Hightower Resigns as EAA President/CEO

[Ylinen]

I had the honor to meet his family at AV this year. His son had just gotten his PPL on his 17th birthday. Very nice family. It is hard to ask a family to move when they get to high school age. Their college futures hinge too much on how they are in high school. I wish him and his family all the best.

Now it is up to the EAA board to decide how they want the future of EAA to be. I hope some strong candidates come to selection. Lets hope the best years of EAA are ahead.

All the best Rod.

[kscessnadriver]

I see this as a forced removal, by the ever deafing roar of the few who think EAA should be nothing other than homebuilts. And if that's the case, I may elect to not renew my membership. I'm disappointed to see him go, it seems like he was doing a good job at increasing the income for the organization and putting it on a path to continued expansion in GA in general, rather than sitting in a niche corner that will continue to decline as the population gets older.

[Bill]

"Infirm of purpose!' to quote Shakespeare, if Hightower departed for the stated reasons. Its incredibly hard to believe that a successful businessman would undertake such a change as the move to Oshkosh, which is a delightful town, without the support of his family. If he did, then it calls his judgement and common sense into question.

I also have a hard time believing that the "roar of the few" stampeded the EAA board into booting him. We'll probably never know the real reason for his departure.

Let us hope, though, that the next CEO wouldn't feel the need for an assistant to handle the CEO's branding.

[Joe Delene]

Never had any issues(bad) with him myself.

[kjb]

I for one am glad to see a direction change. EAA needs to find a path that looks to the affordable average guy aviation. While IFR flying, formation flying, and turboprop aircraft are interesting they are way to far out of reach for 90% of the organization. Therefore 90% of the effort of the organization should be concentrated on us in the real world. That includes building aircraft, maintaining older aircraft, stick and rudder skills and recruiting friends and family to enjoy the world of aviation with us. The more unaffordable we make things seem with Airventure and with SportAviation the more we chase many people away. Rod may not have been the right fit, I wish him well, and I hope that EAA finds a direction that can benifit the Experimental and Recreational aviation most effectively.

[Rick Rademacher]

Oh how I wish that Springfield, Ohio had been chosen as the home for the EAA rather than Oshkosh when they moved from Rockford. As I live only 15 miles from Springfield, I would have enjoyed participating at EAA at a higher level. The President of EAA has to be a part of the Oshkosh community. To reside in another state can’t work for anyone!

[rv9av8tr]

Like everything else; education, cars, houses, etc, hobbies like flying
have become disproportionately expensive. I got my PPL in 1971 for $660
as a high school student working a summer job. I was able to pay for
an entire year of college working a summer job. Try that today!! The
result is an incredible economic force that has changed the face of how
most of us knew the world "back then".

I joined EAA in 1981, attended my first Oshkosh in 1982 and built my
first airplane (Long-EZ) from 82-85. EAA then was about homebuilts,
antiques, classics and a little bit about warbirds. I drool over a
beautiful Fairchild or Staggerwing as much (or more so) than a
homebuilt. For me, that is the core of EAA, promoting innovation in our
garages and keeping our aviation heritage alive. These economic forces
have clearly made that much more difficult than in 70's-80's, but that
is what draws me to EAA. AOPA has a different mission and place, and
just as important as EAA in it's own right, but I think they have been
blurring their missions. I think EAA & AOPA can work synergistically to
help all corners of aviation, but lets focus on our missions.

Long live EAA & AOPA... in their own camps and together.

[prasmussen]

Notthat we necessarily need to use the affairs of business as a modelbut I know of several companies that have been severely challenged asthey transitioned from the vision of the founder to that of thesecond generation. I think the folks who are trying to guide the EAAdeserve some credit for listening as we evolve through that stage.And we need to know that these forums are where we exchange ideas butalso where the leadership can sample the attitudes and reactions ofmembers.


Iwould suggest maybe that there should less black and white and morerespectful acceptance of the wonderful range of our goals foraviation and the EAA. I can't quit because I don't particularly likethe fact that our dues support a segment of aviation in which I can'tparticipate. I need to stick around and make my opinion heard. Isthere another choice?


“Wemust all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

[WeaverJ3Cub]

Not that we necessarily need to use the affairs of business as a model but I know of several companies that have been severely challenged asthey transitioned from the vision of the founder to that of thesecond generation. I think the folks who are trying to guide the EAA deserve some credit for listening as we evolve through that stage.And we need to know that these forums are where we exchange ideas butalso where the leadership can sample the attitudes and reactions ofmembers.

Exactly! Apple is a great current example.

[Joe LaMantia]

OK where to start?

I agree with Jim Clark that EAA is a social organization founded around interest in aviation. I've been a member of several chapters over the years whose membership varies from backyard mechanics to "high flyers" who own Bonanza's. Small chapters tend to be pretty "tight" with the same leadership year after year and take on the personality of that leadership. Larger chapters mean more people and that always means a bit more "politics". You can usually judge the focus of a chapter and how you fit in a couple of meetings. Now as far as EAA HQ is concerned we have this very unique situation, a small group that has exploded in size do to the Fly-In. It's become the biggest aviation show in the world and that wasn't the objective of the founder back in the 1950's.

EAA and aviation in general is facing the impacts of "globalization" and rapid technology advances like this "blog". Change is one of the most difficult challenges facing management in any organization, people resist change. So we have 4 pages and counting of people venting their frustrations. This is a normal reaction to yet another change. EAA has a huge membership and it's doubtful that any "leader" will be able to make everyone happy. Let's look at the future of GA and EAA and accept the fact that "growth" will be slow at best in the USA. We have shipped a huge piece of our economy overseas and we're struggling with the impact of that fact along with finding a way forward. No Politics here Please! We've had a lot of blogging on that subject and it's clear we are divided into camps. The impact of division is not helpful in finding solutions.

Here's one of many future outcomes. Aviation and EAA focus globally and recognize that China wants to expand it's aviation community to include GA. That is already happening on the business side, EAA could try to establish grassroots chapters in Asia. Maybe we could have "sister' chapters, the internet would allow all kinds of international contact and it fits with EAA HQ leadership. I'm sure the CEO of Cessna will have something to say about that possibility. Another outcome will be yet another survey of the membership which will yield the same results, everybody shouting "my way or the highway".

OK Rick, moving to Springfield would be Great! I could attend AirVenture every year and it would be a day trip from Sidney. I had about 12 years of that when I lived in Hartland, WI and drove to OSH! The facilities at HQ are wonderful, and if your close you can really use it's resources.

Joe