OSHKOSH FAA EAA NAA

[EDGEFLY]

Does this event and the steps taken by the FAA and the EAA have an impact on the membership of the NAA ? Yes, this is a baiter and I posted it here rather under "OFF TOPIC" for a reason. What do you think ?

Dale

[joea]

Personally I feel that the EAA should have told the FAA to pound sand and done the best they could with volunteer ATC controllers, and feel 100% that this is what they should do next year and the years afterwards.

This is out and out extortion by the FAA and the current administration by doing this five weeks ahead of the biggest event in our country for general aviation!

Course on the other hand, our wonderful President is taking a week long vacation to Africa in about 10 days and its proposed cost is $100 MILLION dollars. What a waste, especially when the country as a whole is bankrupt! Silly me, I always thought that our taxes and the taxes from those attending the OSH event paid for the controllers there.

From the Huffington post, a well known liberal propaganda rag:
"Of course, Obama's milestone trip to Africa isn't all about how much people are spending on it. The president is also expected to spend time re-affirming partnerships with the sub-Saharan powers and emphasizing the importance of global health programs, including HIV/AIDS prevention."

The older I get the more I wonder how much time and $$ the world has sunk into Africa. I have personally lived in both Nigeria (Lagos) and South Africa (JoBurg) and seen every other country there, and sad to say but we keep pouring money into that continent and see little positive results from any of it.

I really hope that the general aviation community can band together and make their elected representatives raise their head from the feeding trough of free things for themselves and family long enough to have a "come to Jesus" talk with both the FAA and administration so that we never have this happen again.

[Paul Agaliotis]

I believe the EAA should pay their way. If I had an event with a few hundred thousand people I just wouldn't expect somebody else to foot the bill. Post an arrival procedure and use a flag man, one red and one green if you need to go cheap. They generate huge sums of money from their operation and pull down some equally huge salaries. Put some of that money back into the operation and have a great fly-in.
Paul

[MikeB]

I must be missing something. I thought the air traffic controllers were volunteers like almost everyone else who works to bring the convention together. I personally know several folks who go there every year to help set up, run workshops (Bill Pancake for example) and do registration. Anyway, where is the cost to the FAA?
Mike

[Red(neck) Barron]

What ever is right or wrong, if there is such a thing, and all of you make valid points, the one thing I do know, if it wasn't for pilots and aircraft, there wouldn't be much of a need of the FAA or controllers. I just think that they ought to remember who makes their jobs necessary.
Listening to the news the past few weeks I'm feeling like we are all under assault from our government. This may not be the 1930's Germany but it sure as hell isn't Thomas Jefferson's America either.

[rkittine]

Not sure what is right here, but it is interesting to see that the EAA can come up with that much money. I always got the impressions that after some of the pretty hefty salaries were paid, they were not left with much. I must have been mistaken.

[jc pacquin]

Yes I thought that also! But then when you consider the multi billion dollar fiasco of both the F 35 and the waring blender Osprey, the above stated is chicken feed in comparison! Best, JC

[joea]

Yes I thought that also! But then when you consider the multi billion dollar fiasco of both the F 35 and the waring blender Osprey, the above stated is chicken feed in comparison! Best, JC

You and I still have to pay for the waste, no matter if its $1 or $100 million...

[jc pacquin]

Indeed! Including the million dollar control tower built in 2007 in the sleepy town of Easton maryland, then staffed, simply because Cheney and Rumsfeld had purchased very expensive estates near there. I flew out of this airport for fifteen years and it DID NOT need this addition. Notice I haven't even mentioned Iraq! A disaster costing trillions! (Not to mention an 800 million dollar U.S. Embassey building built with shoddy work.) Cheneys company Haliburton made Billions there, then moved their headquarters to Dubi to avoid U.S. taxes! Real "patriots"! Best, JC

[joea]

You sound like a broken record JC.... Bush/Cheney have not been in office in FIVE years yet its still their fault in your mind!

Sorry that you are not up enough with current events to realize that Obuma/Biden have been in the White House for five years now and everything since that date is THEIR doing. When you get time, please look up

1. Fast and Furious part 2 (remember Bush ended their operation and secured the weapons. 300 innocent Mexicans dead on Obuma's watch for this)
2. Ft. Hood Shooting (four years later and still no trial)
3. Bengazi (9 months later and the killers are still loose)
4. Spying on the press (Eric Holder LYING on the warrant about a reporter to get wiretaps)
5. IRS scandal that effected ONLY conservative organizations (only two rogue officials in Cinci... yea right)
6. Warrantless wiretaps on every cell phone and internet provider in America
7. Killing American citizens by using drone strikes with no "due-process" what so ever

Sorry to do this to you but every one of the above happened on Obuma's watch and he is responsible for them. Care to talk about current events or you still blaming everything on Bush/Cheney?

[Red(neck) Barron]

Before the elections I posted on Facebook that I feared Obama more than any man alive. I firmly believe that my fears have been proven to be justified. We are being intimidated, coerced, and bullied by our government and it seems like every agency that they have created is in on the game. With over three years left of this madness I worry for the future of this nation. This has gone far past being a Democrat / Republican or Liberal / Conservative issue. I disagree with left leaning politics but I don't fear them. I appreciate the government trying to protect us from drug runners and terrorist but if you have to treat us all as suspects then forget it and let us deal with them ourselves.

[Dennis]

Larry's comment reminds me of an event which took place several weeks a go at my little airport (7M2) in north central Arkansas. South of my location is a private strip. An inbound pilot on an IFR flight plan forgot to cancel his plan. In this area, it is difficult to talk to Memphis center below 5000 ft. As he was decending/approaching his destination, he made a decision to fuel first rather than later so he made a 90 to the north. Memphis center noticed his abrupt deviation and called law enforcement. As the guy landed here, he was followed down the runway by the local police who surrounded him at the fuel pumps. I understand that he was told to call the FBI.

I am sure all of you have heard about similar events around the country. Specifically, the Jewish guy on a VFR trip across country who was accosted by a swat team, home land security and the DEA because he did not file a flight plan and was not using flight following.

Did this EVER happen prior to the current administration?

As far as Joe's original comment is concerned, I agree that EAA makes a bundle off the event and I also agree that the controllers should be the best. I might even agree that they should be compensated for their time and expertise. BUT, to have the BOMB dropped on EAA two months before the event is amateuristic and displays a lack of concern for the safety of the flying community. And it is Bush's fault ( tongue in check).

Dennis

[MikeB]

As far as control towers go they stuck one up at a cost of $$$$ just north of me. Although I own land somewhat in the area I doubt they put it up because of my political leanings but then I tend so lean pretty much conservative and it was a Democrat assemblyman (Obey)who took credit for getting the tower up (It was a big deal and we were all supposed to fly in a lot to show it was actually needed...no kidding ). I flew out of there for several year when they had the flight service station and after they closed the flight service station. I'm unsure what goes on now as I seldom fly in there but I don't hear a lot of chatter on the radio so I'm quite sure they're not that busy. In fact, I'd be tempted to guess we're busier at our little grass strip on Saturday morning when all the coffee loafers fly in.

Anyway, back to the FAA controllers....I guess the question is: are they paid or not? I expect not and they are all volunteers like most folks who help with the EAA convention. We can debate a lot of issues regarding EAA and AOPA but I don't have a problem supporting those organizations who try to make it easier for me to enjoy my one and only hobby. As far as pay goes it's a pretty big organization and takes a lot to put on a show like that year after year (and keep the folks like me coming back). It's kind of a flea market with airplanes but I manage to find a few good deals there that often make the trip worthwhile and I also realize that vendors help pay the bills. My personal opinion is that members of congress and our present administration are the ones that are overpaid.
My .002 worth and now I'm going to enjoy the rest of Father's Day by going flying.
Mike

[jc pacquin]

I got a big kick BIG kick out of reading about the aircraft diversion in Arkansas and the cops arriving! I BET they check things out carefully in Arkansas after what happened there during the Reagan,Iran Contra, Barry seal, Oliver north, cover up. Not to mention Clinton who was gov. At the time! As for the so called investigations currently being conducted, look up the rap sheet of the chief "investigator" Daryl Issa. Holder should be investigating HIM! The majority of the things being investigated will eventually turn up very little, when we should be talking about jobs.....you know like Eisenhower, republican, who caused the interstate highway system to be built and at that time corporate taxes were 50 percent and the economy did well! Today, 25 percent of American corporations pay no tax at all! I have no idea what the answer should be for the eaa flyin other than it should be staffed by qualified controllers as things get real hairy up there and some bad accidents have occurred. The eaa and aopa should probably merge, so they can hire expensive lobbyists. It's lobbyists who bring us things like the F35, the Osprey, etc . Along with corrupt members of congress. Best, JP

[MikeB]

Well, looks like I might stand corrected. It's pretty muddled for my weary brain but apparently the EAA controllers do get at least their expenses paid. However (if I read it correctly) they 'volunteer' to do Oshkosh duty ...hmmmmm . However, I agree with Dennis..this is a h--- of a time to drop the bomb on the EAA organization with a month or so to go before the big show but that's typical for a government entity. Why not put it in a budget and wait until 2014...oh, I forgot they (congress) don't do 'budgets' just 'continuing resolutions'. Most of those guys in congress (up to and including our fearless president) are probably incapable of running a lemonaid stand and making money.

I fly the L16 this afternoon......it was great!

Mike