Is this your chapter?

[Trevor Janz]

I was talking with Paul Poberezny and ask him his opinion...he said that the destruction of a chapter is due to lack of leadership. I think of the quote......the speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack. You have to have a strong leader(s) to move things forward. Members do have to rise up...get the people motivated, vote people out...or, yes...start another chapter. Here at the chapter office, we welcome the opportunity to help you with forming a new chapter...get 10 motivated members and move forward.

[1600vw]

I was talking with Paul Poberezny and ask him his opinion...he said that the destruction of a chapter is due to lack of leadership. I think of the quote......the speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack. You have to have a strong leader(s) to move things forward. Members do have to rise up...get the people motivated, vote people out...or, yes...start another chapter. Here at the chapter office, we welcome the opportunity to help you with forming a new chapter...get 10 motivated members and move forward.

First I would like to say thank you to folks like yourself whom are out there working for us everyday.

But finding 10 members is like asking me to fly my plane to California. Now do not get me wrong. I know of 10 people whom do not belong to any clubs but that is the problem, they don;t even belong to the EAA, AOPA, or any club. They want to be left alone to do what they do. I have mentioned this a couple of student pilots I know and they have no interest in any clubs, EAA or anything. These folks are going after there SP certificate and want nothing to do with anything like this. They go to their CFI for all answers, you will never see them post on a forum like this either.

The first thing I did after I fell in love with aviation was look for a club of others with my interests. Sitting and talking aviation is fine for a while...I want to fly and work on what we fly, not talk about how it use to be.....

[Bill Berson]

My local chapter dissolved because the all volunteer leaders and members at my local chapter were disappointed with the leadership at EAA headquarters. At that time getting people motivated and voting in new leaders at EAA headquarters wasn't an option.

I do hope Pelton continues to expect the new leaders, from top to bottom, to all serve as volunteers (as he is) That will help motivate future leaders,I hope.
Also, it might motivate more grass roots participation if members had a real vote.

[cub builder]

Bill... This subject deserves it's own thread. I hope you don't mind, but I quoted your post and started a new thread with it rather than hijacking this thread.

-Cubbuilder

[Trevor Janz]

Hello Bill...thank you for your post. How long ago did it dissolve?
Rest assured that the team here at the Chapter Office is new (myself, Jeff Skiles and Bret Steffen). We came from EAA Chapters and all of us have been attending convention since the 1970's...earlier for Jeff...he attended Rockford. I was frustrated with a few things as well, when I was not here at HQ...when I took the Chapter Manager roll...number one on my agenda was to get back in touch with the chapters...the chapters make all EAA programs successful...it is the can do attitude of the chapter members that to this day amazes me. As I traveled this past Fall and Winter (will be traveling to chapters after convention) we met over 3,000 members combined and it really motivated me to know that the chapters are alive and doing great out there! I want to bottle up what many of these chapters are doing and provide it to other chapters that are struggling. I hope thru our channels of communications - ChapterGram, e-Hotline, Sport Aviation, Chapter Chat Webinars, direct emails to Chapter leaders...we are able to work with all chapters to grow and be successful. We can build aircraft...we can build relationships....like Paul has always told me...it is not the airplanes Trevor....it is the people! 1600VV....I know those kinds of people and you will never change their mind...but, you have the right attitude and most of the time that can be contagious...so, surround yourself with other aviators like yourself! I would hope it would be at an EAA Chapter.

[Bill Berson]

Trevor,
I don't remember dates well, probably about 5 years ago. It was when EAA dropped insurance support for local fly-ins or something, I think.
For chapter 1026, the annual Port Townsend Fly-in was pretty much the chapters main event.
Nobody wanted to be President, fear of liability, I think. A big argument about liability started, and the current president said this is the last meeting and that was it for the club and the annual fly-in.

[Mike Switzer]

Bill - Our flying club (not affiliated with EAA) buys officer's & directors liability insurance. I don't know that I would be comfortable being a maintenance officer without it.

[Trevor Janz]

Thanks Bill. A lot has transpired in 5 years. Not sure if you knew...but we had a fatal crash at an EAA event on the West Coast. It was a nasty lawsuit that we lost. So, we pulled out of Sun n Fun and other venues that EAA started...we hated to do that...but were forced to do that by our underwriters. Liability will always be an issue in aviation and the society we live in...but, we have one of the best insurance coverage for an EAA chapter now...$1 Million coverage...and you can have an event daily if you wish. We also have a list of all the things that covers on line....or I can send you a copy. Our Risk Management wants to make sure that the chapters are having events, growing and thriving...just so long as it is covered. Let me know if you would like to get another chapter going.

[Dave Stadt]

Thanks Bill. A lot has transpired in 5 years. Not sure if you knew...but we had a fatal crash at an EAA event on the West Coast. It was a nasty lawsuit that we lost. So, we pulled out of Sun n Fun and other venues that EAA started...we hated to do that...but were forced to do that by our underwriters. Liability will always be an issue in aviation and the society we live in...but, we have one of the best insurance coverage for an EAA chapter now...$1 Million coverage...and you can have an event daily if you wish. We also have a list of all the things that covers on line....or I can send you a copy. Our Risk Management wants to make sure that the chapters are having events, growing and thriving...just so long as it is covered. Let me know if you would like to get another chapter going.

Trevor,

The main reason I have walked away from being a chapter member, part of chapter leadership and flying young eagles is due to liability. Nowdays one million in liability insurance is hardly worth talking about. Have also never understood what the million dollars covered. Does it cover attorney fees and judgement or just judgement? I have been part of other not for profit organizations and their officer and director insurance was in the 5 to 10 million dollar area. We own a hangar that we rent out and I would not consider a million dollar umbrella liability policy. One can never be totally protected but multi-million dollar umbrella liabilities policies are now pretty much the norm.

Dave Stadt

[Bill Berson]

Thanks Bill. A lot has transpired in 5 years. Not sure if you knew...but we had a fatal crash at an EAA event on the West Coast. It was a nasty lawsuit that we lost. So, we pulled out of Sun n Fun and other venues that EAA started...we hated to do that...but were forced to do that by our underwriters. Liability will always be an issue in aviation and the society we live in...but, we have one of the best insurance coverage for an EAA chapter now...$1 Million coverage...and you can have an event daily if you wish. We also have a list of all the things that covers on line....or I can send you a copy. Our Risk Management wants to make sure that the chapters are having events, growing and thriving...just so long as it is covered. Let me know if you would like to get another chapter going.

I thought the $10 million loss was reversed on appeal. Or was that a separate Arlington lawsuit?