Hightower Resigns as EAA President/CEO

[RV8505]

Chad, I have been an EAA member since 1982, probably longer than most on this forum, and I don't recall ever having seen any such survey. So when you say that you "run surveys frequently" , there must be some disconnect between Osh and my mailbox. EAA can sure find my mail box with the multiple requests to renew my membership when the current one still has months to go, but I don't believe that I have ever seen any type of general survey.
I know a specific mailing may be an expense, but it may be worth doing or even a return type card in the magazine.
And I have been to about 25 conventions and don't recall ever being given any sort of survey form when I register there. All this takes is the printed sheet that the member or even public could fill out and drop in a box, doesn't have to have any mailing cost.
But , of course one can point out that this would not reach people who are not at the convenion, therefore not a perfect survey so a good excuse not to do any survey.


At the very least, it could list our 4 or 5 divisions and ask the member to rank where he wants the most attention.
A longer survey is even better with more real choices.

So if EAA has done surveys, who and what was asked, how were the members contacted, and what were the results?
Having some contract opinion business tell you what members think, based on a small sample, is not really the same thing.

They are electronic email surveys and I have had about 3 in my 25 plus years. However, I am a lifetime member but I 'm not sure that matters.

[Mike Switzer]

Having some contract opinion business tell you what members think, based on a small sample, is not really the same thing.

Well, a small sample is good enough for the weekly jobs report....

I haven't been a member all that long, but i don't recall ever seeing a survey either.

[MEdwards]

I was told the chalets netted over 100K in profit after all expenses---that pays for a lot of trams and services--keeps up the buildings where the forums are , etc.

It would not surprise me at all if they brought a nice return on investment.

I'm sure ROI is the most important thing to a whole lot of people. It is not the most important thing to me in EAA as a membership organization.

[Bill Berson]

It should be possible to survey polls right here on the forum. Others forums similar to this have polls for members to vote and see results in real time.
EAA never released any poll info in the past, as far as I know.
I answered an email poll once about my experience at Oshkosh after the show.
But never anything about Sport Aviation or EAA direction.

[martymayes]

I was told the chalets netted over 100K in profit after all expenses---that pays for a lot of trams and services--keeps up the buildings where the forums are , etc.
Kevin

On the other hand, if the average attendee spends $300 during the week for admission, camping, parking, etc, all it takes is ~330 folks to boycott airventure in protest of the chalets to negate that "profit."

[MEdwards]

It should be possible to survey polls right here on the forum. Others forums similar to this have polls for members to vote and see results in real time.

A poll here would be interesting but would not be very scientific or reliable. The sample size is too small and too specialized. But it should be possible to have a reputable contractor conduct a poll of all or a large fraction of the membership regarding the future direction of EAA for much, much less than the search for a new CEO is probably going to cost us.

[Rick Rademacher]

I placed a very short poll on the www.cubs2oshkosh.com site to collect interest in flying to AirVenture next year. It's easy to do.

[Kurt Flunkn]

CHALETS:

So far all of the posts I've seen on the subject of chalets were negative. However, I'm wondering how many people actually got to go in one. I did and it was fantastic and a godsend. There was a lunch buffet, coolers full of drinks, ice cream, AIR CONDITIONING, and shaded seats to watch the airshow.

How did I get in? A friendly EAA staffer noticed my mom's 1993 Oshkosh tee shirt and after a brief conversation offered us complimentary tickets. For the past 26 years, I've been attending Oshkosh with my mom and dad. They are in their 70's, have some health issues, and the high heat & walking wasn't agreeing with them. So, it was a godsend that the friendly EAA staffer comp'd us for one day. Otherwise we'd never have gotten in.

So while I understand the all the arguments against the chalets, my personal experience they were a tremendous help. 2012 will probably be the last year my folks are able to attend and a friendly EAA staffer did their part to make Oshkosh '12 a great experience.

[steveinindy]

So far all of the posts I've seen on the subject of chalets were negative. However, I'm wondering how many people actually got to go in one. I did and it was fantastic and a godsend. There was a lunch buffet, coolers full of drinks, ice cream, AIR CONDITIONING, and shaded seats to watch the airshow.

How did I get in? A friendly EAA staffer noticed my mom's 1993 Oshkosh tee shirt and after a brief conversation offered us complimentary tickets. For the past 26 years, I've been attending Oshkosh with my mom and dad. They are in their 70's, have some health issues, and the high heat & walking wasn't agreeing with them. So, it was a godsend that the friendly EAA staffer comp'd us for one day. Otherwise we'd never have gotten in.

So while I understand the all the arguments against the chalets, my personal experience they were a tremendous help.

That was similar to my experience with the NBAA's "chalet" a couple of years back. They were polite, helpful, receptive and friendly. Not at all the rude, crass, self-righteous elitist pricks that a lot of folks on here want to paint the chalet occupants as being.

I just find there's something very odd about persons who spend $50,000-100,000+ to build and maintain airplanes but complains
about "rich folks and their fancy toys". It's just peculiar and reinforces an artificial chasm between two groups of pilots. I've yet to meet in the nearly 25 years I have hung around airports a non-airline pilot who isn't eager to show off their bird (the airline guys are too but are hindered in the name of the illusion of "security").

What's funny is that a lot of the rich passengers of corporate jets have been quite excited to show off their toys as well. One of my experiences was when a Gulfstream V landed at the airport I lived next to. Having never seen one up close, I decided to go take a look. The main passenger was Brett Michaels (from the 1980s band Poison and a damned nice guy too!) and I was talking to the pilot who was being crappy with me and Brett overheard. Next thing I know, the pilot is told to "Show the kid (mind you, I was 25 at the time!) the airplane and be nice about it or you'll be walking back to California".

This whole "them versus us" thing is just something I'll never understand because it doesn't fit with any experience I have had outside of a few of the homebuilders of racing aircraft who were really snobby about their planes. I've had far more "I'm better than you" encounters with "fellow" homebuilders than anyone else. Hell, I've found that a lot of the "corporate" aircraft manufacturers that come to Oshkosh are nicer than the staff of the kit manufacturers even though it's glaringly obvious that I'll likely never be able to afford a Piaggio Avanti, King Air or 787.

[BBARTONB]

Bill;I've been a member since 86,and I havn't received any "surveys"eather.Oh well.