Mike Green:

"What have you contributed to soaring?"

I've contributed $64, the cost of a yearly membership to the SSA. AOPA
costs $39, EAA costs $40 and the fine aviation magazine (and membership
to the Smithsonian Institution) Air and Space cost $24.

What is my point? All of these organizations exist to serve their
members. A prevailing attitude here seems to be that the members of
SSA exist to serve the SSA. This is a recipe for disaster and a very
poor business plan.

Did it ever occur to you that some people in the soaring community
might not have the time to volunteer to the SSA or to soaring outside
of their own personal involvement? People have families and other
responsibilities. Did it occur to you that some people may already be
volunteering their precious time to other more worthy causes, charities
or activities. Things like helping the elderly, poor, the sick, or
helping out with other civic, education or conservation organizations?

In my own case I work for a not for profit teaching and research
hospital where I do cancer research. I feel that I'm making an
important contribution to society and my community during my day job.
On the weekends I want a leisure activity and I don't feel that I'm
obligated to "give anything back" to soaring except for flying safe and
being responsible.

Since the SSA and many of the members here obviously feel that the
members exist to serve SSA and not the other way around, it should not
be surprising that the SSA is having its current problems.

I have not flown a glider in years and have only kept up my membership
with the intent that I might one day become active again. I never did
find the soaring community to be very friendly especially if you
weren't a competition pilot and just flew around the flagpole like I
used to do. Anyone who denies that there is a caste system in soaring
is just fooling themselves.

I don't live anywhere near Bermuda Soaring and Frank Reid, but if I did
I would never go fly there or recommend the operation to any friend.
The membership of the SSA has been stagnant and my own observations is
that there is less and less activity at the fields where I used to fly.


So my contribution to soaring would be that it better wake up--the SSA
should take the view that it exists to serve its members and to provide
services and products that are worth $64.

I won't be renewing my SSA membership. The soaring community and
environment are just too unpleasant and there are much better ways for
me to spend my precious weekends.

Lucky Lindy



Mike I Green wrote:
Hi Brad,
I have flown thermals with several Directors, and wouldn't hesitate
flying with them again. I know one Director who can't afford a ship
right now. The ones I know personally are nice people who are working
their behind off to save our organization.

Have you read the committee notes? What have you contributed to soaring?

Mike Green

Brad wrote:
Imagine what it might be like thermaling with some of these folks.
Could you count on them to team fly on a long cross country? Bet most
of them have sailplanes that cost close to what my house costs. The
hang glider guys might be on to something; the more expensive your
flying toy is, the bigger the ego is.

BTW...........the only reason I belong to the SSA is because my club
requires it for insurance purposes.

Brad
199AK


wrote:

Ok, having lurked, read, or mulled over all that is being written I do
need to say this last post is what is bad about RAS and this internet
stuff. Would you in a public meeting, use this kind of language to
persuade others? I know almost no one personally on this group, yet I
know who I would at least listen to if I met them. This is language I
hear at school and have to correct all the time...since most kids have
very limited verbal skills when making emotional comments. A little
skunk one said if ya can't say nothin nice, then don't say nothin at
all. Voice your concerns, leave the poor language to the people that
can think of no other way to express themselves.

Larry Johnson SSA member
Frank Reid wrote:

5-BG wrote:

There are MANY reasons that a poster to this board might nor want to sign his name.
1. He may be a sitting judge.
2. he may be a local or national politician with an interest in soaring who does not want this issue to be introduced by his political opponents.
3. He may be a political staffer or appointee who , by way of his position, may have some distant possible conflict should his principal be called upon to enact legislation revelant to the SSA.
4. He may be an ssa member who works for the IRS, the NM tax people or the NM ag.. who wants to send an unofficial message to the membership of the ssa that the **** is about to hit the fan.
5. he may be a pilot who is seeking a berth on the national team who does not want to risk offending the powers that be.
6. He may have a commercial interest in soaring and does not want to risk his business base, but has personal feelings.
7. He may be a director of the ssa who is seeking to go against the flow and to affect change, but is running into the establishment.
8. he may just be a member who is genuinely ****ed off at the way things have gone and who has reached the point of speaking out and "tipping at windmills" a la Don Quixote.


THE TEN TOP REASONS WHY 5BG WILL NOT SIGN HIS NAME TO HIS POSTS

10. HE IS REALLY JUDGE JUDY

9. HE IS A US REPRESENTATIVE, RECENTLY IN THE NEWS, AND WOULD LIKE TO
WORK WITH THE YOUTH IN SOARING

8. HE IS REALLY A PAGE WHO WORKED FOR THE ABOVE REFERRED TO
CONGRESSMAN.

7. HE IS DOUG JACOBS

6. HE OWNS THREE MAJOR SORING OPERATIONS IN THE US AND DOES NOT WANT
TO JEOPARDIZE THE MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS HE IS MAKING

5. HE IS REALLY A SHE - NAMELY DIANNE BLACK-NIXON

4. HE IS DENNIS WRIGHT

3. HE IS A RAG HEAD FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TRYING TO CAUSE TROUBLE IN
THE US

2. HE IS CHAIRMAN OF THE SSA FOUNDATION AND WANTS TO KEEP THAT MONEY
FOR HIMSELF

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY 5BG WILL NOT SIGN HIS POSTS IS:

1. HE IS JUST AN OBNOXIOUS, LOUD MOUTHED MEMBER OFTHE SSA WHO REALLY
IS A CHICKEN**** GUTLESS
COWARD WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE CONVICTION NOR COURAGE NOR BALLS TO
SIGN HIS POSTS!!

Warmest Regards to All,

Frank Reid