We reached a settlement agreement with the FAA re: ATC fees for AirVenture

[Sonex1517]

I cannot believe EAA did this. Unacceptable.

To me this proves what I suspected for years. EAA has completely and totally lost its way, and now has placed their own self interests ahead that of general/sport aviation.

I won't be renewing my membership as a direct result of this fiasco.

[TedK]

​Hal - more questions for Jack and the webcast.

Given that this capitulation may have set a horrible precedent for GA User Fees, and perhaps EAA considered it would be best fought with Airventure fully functioning,...

What will be EAA's Legislative Agenda to achieve a statutory prohibition on User Fees? (This is EAA's chance to redeem themselves)

How will EAA keep the membership informed before the fact, and most importantly, engaged?

[pilotgirlbuf]

I'm seriously appalled by this whole thing. I'm not very sure what to say over this as well. if theres a chance to redeem yourselves, EAA, better do it quick. I'll be thinking about pulling my membership as well, and that is sad.

[vaflier]

If Mr Pelton really wants to hear from the membership perhaps he should consider having the webinar at a time that more people could attend. Maybe 8pm CST might be a good time. This would allow the majority of those of us who work a better chance to ask questions and get the facts first hand. Then again I have a concern that the 12 noon time was chosen deliberately to minimize the blowback from such a poor decision. We alteady pay for the FAA through the many taxes we pay on fuel and in general and now we are going to pay them twice. Insanity at best!. We as an organisation must draw a line and say, No further and stand our ground. We must fight for what is right and not back down. If we roll over now we will allowing the camels nose under the tent and will be forever sorry. Raise my dues enough to cover the lost revenue from not having Oshkosh this year and fight the FAA with all we have. I would bet that I am not nearly the only one who feels this way. Since it is clear that it all comes down to revenue for the EAA, you now have an easy way to make it a revenue nuetral decision. Any other excuses for not standing up and fighting this issue ???? Or is it simply a matter of no backbone ?. I am shocked and disgusted by this agreement, and the fact that the membership was given no opportunity to voice thier opinions before it was signed. Mr Pelton, this is not great leadership, it is waving the white flag and groveling.

[Bill]

EAA just agreed to User Fees for GA. You have created a Situation for which there is no return.

I am disgusted that you agreed to a payment agreement with the FAA, worse yet, it was agreed to in Secret negotiations with no opportunity for the membership to provide comment.

The worst part is that we know (sic) have no leg to stand on battling user fees.

Last year Sun and Fun agreed to pay user fees to the FAA for ATC services before EAA did. Sun and Fun set the precedent. EAA just followed unhappily along.

[gbrasch]

I would like to see Mr. Pelton reply to this thread so we as members can be assured he is hearing what is being said here.

[Mike M]

Put me down as another member who would have rather seen Oshkosh cancelled than EAA agreeing to this. They have formalized the same situation that they were willing to fight in court last year. The EAA has willingly opened GA to administratively applied user fees. This will not benefit GA in the long run.

Concur. Copperstate did it right.

[Puertoricoflyer]

I cannot believe EAA did this. Unacceptable.

To me this proves what I suspected for years. EAA has completely and totally lost its way, and now has placed their own self interests ahead that of general/sport aviation.

I won't be renewing my membership as a direct result of this fiasco.

I agree this is totally unacceptable. EAA has just legitimized FAA user fees for all of GA, not just Oshkosh, in one fell stroke. This is the typical situation where lack of long range strategic thinking has caused EAA to "win the battle" but "loose the war". Few, if any, activities in GA are larger or more significant that Oshkosh so having the event run by a private contractor would have been a better strategic decision than to accept user fees. Now in Congress, the FAA has a huge "ally" in the user fee debate. They can and will say: "The biggest GA event in the world, which is held here in the US, accepts user fees." An almost insurmountable argument to counter in Congress. You can add me to the list of those that will not be renewing my EAA membership once it expires.

[Old Timer]

They didn't even "win the battle"

[TedK]

They didn't even "win the battle"

If the criteria was to keep Airventure open, they won their battle.

EAA seems to think keeping Airventure is worth any price. We had this same discussion last year when the FAA demanded payment for Airventure. EAA placed keeping Airventure going over Principle then, indicated they were taking the ethical high ground by going to court, and then once again, folded like a cheap card table.

Now the real question is, how do we win the war?