What plane should AOPA buy after they sell the JET?

Which plane for AOPA?

  • Boeing 737/MD-80 class

    Votes: 4 7.5%

  • Pilatus PC-12 class

    Votes: 16 30.2%

  • King Air with FIKI class

    Votes: 14 26.4%

  • Smaller twin like a Seneca II/III class

    Votes: 4 7.5%

  • up to four or five 210, A36 turbo

    Votes: 5 9.4%

  • Up to 6-8 Grumman Cheetahs with Garmin 696, and txp

    Votes: 4 7.5%

  • Luscombes for all VPs!

    Votes: 6 11.3%
  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .
D

docmirror

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The recent dust up between AOPA and EAA here has led me to pose a mission question for the good folks at AOPA. Lets see if we can help them buy a plane, after getting rid of the jet(like that's ever going to happen).

So, you know who the players are, you kinda know the mission. I would say it's taking 1-6 people, 1000 miles by air, with good dispatch reliability and a beneficial view of GA:
 
Gah, wait till I type the poll!! :lol::lol::lol:
 
How about opening four or five small airport offices about the four corners of the country, equipping each with a single, and initiating an outreach program that's permanent, instead of depending on a slick team from back east, swooping in to make a pitch for change, then jetting out never to be seen again.

We'd still save money over ownership, mx and operating expense of a jet. To say nothing of the $70 million seed money to start with.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
How about opening four or five small airport offices about the four corners of the country, equipping each with a single, and initiating an outreach program that's permanent, instead of depending on a slick team from back east, swooping in to make a pitch for change, then jetting out never to be seen again.

We'd still save money over ownership, mx and operating expense of a jet. To say nothing of the $70 million seed money to start with.
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Vice Presidents are Vice Presidents so that they can talk with Politicians, not members.
 
tonycondon said:
Vice Presidents are Vice Presidents so that they can talk with Politicians, not members.
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There's more to GA advocacy than lobbying in DC. Some new pilots woud be nice.

From the sound of the chatter on this board, seems the VP's are losing touch with the members. AOPA, GA in general, needs more bottom up, less top down.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
There's more to GA advocacy than lobbying in DC. Some new pilots woud be nice.

From the sound of the chatter on this board, seems the VP's are losing touch with the members. AOPA, GA in general, needs more bottom up, less top down.
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We also don't want to pay $100 every time we file IFR or lose airports due to lack of airport improvement funds.
 
Maybe if they burned a lot more avgas and less Jet A we might see more urgency on the 100LL front....just sayin'
 
Chip Sylverne said:
Maybe if they burned a lot more avgas and less Jet A we might see more urgency on the 100LL front....just sayin'
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Hmmmmm... Good thinking. I never considered that angle. The EPA is going to shut down leaded fuel. I'm actually amazed it hasn't happened yet. :yes:
 
Not on the list but definitely a LSA since the LSA is going to save GA for us all.
 
tmyers said:
Not on the list but definitely a LSA since the LSA is going to save GA for us all.
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Well, I didn't give a model, but the Luscombe 8A, B, C, D are LSA.
 
I hear Tim's Arrow is for sale cheap. That ought to work.
 
hey they should make the jet the next sweepstakes airplane. i'd re-join for that!!
 
Your poll is missing the best option: No airplane at all. Fly commercial or, in the highly unlikely event that it is cost-effective, charter something appropriate to the trip.
 
airdale said:
Your poll is missing the best option: No airplane at all.
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Agreed. The VPs already get a decent salary. There is nothing better that would keep them in touch with the agony and the ecstasy that the majority of their membership deals with. Kindred motivation and all that.
 
No, if I'm a member, I don't want management flying around commercial. I want them to feel the joy, and the pain that is GA. They need to live the real time stuff that we live. Seeing that great sunset over the Idaho mountains, being stuck in Raton with a broke starter, Getting tossed like a salad on a June day in the Poconos, etc.
 
docmirror said:
No, if I'm a member, I don't want management flying around commercial. I want them to feel the joy, and the pain that is GA. They need to live the real time stuff that we live. Seeing that great sunset over the Idaho mountains, being stuck in Raton with a broke starter, Getting tossed like a salad on a June day in the Poconos, etc.
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What's wrong with Raton? The NRA Whittington Center is nearby and a great place. :D
 
gprellwitz said:
Yeah, but only one of us has time in the REAL 1998 Ultimate Arrow :)
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True, But I get to fly the same thing anytime I want!!!!!

If we make that trip to Grant and Leslie Land we will have to take the arrow up and slip the surly bonds, or if you come back for the USAF Museum we can do the same thing.
 
Ghery said:
What's wrong with Raton? The NRA Whittington Center is nearby and a great place. :D
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Raton's fine as long as my starter works and I am not there for days on end.
 
Cabin class piston, 421/PA-31.

I would prefer the unpressurized piper just cuz it's closer to most GA planes
 
I'd want them to buy another jet, assuming that the jet fits their mission. Since I don't know how many people travel on any given trip, it's hard to tell.

I don't get the anti GA message some want to send. :mad2:

I guess I'm happy with the job they're doing.
 
I have an extra bicycle they can have, cheap.

To show,I am a good sport, I'll throw in an extra inner tube.
 
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airdale said:
Your poll is missing the best option: No airplane at all. Fly commercial or, in the highly unlikely event that it is cost-effective, charter something appropriate to the trip.
Click to expand...

God forbid an organization advocating for general aviation actually use a GA aircraft to carry out their mission. :eek:
 
airdale said:
Your poll is missing the best option: No airplane at all. Fly commercial or, in the highly unlikely event that it is cost-effective, charter something appropriate to the trip.
Click to expand...

I think that's a great idea, like the "Beef Council" being made up of vegans! :mad2::mad2: Or the NRA bringing Jane Fonda on board as chairman!:mad2:
It is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, look pretty stupid if they didn't travel by general aviation, wouldn't it? Especially if they said it wasn't cost effective, that would be like the president of General Motors buying a Ford, just because it's a better car! :D It might be right, but it hurts the cause. :)
 
I think that's a great idea ...
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Thank you. I think it's a lot better than reinforcing the image that bizjets are the toys of pampered rich guys who are powerful enough that they can have their organizations flush money down a toilet in order to give them luxury transportation.

There are organizations where bizjets make sense, for example Berkshire Hathaway. But a podunk magazine publisher, small-time insurance agency and small-time lobbyist organization is not one of them.

The serious bizjet guys have NBAA to represent them. NBAA does not have a jet and seems to do just fine. The idea that a bunch of bugsmasher pilots should pay good money to wave the flag for bizjet transportation is ludicrous.
 
They need one of these:

paperairplane2_jordanlbender.jpg
 
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