Papa Foxtrot
Pre-takeoff checklist
My, my, my... I guess they turned down his ad buy sales pitch.
I tend to agree with them. Pretty lame. However, they are really the only game in town, so maybe they will start doing their job again.
News/Analysis By ANN Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell
OK... let me start off with the following -- no one likes to do stories like this...
Over the years, I've seen this guy do hatchet jobs on more than one subject.
I think he does enjoy it.
Or told him they weren't going to pay his way to the AOPA convention, or wouldn't end their association with Cirrus, or otherwise quit stroking Campbell's ego. Worthiness of the target aside, Campbell's attacks don't seem to start until there's no benefit in ignoring problems with the company. Revolution Helicopters (e.g., Mini-500) is a classic case... criticism building for years, nothing said in US Aviator while the advertisements are paid for. Avweb actually broke the story.My, my, my... I guess they turned down his ad buy sales pitch.
Really? The employees select their own bosses using the proxies that they get from unwitting members during the renewal process. When was the last time you saw an announcement to members of any Board of Governors vacancy or top organizational manager opening? When was the last time you saw anything at all encouraging members to participate in the governance of the organization?AOPA, at its core, remains a member-driven organization
AOPA, at its core, remains a member-driven organization, and only with productive input from its members can it define its mission better.
Never be afraid to offer concrete and productive advice.
Whatever happened to the Cirrus lawsuit?
As a strategic partner in AOPA’s Corporate Partnership Program, Aircraft Spruce will support the association and its members through engagement activities including sponsorship of the registration area at AOPA Aviation Summit, support for AOPA website content, and periodic special offers and discounts through both Aircraft Spruce and PilotShop.com. They will also provide year-round special offers through the AOPA Lifestyles Member Discounts Program.
Also - totally forgot to mention the article in the OP - Zoom is a nutjob, and an attack artist, but he got this one right on the money, unfortunately. AOPA is a wasteful, useless organization. I hoped for change with Craig Fuller, I rejoined because of it, but after a year of seeing the same "do nothing" tactics, I let my membership lapse again.
We really need better representation.
I have no doubt that Jeppesen really doesn't worry too much about AOPA. I find it somewhat surprising that ANN feels that AOPA is trying to compete with Jepp, when the AOPA flight planner is Jepp's online planner but with AOPA branding.
Spike - have you tried? I have.
It didn't get very far.
edit: Also - totally forgot to mention the article in the OP - Zoom is a nutjob, and an attack artist, but he got this one right on the money, unfortunately. AOPA is a wasteful, useless organization. I hoped for change with Craig Fuller, I rejoined because of it, but after a year of seeing the same "do nothing" tactics, I let my membership lapse again.
We really need better representation.
AOPA, at its core, remains a member-driven organization, and only with productive input from its members can it define its mission better.
Never be afraid to offer concrete and productive advice.
Money does talk in Washington, both within the halls of government as well as the halls of membership organizations.
AOPA remains one of the most influential organizations serving individual GA,
Bill
They've never stopped anything from being done to pilots, and the most egregious example is the ******* customs check. It makes me furious that I have to check into and out of my own country with the federal govt. It's obviously against the law, and I can only imagine what would happen to any legislator that had the balls to try pushing this through for car traffic. It's ludicrous.
I am not defending AOPA when I say this, but the border crossing issue is really not an AOPA issue. All the aviation organizations (AOPA, EAA, NBAA, others...) AND business travel organizations have been unsuccessful at challenging that.
Remember that the advance notification rules apply to GA and commercial passengers alike, and remember that Secure Flight applies to large GA and commercial passengers alike (fortunately, small GA is currently exempt from SecureFlight): under Secure Flight an airline CANNOT issue a boarding pass to a passenger unless the Government says OK, likewise large GA can't board passengers unless they get GOvernment OK. If the airlines can't fight it, no way GA will win.
I have no idea whether AOPA is effective as a lobbying organization or not. All I have to go on is the incessant puff pieces they themselves publish.
Does anyone have or has anyone seen any independent information on the organization's effectiveness?
Bill, I really don't care too much what comm ops do. Well, I do care in the grander scheme of things but that's not a valid comparison. I have a private aircraft, private boat, a pair of Floorshiems, and a private car. I use my private aircraft and car to cross international borders. I could use my boat and shoes as well. There is no case where I need permission from the federal govt to cross an international border with my car, or my boat or walking. However, if I want to fly my own plane, out of my own country, I need to get permission to leave, and then come back in. This is not right, and should not be allowed to stand.
As for Commercial ops, I would be fine with US citizens leaving the country without a permission slip, but I realize I'm one of those wacko libertarians that would like to think I have the appearance of freedom, if not the actual fact of it.(sorry to dangle that participle)
More web clicks for Zoom to point out the obvious. If it bleeds, it leads.
Re the ad hominem attacks on Campbell, those who don't like him or don't trust him can ignore the opinions in his article. But there is a fair amount of factual material presented, and I don't think he's making any of that up. None of it really surprises me except the fact that the advertisers have apparently risen up.