1. I have two aircraft's. The fees charged by RAASA to keep these in the air combined with licensing fees I need to pay every second year is killing me. This excludes the fees I need to pay the flight instructor, which in my opinion is the only guy that deserves his fees. And to be honest I just don't see the value. Getting a magazine once a year doesn't cut it. And RAASA please don't call me again to explain I am simply making a statement here that you are not reasonable.
2. I went to the authorized Rotax supplier last week to buy spares for a starter. Two brushes were needed. I was shocked to learn that two brushes for a starter motor is a R1000-00. Yes that's correct no typos there. For a normal car you re looking to pay between R50-00 and R120-00 for a kit. These guys charge R1000-00 for 2. So do you think I bought it from them or made another plan... well I am definitely not going to support them!
3. So today I went to Lanseria to buy some AN bolts. Just to enter gate six I had to pay R10-00 for a permit, for no reason at all. Just to walk in there. To create jobs for two security guards to write permits all day long. To top it off the service I received was so bad that I ended up going to Rand. Placo had a non interested attitude, and it felt like I should rather go. So eventually went to Bearing international which are now importing rose joints for me. With import duties not half the price that I will pay at any other aircraft spares place, and yes they are still AN standards.
Is it just me or are people taking the piss with us? Why are we allowing this? Why haven't we done our homework already and changed engines? I know there are some projects, how's the progress on these? What the above people don't realize is eventually people will start flying illegally as flying legally will just be too expensive. It's ridiculous as it is. Parts being ridiculously expensive, will cause people to take short cuts and eventually they might kill themselves. On who's hand will their blood be? More and more people will give up flying due to this reason and eventually your golden pot will run dry up anyway. Why are you doing this, why are you squeezing every cent out of people not thinking long term? Bigger picture? Or are you simply jumping on the bandwagon our president is on and collect where you can with a very short term view? I wish we can stand together like we do with the E-Tolls so we can stop these people from killing us with their fees.
Guys your business model is not sustainable. You are in this game for the wrong reasons. Not for the love of free flight, but the love of money. We need people who will fight for us and for our sport to prosper and grow, not someone who just get more and more creative with their collection efforts.
To those who truly promote free flight and are not in this game purely for the money, well done! We need more people like you.
