...and why do you think he waited until a couple weeks before Sun-N-
Fun to bring this up? After all, he DOES own a Glasair, registered in
a state other than Florida (look up N411AN on the FAA database) and
has operated it in Florida nearly continuously, including during the
crucial six month period after he bought it. It would be interesting
to know if HE was billed by the Florida DOR, and if so, when. (Mr.
Wanttaja, are you listening?)

As for your not caring what his motives are, allow me to give you a
little background. I worked for Campbell trying to sell advertising,
a fact of which I am deeply ashamed. What I can tell you is that for
Campbell, motive is everything. In his case there are only two
motives that count. Money and personal aggrandizement. Money from
advertisers (sometimes unwilling advertisers) who are, in many cases,
given nearly continuously good coverage on his little website for as
long as they are advertisers. (Case in point: Cirrus Design. 80
accidents, including 33 fatals, in five years. Look at where they
advertise on his page, and look at how much negative coverage they
get.) Cancel those ads and watch out.

Case in point: In the late 90s, everyone was worried (to say the
least) about the quality of design and the components supplied with
the Revolution 500 helicopter. Despite nearly universal condemnation,
Campbell's little rag, US Aviator, had nothing but good things to say
about the kit. When the owner finally turned down repeated attempts
by both Campbell and myself to sell him an ad in the magazine,
Revolution Helicopters got slammed, repeatedly, in both the magazine
and on this very forum by Mr. Campbell. Coincidence? You might think
so, but I know better. Was the criticism warranted? Yes. Was his
presentation of those criticisms timely? No. He waited until there
was no chance to get money from them, and THEN took them on.

Chuck Slusarczyk is another case in point. Campbell and his pet rat,
Juan Jimenez, have made a hobby of borderline libel of both Chuck and
his line of ultralights for literally decades. When did THAT start?
When Chuck decided not to advertise in Campbell's rag and, worst of
all, when he called Campbell's credibility into question.

In the case of his hatred of Sun-N-Fun, he likes to say that the fly-
in has been banning him from attending and therefore trying to muzzle
him because of his criticisms. The reality is far from what he
"reports." The actual reasons he has been banned (although reporters
and photographers working for him are, indeed, welcome) include
printing up fake press and parking passes for the event (of which I
have two, provided to me by Campbell, for the 1997 SNF) as well as
attempting to serve legal papers on people and companies attending and
exhibiting at the show after being told, repeatedly, not to do so. He
has also bragged (during his "terrorists are out to kill me" period)
of needing to carry a Berretta 9mm hand cannon to the show to protect
himself. I HEARD that brag, firsthand, outside the Rose Motel (where
Campbell put his staff, including me, up) on the second night of the
1997 SNF. Do I think he actually carried? Well, when I asked him to
show me the weapon (supposedly in an ankle holster) his reply was "the
only reason it comes out of the holster is if I have to use it,"
which, upon reflection, most likely means that the whole story was
just that. A story. Bottom line, it is not a matter of his
"journalistic" rights being trampled upon by the City of Lakeland and
SNF officials. THAT is just a convenient story.

Yes, the story is indeed what matters. No doubt about it. But in
Campbell's case you ALWAYS have to consider whether you are getting a
fair, objective and representative telling. In the case of anything
Sun-N-Fun related, the chances of reading something fair and objective
on ANN are somewhere between microscopically slim and none.

Al "Escalator Tag" Staats


I don't care what Zoom's motives are. The story is what matters.
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC * * * * * * * * *http://www.conmicro.comhttp://jmaynard.livejournal.com* * *http://www.tronguy.net
Fairmont, MN (FRM) * * * * * * * * * * * *(Yes, that's me!)
AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (ordered 17 March, delivery 2 June)