Today's Message Index:
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1. 07:19 AM - AOPA membership (Jim Belcher)
2. 12:35 PM - Re: AOPA membership (Larry McFarland)
3. 01:17 PM - Re: AOPA membership (Jim Belcher)
Message 1
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Some months ago, AOPA Pilot ran an article on the XL that, IMHO, was very
uncomplimentary, and seemed to be generally misinformed. At least one of the
principals at Zenith responded to the article, as did I. We were both treated
very discourteously, and AOPA's initial negative position was reinforced.
This resulted in several emails on these lists suggesting that perhaps we
should consider not renewing our memberships in AOPA. Others suggested that
this would be throwing out the baby with the bath water, and may have felt
AOPA was doing an acceptable job.
While I've heard no further comments from AOPA on the XL, I have noticed that
AOPA appears to be taking a firmer stand with the government on several issues
that will negatively impact pilots, something they, again IMHO, had not been
doing. I wonder if this not may be the result of the new leadership at AOPA.
I was particularly disturbed about the XL article, not just because I'm
building an XL, but because AOPA's charter is to promote general aviation. The
same article could have been written in a more constructive manner, and
possibly helped the situation.
For these reasons, when my membership came up for renewal this month, I wrote
AOPA a letter, telling them that I considered this a probationary renewal. I
presented the things just outlined, stating that I was willing to give the new
leadership a chance, but that if things did not change, it would be my last
year of membership.
If you are unhappy with their performance in recent years, this may be a way
of calling it to their attention, and giving them an opportunity to fix it. I
hate to cancel my membership after many years, but neither will I accept the
level of performance they have demonstrated in recent years.
--
=======================================
Jim B. Belcher
BS,MS Physics
A&P/IA
General Radio Telephone Certificate
Instrument Rated Pilot
Retired Aerospace Technical Manager
Semi-proficient Househusband
=======================================
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: AOPA membership |
Jim,
You'd not be the only person that took notice of this and at our last
chapter meeting there were
people that felt much the same way. AOPA may write off all the EAA
membership in hope of garnering
big money interests, but it won't work. The AOPA has become something
like the AARP of the
ground bound set and I tore up their magazine long ago when they got
politically against
readers interests. The AOPA will find the light aviation people vote
with their checkbooks too.
Larry McFarland 601HDS at www.macsmachine.com
Jim Belcher wrote:
>
> Some months ago, AOPA Pilot ran an article on the XL that, IMHO, was very
> uncomplimentary, and seemed to be generally misinformed. At least one of the
> principals at Zenith responded to the article, as did I. We were both treated
> very discourteously, and AOPA's initial negative position was reinforced.
>
> This resulted in several emails on these lists suggesting that perhaps we
> should consider not renewing our memberships in AOPA. Others suggested that
> this would be throwing out the baby with the bath water, and may have felt
> AOPA was doing an acceptable job.
>
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: AOPA membership |
Larry:
Your comparison of AOPA to the AARP amuses me. I'd had the same thought. I was
in AARP many years ago, and dropped out of it, because I felt they were using
my membership to claim their views represented me. Needless to say, they
don't.
Besides, the AARP magazine was depressing. It was full of pictures of old
people.
On Tuesday 27 July 2010 14:34:18 you wrote:
>
> Jim,
> You'd not be the only person that took notice of this and at our last
> chapter meeting there were
> people that felt much the same way. AOPA may write off all the EAA
> membership in hope of garnering
> big money interests, but it won't work. The AOPA has become something
> like the AARP of the
> ground bound set and I tore up their magazine long ago when they got
> politically against
> readers interests. The AOPA will find the light aviation people vote
> with their checkbooks too.
>
> Larry McFarland 601HDS at www.macsmachine.com
>
--
=======================================
Jim B. Belcher
BS,MS Physics
A&P/IA
General Radio Telephone Certificate
Instrument Rated Pilot
Retired Aerospace Technical Manager
Semi-proficient Househusband
=======================================
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