terryc

an idiot, pure and simple

" Nobody, not one has suggested we get rid of this man, some who know him have said he's the man for the job." Everybody" wants him to take action, that's the job he's taken on but take action with all due regard to proper processes. It could and should have involved all the board and taken one day longer maybe. It would appear that a resignation a few days before would suggest the plan was at least a couple of days old. The criticism is about the process not the appointment. Your comment would suggest you think this job is above criticism, it's not, proper scrutiny is both good and healthy. The end does not justify the means, not now not ever. I'm pleased to inform you that just this type of discussion has motivated some to put their hands up and be counted and that's a good thing. When you take on a position in an organization dealing with other peoples money and affairs you have a responsibility to communicate to them how your looking after them, that's not too hard. I don't think he should be drawn and quartered but he does need to be reminded of his responsibility. If you reread most the posts in this thread you'll find that yes most people do have the answer you have just missed it. One other point i would make, if you read the statement on raa website you can see that Ed expected his actions would receive some criticism,

Over the last three days this thread has pricked,prodded, pushed, pulled, twisted and milked little bits of information and pasted together a scenario which is getting somewhere near the truth as I see it. For all of those who complain and wail about the process used there is an easier answer, force your board to communicate. Then you can be released from your pain. Modern management systems know this and behave appropriately. In no possible way I can think of is Ed Herring's approach acceptable.

Ian, I plucked it out of the air to represent the idea of a large portion of members not using this site, to put it better I maybe should have used the words and not tried %s. It would please me no end if the numbers were the other way around because we could then include them in the discussions. I'm not a supporter of this idea that every one is apathetic I rather think that they just done know. I wish we had every bodies email address so we could direct them to this site in general and this thread in particular. This idea you treat members like mushrooms and feed them appropriate mushroom food has worked well for the board of Raa and has meant little opposition until the meeting in february . Why is it that with the recent changes we still have a problem with communication when they know our feeling on this.

Raa is not broken, it's been bungled by incompetents but it's not broken. There is no need to sink the ship. Their might be a need to settle all outstanding matters and start the journey again, if this means spending all the reserves then so be it. If we go down the path of blending with GA then we will discover what expensive really is. What we have with Raa is what I think most flyers want and add to that an increase in weight and maybe access to controlled airspace and we will be where we have been aiming for, don't blow it now. Raa [us] needs to accept the mess we find ourselves in and set about fixing it with gusto and that needs a change of a large part of the board. This can't happen unless we find a way to communicate with 90% of members that don't use this forum. This only counts with the things I know and the things I know I don't know but my opinion might change when it comes to the things I don't know I don't know. [ I knew I'd get to say that one day]

TB what you have said is a brilliant summary of this entire thread. We are all saying the same thing but from our own viewpoint. Sue just suggested educating the members I previously said educate the board members and the biggest point of all is communicate constantly with the membership if you want participation. The answer is communicate communicate communicate.

Thanks for that response Jim, I won't comment on the first part because that can go round and round in circles but to say I never said hand it over I said professional advice. without it you can't take the next logical informed step. Your second point, it seems we are in complete agreement. After all raa has been through I think things are heading the right direction. If we get good reps at our next elections things will continue to improve.

Thanks for your input Jim, I would like to make a point regarding the skill set your promoting as being required on the board. I am a dimwit but if I received a legal letter about some serious matter I would look for an appropriate legal professional to assist me. I notice your comment about getting outside accountants to help get out of a mess, why was it left so long, why wasn't the first sign of problems addressed in that way. All of these matters should be presented to the board by the GM to keep them informed and request direction. It's my opinion that the board needs to get it's nose out of the business of running raa and back to over sight. Then they can spend their energy in the area's that a board should. If the board's choice of the new GM was a good one and I got no reason to doubt it our troubles will soon be on track to being resolved. To add to that if you have what you suggest and you fill the board with legal people, accounting people, IT people and all's well and come next election their all tired or sick of giving their professional skills for free and we end up back where we were then what have we achieved. Like the business side of raa needs a GM who puts processes and procedures in place so the board does also for it's area of operation.

All of the issues raised above relate to the new GM and his staff not who sits on the board. the skill set you are asking for I don't believe is required but ideal of course. Just say I was on the board, I don't need to be in the insurance industry to instruct the GM to get me quotes from our insurance providers and others so the board can choose the best quote with the best coverage. Why wasn't this done 6 months ago and not left until the insurance was due. Our CEO was out of his depth and the board was leaving it up to the excec because they didn't have the support or the balls to stand up to them. This is only one issue, there are many, does the new GM need a side kick on a twelve month contract to help him sort it all out. Don't drive him into the ground and then say he was no good. The board has failed all of their staff by not being on the ball. The extra money spent will be worth it in the end. So what I am saying is fill the board with willing members with a degree in life experiences, an interest in aviation with the balls to speak up and be counted, instruct them in their obligations and get on with it. Don't let the board get involved in GMs job get him help if he needs it. Bring the operations into the 21 century. Make raa an example of how things should be done. Then the board can get on with it's roll which is how it should be.

The present system we operate under is just find for raa. The problem is the people that have offered themselves up for election are not up to the task. If someone was to ask my opinion I would offer the following advice, 1. I would have a document given to all elected board members and a seminar informing them of their rights and responsibility. It seems to me that people seem to think that not all board members are equal. If you lack the courage to demand your presents is felt and your views heard don't stand. Strong representation is essential to a board working well. Board positions like president and the like are servants of the board not the other way around. 2. communicate with the people you represent on a monthly basis by email. I'm sick to death of this idea that your just a phone call away. Get in the real world and learn to communicate. This has been the failing of all recent boards. When this is done you will see all raa members getting involved. We must encourage ideas and sugestions from the general membership through emails. 3. This is the biggie. Keep management and board separate . If the new GM is worth his salt he would have already removed the office keys from any board members who might have them. Board members have no place in the managing operation of this organisation The contact of the board with the management is through the GM. The only time a board member is required at the office is with an invitation from the GM. It has been said that the tech manager is responsible to the board and not the GM, this is wrong and has to be changed. If the GMs neck is on the line he needs to have the say over all his staff. 4. We need a part time book keeper with their finger on the pulse reporting to the GM. 5. Monthly board meetings, this is easy today with the internet with the ability of members to listen in. {some exceptions] This is part of modern communications of the world we live in. When things start working well then the board can look at other matters to improve raa for it's members. There real job.

Thanks Neil, I see that. I new somebody could enlighten me. I don't think there is any reason to be concerned as FrankM has answered that. The performance variation of gazelles shouldn't matter it would be the handbook that counts and the same goes for the savannahs.

Sorry if I miss understood but my question was about the savannah aircraft and why anyone would care if it was classed as a lp aircraft. The aircraft doesn't fly any differently because someone thinks it's lp. As for license certification if the plane you fly is lp and you have lp on your certificate go fly, if the plane is hp and you have hp on your certificate go fly. I would have thought that to be obvious. The only other thing I can think of is that you might feel a lesser man because you fly a lp aircraft or maybe feel a better man because you fly a hp aircraft. That being the case get an extra endorsement. From the point of view of someone who owns one they might feel that the aircraft is under rated and so may be under valued and that might well be legitimate.

I'm interested way anyone cares if it is hp or lp. Am I missing something here.

Self insure is an interesting proposition and one that I like but you won't get any support from management or conservative thinkers and certainly not the insurance company supplying our other insurance. They may well punish you for trying and up our premiums. I think the better way to go would be to put out to tender our insurance requirements with a list of extra's that we might include at the right price. Self insurance for all of our requirements is also worth looking at but alas those conservative thinkers again. Last time I looked at our insurance premiums I nearly fell off my chair and then when we might have a claim against us we hear we might not be covered. Banks and insurance companies are the only business I know that can make a record profit year after year and still cry poverty. It's not surprising their one and the same. Just my opinion.

I can see no reason at all for raa to be considering such a thing. If it became part of our insurance cover as a cost free option then I might agree. We should be focusing on business matters and dare I say it plane registrations.

I see your point very clearly. I object to your premise that put under a little bit of pressure that other raa members would be like you. I don't believe this is so and I certainly wouldn't. My comment of fairness and decency was not directed at you at all, your entitled to your opinion. I make this post only to clarify what I meant and not to enter into a debate. Regards Terry

Whether or not I'm grounded for one two or three months I still want the flying schools to get preferential treatment. Just because I'm unhappy about how I'm dealt with doesn't mean my fundamental belief in fairness and decency goes out the window.

If I could offer an opinion at this point of the discussion it would be this, My life experiences would suggest that steve runciman is not a manageable personality an as such does not have flexability and leadership skills to utilise for the benefit of the board. What skills he does have appear to be used in bullying and stand over tactics. If my understanding is correct he has no place as our president or on the board. His two off siders although lead by him are no better. I don't doubt all three of them believe they have done nothing wrong but what they fail to see is this type of leadership is something belonging in the 1930s. It's time we made a great big jump into the 21 century. Their inability to change with the times and adopt a more professional and open style of management means they must go and soon. The rest of the board can be judged at election time. Their performance may well shine with the removal of these bullies. Their failure to provide Jim Tatlock with documents he requires to carry out his role has for me signed their death warrant.

Jim, your a breath of fresh air. Please follow through with what you've started no matter how hard it gets. [within your capacity ] You have my total support. When I read this thread and others, I don't see the disconnect that others see, it appears to me that we are all singing from the same song sheet with only minor differences in detail. Thanks again Jim.

"My personal view is that $186 annual fee is way too cheap considering what everything else connected with aviation costs. If it has to be $286 or $386 to get the type of service you need then you should be happy to pay it". The idea that you pay more you get more is flawed. I've always found that you pay more you get the same or less and could sight many examples. Did someone say we should be aiming for $200.000.00 pa savings. [profit] I could see good arguement for a decrease in fees. Raa should meet their obligations to casa and stay away from every thing else.

why not put a spinner back on it, would look nice I think.

I believe that what we need is a competent book keeper. I would also like to make the point that the role of the board is one of governance and oversight not the performance of work and until we and the present board grasp this concept we will struggle to achieve the outcomes we want.

Hi rocketing, you are where we have all been, defending raa and trying to be supportive of the board, defending them when and were we can but the time will come for you as it has for us when you can no longer sit back an support them when they are in over their heads. Are they hard working ? Yes, Do they have raas best interests at heart? Yes, So what's the problem? They need help in understanding their role and responsibility. I picked up two minutes ago the notice calling the GM that arrived today with my sports pilot mag and read Middo's comments regarding points one and two. He Doesn't get it. Someone tell him please. It appears to me they must be in over their heads if they don't see the problems. Another comment was '' it is not fully understood what is meant by current state of affairs". Pleasssseeee will somebody tell him. With the small amount of pressure applied through this site we do see as you have noted an effort to communicate and that's good but has a long way to go. Had it not been for this site I don't believe they would have told us the members anything. If you continue to read various threads dating back two or three years you will see quite clearly that the discussions are not one sided as you suggest at all, but well balanced and considered. Lately with the added problems that Middo "can't see" there is an added strain as people try to understand what the hell is going on. It's like pulling teeth. Thank you for your contribution as it adds to the tapestry that is recreational flying. Regards Terry.

Can someone tell me who has either of these two signs available that we can add mtow figures to or can we fabricate them ourselves. Infomation for me and everyone else. Thanks