Our "friends" at USA Today

"End an egregious subsidy to corporations and wealthy individuals.

Result in lower ticket prices or, more likely, let the FAA undertake a much-needed and expensive upgrade to its system.

Encourage airlines to substitute larger jets for smaller regional aircraft that have barely enough legroom for a child or bin space for an iPod.
The proposal would have some impact on amateur pilots, particularly if they fly around major cities. It would have a bigger impact on corporate jets that more frequently fly in these crowded corridors."

Beautiful, just beautiful. If you can't have it, then take it away from the ones that do. Thank you President Bush, thank you USA Today. :mad:
 
Corporate jet-setters and amateur pilots constitute some of the most powerful and feared lobbies in Washington.
Click to expand...

Wow, I didn't know I was an amateur pilot... that's not what my certificate says.

I'm also supprised that I'm powerful and feared in Washington.

Missa
 
Missa said:
Wonder if the writer is a Pilot.

Missa
Click to expand...
Ed Bolen is president of the National Business Aviation Association, which represents companies that use small planes for business.
 
Can you feel the love?
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/archives/2007/02/fly_the_crowded_1.shtml
Nice reply by "Hognose" though.

Actually, it's gonna be a losing battle for the airlines if they go after Corporate Jets, which IS what they are going after. Lesseee... we have 5 companies that no one loves vs. the CEOs of every major corporation. You know, that second group is the guys who never get what they want in Washington.:rolleyes:

Those two groups could join together and pin the costs on the rest of us. Maybe once they make it so we have to pay the equivalent of the aircraft's value in fees annually.

I think AOPA and EAA and NBAA are working together, though.
 
Last edited:
Well, sh*t. I've been demoted to "amateur pilot". Kiss my ass.
 
I'm sure NBAA and the others will point out that airliners don't fly to the airports that Corporate GA uses, so the airspace isn't so full outside of the usual hub and spoke nonsense.
 
mikea said:
Actually, it's gonna be a losing battle for the airlines if they go after Corporate Jets, which IS what they are going after. Lesseee... we have 5 companies that no ne loves vs. the CEOs of every major corporation.
Click to expand...

AND. . . add to the fact that of those "five airlines," four of them OWE the gov't vast sums of bailout money due to their ineptness and inability to run a business profitably.

Only problem is, Congress is every bit as stoooopid as the CEO's running Delta, American, US AIr and Northworst Airlines.

We could have a Forrest Gump scenario, as in, you know. . . "Stupid is as Stupid does."

-JD
 
Do all of the major airlines support the user fee, or is it just some of them? IOW, when I do have to fly the big nasty tube, can I reward those who are not supporting the user fees?
 
Being called an amateur still p*sses me off. The people at USAToday can't be that stupid. I just can't believe USAToday didn't deliberately insult 600,000 Americans.
 
mikea said:
Which one Ken? I don't see yours on any of them.
Click to expand...
The one that starts off with "Jane, you stupid slut"? Oh, wait, other than SNL reruns, I guess that doesn't work any more... :D
 
JohnR said:
Being called an amateur still p*sses me off. The people at USAToday can't be that stupid. I just can't believe USAToday didn't deliberately insult 600,000 Americans.
Click to expand...
Don't include me in your count. I am not p*ssd off or bothered in any way by the media's ignorance. Get over it. It will follow you all your life if you let media madness rule your emotions.
 
nosehair said:
Don't include me in your count. I am not p*ssd off or bothered in any way by the media's ignorance. Get over it.
Click to expand...
Where praytell do you think the general public gets their ignorance from?

nosehair said:
It will follow you all your life if you let media madness rule your emotions.
Click to expand...
Righteous indignation can lead one to great acheivements.
 
nosehair said:
Don't include me in your count. I am not p*ssd off or bothered in any way by the media's ignorance. Get over it. It will follow you all your life if you let media madness rule your emotions.
Click to expand...

“A man who does not lose his reason over certain things has none to lose.”
- Gotthold Lessing, German dramatist

Sure, media ignorance is a silly little thing. We are dying a death of a thousand paper cuts, each a little thing when taken individually.
 
Well, I left a post for them, too. They won't like it, but that's just tough.
 
I'm not offended at all about being called an amateur pilot. That's what I am. I don't get paid to fly, so I'm not a professional. Ergo, I'm an amateur. From Dictionary.com:
1. a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons. Compare professional

Many of the people on this board are amateur pilots. The rest are professional pilots. Many of the amateur pilots are better pilots than many of the professional pilots. It has nothing to do with skill, just your paycheck.

Chris
 
cwyckham said:
I'm not offended at all about being called an amateur pilot. That's what I am. I don't get paid to fly, so I'm not a professional. Ergo, I'm an amateur. From Dictionary.com:
1. a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons. Compare professional

Many of the people on this board are amateur pilots. The rest are professional pilots. Many of the amateur pilots are better pilots than many of the professional pilots. It has nothing to do with skill, just your paycheck.

Chris
Click to expand...
Chris, you blowhard. I'm a personal pilot. I'm a financially challenged pilot. I'm a horse power adversely affected pilot.
 
Frank Browne said:
Where praytell do you think the general public gets their ignorance from?


Righteous indignation can lead one to great acheivements.
Click to expand...

...uuuh, I didn't say not to take notice and take action, I just don't give power to others or situations to allow me to *get upset* about name-calling. Be Kewl, man.
 
I'm a vertically challenged pilot.

On the ground; not in the air!

Horizontal is fine; vertical has been a problem for my whole family!

Best,

Dave
 
From Thesaurus.com

Main Entry: amateur
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: learner
Synonyms: abecedarian, am, apprentice, aspirant, beginner, bush, bush league, dabbler, dilettante, greenhorn, ham, hopeful, jackleg, layman, learner, neophyte, nonprofessional, novice, probationer, putterer, recruit.

Dictionary.com, definition #3 of amateur:

3.a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity: Hunting lions is not for amateurs.
 
JohnR said:
From Thesaurus.com

Main Entry: amateur
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: learner
Synonyms: abecedarian, am, apprentice, aspirant, beginner, bush, bush league, dabbler, dilettante, greenhorn, ham, hopeful, jackleg, layman, learner, neophyte, nonprofessional, novice, probationer, putterer, recruit.

Dictionary.com, definition #3 of amateur:

3.a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity: Hunting lions is not for amateurs.
Click to expand...


Any other amateurs in the area, PLEASE ADVISE. :rolleyes:

I don't buy that just because you don't get paid you're an amateur, either.
 
JohnR said:
From Thesaurus.com

Main Entry: amateur
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: learner
Synonyms: abecedarian, am, apprentice, aspirant, beginner, bush, bush league, dabbler, dilettante, greenhorn, ham, hopeful, jackleg, layman, learner, neophyte, nonprofessional, novice, probationer, putterer, recruit.

Dictionary.com, definition #3 of amateur:

3.a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity: Hunting lions is not for amateurs.
Click to expand...

A thesaurus is not a dictionary.

Yes, the number three definition says that it means unskilled, and the the number one says unpaid. Are the amateur athletes at the olympics unskilled? Unfortunately, the word can be used both ways. The technical useage is simply about the paycheck. The common useage can sometimes be used to denote lack of skill. I think it's very clear in the article that they weren't talking about unskilled pilots being affected. They were talking about unpaid pilots also being affected.

Chris
 
cwyckham said:
A thesaurus is not a dictionary.
Click to expand...

Here are a couple of new words for you, then:

con·no·ta·tion –noun
1.an act or instance of connoting.
2.the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning: A possible connotation of “home” is “a place of warmth, comfort, and affection.” Compare denotation (def. 1).

de·no·ta·tion –noun
1.the explicit or direct meaning or set of meanings of a word or expression, as distinguished from the ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it; the association or set of associations that a word usually elicits for most speakers of a language, as distinguished from those elicited for any individual speaker because of personal experience. Compare connotation.

 
First off, we know that the media is a bunch of dumbasses. How do I know this? Because I married a network info broadcast babe many years ago--it took several years of de-programming and proper indoctrination to get her to see the "light of rightness." :D Forget the ugly mug to her left in the picture because I have no idea what she saw in me. I know what I saw in HER. . . (and still do). But when I met her, she was a seasoned broadcast babe, but naieve as hell as to what REALLY went on in the world of military and crime and international events.



That picture is over 20 years old, but it only took a couple of years to get her seeing things right. And then when she started reporting FACTS rather than conjecture and opinion, her bosses at CBS showed her the door.

The media uses the term "amateur" to describe those of us who do not fly kerosene burners that serve cocktails and lose your luggage.

We, in the pilot community, use the term "amateur" to describe those who use the term "Any traffic in the area, please advise."

:D :rofl: :rofl::yes: :rofl: :rofl: :D

Regards.

-JD
 
Last edited by a moderator:
CowboyPilot said:
First off, we know that the media is a bunch of dumbasses. How do I know this? Because I married a network info broadcast babe many years ago--it took several years of de-programming and proper indoctrination to get her to see the "light of rightness." :D Forget the ugly mug to her left in the picture because I have no idea what she saw in me. I know what I saw in HER. . . (and still do). But when I met her, she was a seasoned broadcast babe, but naieve as hell as to what REALLY went on in the world of military and crime and international events.

2vlk4xv.jpg


That picture is over 20 years old, but it only took a couple of years to get her seeing things right. And then when she started reporting FACTS rather than conjecture and opinion, her bosses at CBS showed her the door.

The media uses the term "amateur" to describe those of us who do not fly kerosene burners that serve cocktails and lose your luggage.

We, in the pilot community, use the term "amateur" to describe those who use the term "Any traffic in the area, please advise."

:D :rofl: :rofl::yes: :rofl: :rofl: :D

Regards.

-JD
Click to expand...

You amateur, I could've deprogrammed her in a few months. ;)
 
JohnR said:
Here are a couple of new words for you, then:
Click to expand...
I will assume you mean new words to the conversation and not new words to me. I'd hate to misunderstand you and think you're being condescending.

You are, of course, correct that connotations are important. Phil Boyer's speech writers, for example, shouldn't use the term 'amateur pilots' to describe us when they're talking about the safety of flights over populated areas.

However, context is also important. In the context of the article, it was clear to me that the author was simply trying to draw a distinction between those being paid for flying and those flying for fun. In the context of the article, I don't think any judgement on the skill of unpaid pilots is implied at all. Therefore, I took no offence.

Actually, I think that in the context of the article, it was better that they used the word amateur instead of private. The article certainly has a rich vs. poor slant to it. "Private" pilots are often seen as rich fat cats who spend lots of cash to fly around in circles and stroke their already sizeable egos. The association can be to "private" jets and "private" boxes at the football game. On the other hand, "amateur" pilots, in this context conjures up an image of a mostly harmless group of folks who like to fly around on the weekend. The association is more to "amateur" sports and "amateur" astronomy.

To the general public, it might make perfect sense to grab money from those rich "private" pilots, but not those fun-loving "amateur" pilots.

Now, if it was an article about flight safety, that would be a different matter entirely.

Chris
 
CowboyPilot said:
Forget the ugly mug to her left in the picture because I have no idea what she saw in me.
Click to expand...
JD, it's okay if you're ugly. I may be your closest competition. But, all those pretty colors on your left breast makes ya pretty damn good in my book. Ya did good! :yes:

Ya know how to pick 'em as well!
 
CowboyPilot said:
The media uses the term "amateur" to describe those of us who do not fly kerosene burners that serve cocktails and lose your luggage.

We, in the pilot community, use the term "amateur" to describe those who use the term "Any traffic in the area, please advise."
Click to expand...

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

That may just be the best description yet of the differences in perception.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

That may just be the best description yet of the differences in perception.
Click to expand...

Before my folks were killed, my daddy was a truck driver. He used to tell me that there were professional drivers and amateur drivers and that their paycheck didn't define their "status."

Their ability and attitude did.

I've never forgotten those words and have tried my damndest to live up to them for him in everything I've undertaken.

Regards.

-JD
 
I've known a few A&Ps who don't do it professionally. I wouldn't call them amateur mechanics. Anyone who spends thousands of dollars to obtain a government certificate granting them the privilege of doing something potentially dangerous cannot possibly be called an amateur (unless they end up saying "any traffic, . . . ").

I'd be fine with these:

Pleasure flyers
Recreational flyers
Sport flyers

I'm reminded of a leftist "friend" of mine in the publishing and media business who loves to use the word "propaganda" to describe any projection of US values around the world via government media. This man despises all the United States stands for and believes it's the root of all the world's evil. He said, correctly, that the word "propaganda" literally means advertising, and is normally used as such in Spanish speaking countries (where he ran away to). That's all he meant by it.

I politely reminded him of the CONNOTATION of the word meaning to persuade by deception and emotional appeal. I finally got him to admit he was aware of the connotation and pretty much intended its use that way because he wanted his readers to believe the US was lying to them.

So forgive me if I'm put off by "amateurish" journalists slinging around words that that are desparaging and pretending it's an innocent mistake. I do not believe for one instant their choice of the word "amateur" was an innocent mistake. Yes, I know they're idiots, but too many readers are just as stupid as they are and will forever have the impression that all those Private Pilots doing "loop dee loops" over the city are merely dabbling freeloaders in aviation, not paying their "fair share" of user fees. Thanks a lot, USAToday.
 
Last edited:
Cowboy -- you stud! Good on you, mate!


Let's face it. The majority of journalists no nothing about that which they write. One day, Corey Lyttle, the next, a sale at Penney's. All they know is what they know. These days, sadly, personal opinion can be accepted as fact. The notion of "unbiased" reporting is ludicrous.

Most reporters know nothing of general aviation, other than that they are "little planes" that "didn't file a flight plan." The reporters don't have any idea what a flight plan is, merely that since one wasn't filed, it must mean the pilots did something wrong.

Personally, I think Phil Boyer can talk until his face is blue, but 600,000 pilots out of 300,000,000 is a drop in the bucket.

We have an uphill battle, my friends.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top