Smitty wrote:

I'd personally rather have an organization that is restricted to
homebuilding. I joined my local chapter, found it attended by about 50
members, and learned that none of them are building an airplane. I'd
rather sit on a park bench and chat with two actual builders than sit
around listening to WWII stories. But, I wasn't around to vote when EAA
drafted its mission statement.


I'm with Smitty. I stopped going to the local chapter meetings. There
just wasn't anything there that would help my project along, and I found
the constant 'oohs' and 'aahs' over expensive commercial planes and big
metal military equipment a little hard to stomach. I haven't noticed
very many other builders there the few times I have gone.

Not to discount Jay's sentiment, but the EAA has become an aviation glee
club, but I want to play ball, not sit on the sidelines. I'd be happy
if the biggest flyins still had only one tent, if that. Small tents
with normal people telling how they create airplanes with limited
resources. The cheering section isn't needed, or desired.

The high-dollar tool vendors with their glitzy overproductions are also
optional. Hell, anybody can create a masterpiece with enough money to
spend on tools. It takes a special type of person to create a perfect
bend with a couple 2x4s and a few door hinges.

The airshows? Distracting and purposeless, except to demonstrate a
building technique or design. As they are...pure useless fluff.

But, heh. That's just me.

--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."