying pursuits I am always open-minded and if those who feel things are going downhill I would clearly and rationally present their case and if at least some of them would stand for election I would certainly weigh up their arguments and perhaps even consider voting for them, but this will never happen.

You do realise you were quoting my comment from last years problems.

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

what their vision is to grow raaus and how they are going to do it.

I would be interested in what they have to say.

Women are very under represented in RAA. There has been a history of treating female Board members badly. So there's some easy pickings - get them up from 2% - encourage girls, women, wives, sisters, mothers to learn. The first step toward a career for girls, freedom and travel for women. Some really lovely planes out there.

 

In the 1990s some blokes whinged to me about women learning to fly - I said to them "Do you want a girlfriend who is keen for you to keep flying, or one that tells you to sell the plane and stay home more?"

 

 

[octave]

You do realise you were quoting my comment from last years problems.

I do now, I thought it was a rather strange comment, I must have somehow travelled back in time!

 

 

[facthunter]

We are certainly deficient in attracting women to our ranks. That actually doesn't surprise me. . We also don't build much. . It's more "off the Hook" and fly. This raises the average cost on top of other trends that have raised costs. We also should investigate why so many have given up the sport . The current management have done a few moves in this direction , but I don't know how far it has been followed through..

 

As to the view we don't want flying School Owners in the management, it's something that would appear to have some Possible adverse consequences but I haven't seen the vested interest factor become too detrimental in the past. THEY at least have "skin in the Game " and know what is going on more than most. Sponsoring of events might be a more insidious adverse factor. The relationship with the CASA is the thing that needs monitoring. It was always going to be so. OUR AIMs should be a product of constant ongoing consultation with members and be consistently adhered to when something new is proposed.. Nev

 

 

[frank marriott]

Commonsense, practical knowledge of the industry, knowledge of what is happening throughout Australia doesn’t come with a business/law degree etc. A Canberra centric approach will never be suitable for RAA.

 

Political style announcements are sickening, to me at least, which is why I have stopped reading most of the dribble.

 

 

[facthunter]

It makes a "thinking"person think they must be being conned and they are probably correct. I had my eyes opened when I did a Psychology course at Univ Of NSW with a predominantly businessmens group.. The Lecturer was fine and the course was fine but the general attitude of the group of mature age businessmen/students to how to use the Psychology knowledge was truly appalling. . Nev

 

 

[storchy neil]

you are not on pat Malone young lady that chick that broke her arse comes to mind remember her that put on the best fly in that I have had then again I am a bit one sided when it comes to her on how she went out of her way to help me and others to build that kit build aircraft in the 3 days her treatment was bloody appalling neil

 

 

[Yenn]

Now the results are out. Birrell and Bayley are in. Not just in but in by a good margin.

 

 

[slb]

Not many members bothered to vote though. Far less than 10%

 

 

[NotSoSuperSonic]

With his successful election, if anyone is yarning with Mr Bayley, can they let him know that the bloke from his FEB 18 Sport Pilot article, isn't a LAME, nor an Aircraft Engineer. He might want to have a polite word with Mr Barnfield and Mr Middleton as they could/should have corrected him. Cheers

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Well Rod Birrel at least came to Gawler to talk to us and ask for our votes. I thought it was good that he did that and obviously quite a few others did too.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Frank, your thoughts are common in Australia. This is one of the few countries where "academic" is a pejorative term.

 

My father-in-law was an extreme example until he got sick and academics of the medical type became his heroes. No common sense and practical knowledge from hands-on ambulance men would do, he wanted to consult professors.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Bruce

 

If you compare the practise of medicine with the operation of RAA, then I’ll leave that opinion completely up to you and say upon that matter you and I will never agree.

 

 

[kgwilson]

I am always surprised by the number of invalid ballots cast. This time it was 61 from a total of 969 or 6.3% of ballots cast. The process seemed pretty simple to me but obviously not to some people. Some possibly did not put their membership number on the envelope, couldn't remember it or got it wrong of course so that would have been an automatic invalid ballot.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

people sending votes slips back with messages on them?

 

 

[turboplanner]

I am always surprised by the number of invalid ballots cast. This time it was 61 from a total of 969 or 6.3% of ballots cast. The process seemed pretty simple to me but obviously not to some people. Some possibly did not put their membership number on the envelope, couldn't remember it or got it wrong of course so that would have been an automatic invalid ballot.

You should try the amazing experience of scrutineer at local, state or federal government elections, from the cheating during the count to the tiny amount the numbers in most booths change, even though the averages will change government, to the informal and they make the job worthwhile “FU [insert the Prime Minister of the day name” is one they must practice.... to “You turned my water of basterds”

 

 

[turboplanner]

You haven’t got a snowball’s chance in hell of getting approval for an incursion into CTA where aicraft are letting down into Adelaide Airport. What about forced landings in that terrain? What about flight planning north of the Hills?

[Bruce Tuncks]

Turbs, there are many examples in Australia where the height restrictions placed on non-IFR planes are completely unnecessary, stupid and dangerous. Airlines would never notice any of the changes which are needed.

 

I wonder if you ever supported the increase in allowable height from 5000 ft to 10,000 ft, or were you silent on the issue?

 

 

[turboplanner]

Turbs, there are many examples in Australia where the height restrictions placed on non-IFR planes are completely unnecessary, stupid and dangerous. Airlines would never notice any of the changes which are needed.I wonder if you ever supported the increase in allowable height from 5000 ft to 10,000 ft, or were you silent on the issue?

No point in skidding away from the Adelaide Hills. RPT aircraft are letting down in that location. Some are at the top of the envelope, some are at the bottom.

 

 

[turboplanner]

 

This is the pattern n Non Jet arrivals and departures at Moorabbin Airport in February 2013.

 

We all carry a map of the runways, we all know here the defined circuits should be, and we all know the correct entry procedures.

 

You can see why CASA would be very nervous about one person, saying let me fly up a bit higher in the restricted area, I'll be good!

 

 

[spacesailor]

Turbs

 

Can you do one for Sydney Mascot, and Melbourne, Brisbane. please

 

2018 of course

 

spacesailor

 

 

[turboplanner]

TurbsCan you do one for Sydney Mascot, and Melbourne, Brisbane. please

2018 of course

 

spacesailor

I’ ll have a look