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Thread: Good Thread on EAA Direction

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    A lot of interesting comments there. I have to admit I am bothered by what seems to be the EAA's and Airventure's move away from experimental aviation. While we still have the homebuilders forums and such, the main thrust of Airventure seems to be toward certified aircraft and components. But that might be because of Airventure's success as the largest general aviation gathering on the planet.

    A few thoughts about Sport Aviation magazine: why did I read in Popular Mechanics magazine that there is a guy building an airplane that he hopes to use to beat the absolute piston engined speed record and no article or mention of it in Sport Aviation? Isn't that the sort of stuff we should be reading about?

    It bothers me (and I know it shouldn't) that J Mac McClellan is in charge of EAA's publications. He brought a lot of baggage with him from Flying magazine with it's move to continuous coverage of all things turbine-powered. Will he be able to identify with the home-built aircraft that are the core of the EAA? My suggestion is for him to buy some plans and a pile of materials and start building an airplane.

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    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    It's a very good discussion going on there, and as you've probably seen, as of page 5 or 6 I have been heavily involved in it. There's good info there, but if anyone wants to discuss specific areas here, I'm more than willing to do so...

    I don't feel that EAA is moving away from experimental aviation. It's everywhere here. From my position to the museum to tech services to Paul, experimental aviation is well represented. The magazine is just a magazine, and it's articles are going to spread across a broad range of the membership now, but that's not a bad thing.

    We have Experimenter, an online newsletter that we are currently thinking about re-working in to an online magazine (or at least available in that format, rather than an e-newsletter), and there have even been talks to an Android/iPhone app. I make no promises to the latter because of the work involved in getting there, but Experimenter is the place for all things homebuilt.

    http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/
    Last edited by Chad Jensen; 10-19-2011 at 10:21 AM.
    Chad Jensen
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    I really like reading threads like that one and the whole "where is the EAA going" discussion on an intellectual level.

    On a personal level, it makes me sort of grin, because the reality of the EAA for me is mutally exclusive from the national organization.

    All politics, the man said, is local. The same is true of big organizations with local chapters like the EAA, the Boy Scouts, the Rotary Club, etc.

    I joined EAA because I need help building my aircraft. I will remain a member because my local chapter is made up of some fantastic folks that are helpful and welcoming of anyone, and gives the same appreciation to the guy building a KR2, a Nieuport 11, and an RV8. Oh, and also the guy that never built or even owned an airplane but has a love of aviation and is willing to help out.

    I'm building up a debt that will be repaid by staying around after my plane is built and helping out the next guy that comes wandering up looking a little lost and asking if this is the EAA meeting because "I've been thinking about building an airplane."

    The Brass in the Puzzle Palace of Oshkosh impacts how the EAA works for me about as much as the Generals in the Pentagon effected my day when I was a Buck Sergeant - not very much.

    So Sport Aviation is largely irrelevant as a magazine to my interests. Big whup. So money talks and big money screams. Nothing new there, either. So Oshkosh, a gathering of home builders, is now Air Adventure, the World's Fair of Aviation. Okay; at least they're up front about it.

    None of that has anything to do with the Third Thursday meeting of Chapter 152 at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham.

    And that, my friends, is the real EAA.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

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    Mike Switzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    I joined EAA because I need help building my aircraft. I will remain a member because my local chapter is made up of some fantastic folks that are helpful and welcoming of anyone, and gives the same appreciation to the guy building a KR2, a Nieuport 11, and an RV8. Oh, and also the guy that never built or even owned an airplane but has a love of aviation and is willing to help out.

    I'm building up a debt that will be repaid by staying around after my plane is built and helping out the next guy that comes wandering up looking a little lost and asking if this is the EAA meeting because "I've been thinking about building an airplane."

    .....................

    None of that has anything to do with the Third Thursday meeting of Chapter 152 at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham.

    And that, my friends, is the real EAA.
    Which would be great if all local chapters were like that, but they aren't.

    If I lived in Bloomington I would belong to the local chapter, but I don't. (although I know one of their members drives over from Champaign)

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    To me, the EAA is or should be about the fun side of aviation, that is aviation for sport or hobby, i e Sport Aviation, as opposed to business aviation, unless of course that business is someone in the fun flying business, like producing fun airplanes or teaching in them or having airshows and events, etc.

    I just have little need and less interest in reading about the new Cessna Citation jet that can cruise at .9 mach. I doubt if I will ever own or charter one, fly one, or even be inside one.

    Now some EAAers want it to be about homebuilding; with the idea that this is the history and roots of EAA.
    But that is too narrow a focus to me and most others.
    Paul was not only a homebuilder, but a military pilot and Tom was an acro pilot for years. Steve Whitman was antiques and racing.
    If you had Airventure and only had homebuilts and only them on display, flying or in seminars, a whole lot less people would come.
    As for as chapters, I'd guess only a small % even have a chapter at their home airport.

    So I think EAA should have homebuiiding as one part of it's scope, and lots of other parts,

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    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Switzer View Post
    Which would be great if all local chapters were like that, but they aren't.

    If I lived in Bloomington I would belong to the local chapter, but I don't. (although I know one of their members drives over from Champaign)
    ...and Decatur, and Streator, and Pontiac... I drove all the way from Oshkosh for breakfast this past weekend!

    You should join 129 Mike!
    Chad Jensen
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    Mike Switzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chad Jensen View Post
    ...and Decatur, and Streator, and Pontiac... I drove all the way from Oshkosh for breakfast this past weekend!

    You should join 129 Mike!
    I have thought about it but it is a 112 mile round trip from my place & the only vehicle I have plates on that I trust out of town is my F350 diesel that gets between 11 - 15mpg depending on headwinds. There is a reason I live 2 miles from the airport gate.

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    Chad Jensen's Avatar
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    I hear ya Mike...just want to make sure you know you're welcome any time!
    Chad Jensen
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  10. #10
    Mike Switzer's Avatar
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    Thanks Chad, I keep thinking about getting up there for a breakfast but other things keep coming up like all my niece's sporting events she wants me to go to.

    (5th & 6th grade girls basketball is similar to watching people trying to herd cats)

    Your breakfasts are on saturday aren't they?

    I know some of the others are on Sunday & my mother gets upset with me if I miss church. (yea I know I'm a big boy but ya gotta keep Mom happy)
    Last edited by Mike Switzer; 10-24-2011 at 08:41 AM.

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