Some response from a committee member...
Jay Hyde: PRO
I'm not going to say that you should stop moaning and do your bit, or that we do a lot of work for you so stop whining, etc. The truth is that members can expect more from an organisation- but what should this more consist of? We do have limited resources and we can really only afford to pay one person full time, when actually we need around 2 or 3 full time staff to get on with what is needed.
As an example, I am responsible for the website; in the last year or so I have simply not found the time to sit and figure it all out. I work in a normal job during the week and over weekends I spend a LOT of time practicing for our formation displays (more about the role of that in MISASA later). When I am not flying I am making stuff for the displays - smoke cannisters and other things that we are experimenting with. The airshow routine takes a lot out of the aircraft so there are also bits to fix inbetween... During the week I spend a fair amount of time arranging the logistics for whatever airshow is about to come up. All of these things add up a lot and I like to have just a little time to relax and perhaps work on my Mustang, so there has been precious little time for much else. So that's my excuse...
Nonetheless, the website should be better and Mike and I have been putting a bit of work into gettting this changed; I'll spend more time on it soon... by the way, small companies who have great websites have paid to get them- and that costs a lot; so it's not really a fair comparison. The SACAA website is mostly up to date but it is still not a great site for a company that has a fairly large income, and where there are a lot of paid employees. None of the MISASA committee members are paid a cent...
and... we unfortunately do not represent 3000 microlighters- the membership is between 800-1100 as I recall....
By the way, if you feel that there is a bit of the website that you could re-write better please mail me with some copy. I will also look at the issues mentioned in this thread, although I think that we have already identified these.
I know that Mike spends a LOT of time on administrative stuff and those background things that are required to satisfy the CAA and protect our interests; and he is not even paid for this. Here comes why we need to join the Aeroclub and MISISA; a lot of the combined fee goes into employing, on a full time basis, people like Neil De Lange who are intensively and actively involved in protecting all general aviation interests. Here one needs to pay a bit more for the right person who can represent us effectively, so this does chew our money. In the past the Aeroclub have succesfully lobbied to have 'damaging' legislation rescinded or re-worked- the latest issue being around the PPL exams being centralised.
Here is why I think that the formation flying bit that my team is doing is relevant to MISASA and to all of you. One of the reasons that I think a MISASA should exist is to promote the sport- why?
Firstly, microlighters get bad press and we somehow need to counter this with good press; both in the eye of the public and in the eyes of the CAA. Good press means more sales for the manufacturers, which is good for them. It's good for you too because it means that manufacturers can continue to provide spares, advice and service.
Secondly, microlighters, and to a lesser extent general aviation, are seen as a nuisance and a safety threat by the public and the CAA tries to limit our activities- if we are able to promote the sport we have more pilots shouting our odds. Again, if we also have PR around this it is good for all of us.
Thirdly- promoting the sport means new pilots; new pilots need aircraft; some they'll buy from manufacturers and some they'll buy from you and I, which means that our investments keep thier value.
Back to the formation team... I have tried a few times to get articles, photos, PR into the normal press; unless we are crashing no one is really interested. However, after a couple of airshows we started hearing the same thing from members of the public, going something like this, "Jislaaik (...or insert favourite expletive) we see these jets, and the Extras, and the Harvards and they are lekker man, but I can't afford one of those- but check, ekse, you oues are also in the airshow doing what looks kif ekse, and maybe I can afford one of these- where do I get started?"
Similarly, we have heard positive comments from the CAA. Old die-hards who have been dead against microlights are looking at them with new eyes.. even Scully Levine (whom I am not accusing of being a die-hard) has spoken to us about a flip and how much one of these costs.
Now if that isn't good PR then I don't know what is!
So that's my main excuse for not getting to the website- I'm too busy flying (and having fun I will admit) and getting to airshows.
By the way, we are the official MISASA airshow team - this is not something conferred on us because I am a committee member though; we have worked really hard at this. Lower down I will put some of what we have done to get to airshows and fly the MISASA banner...
So, on behalf of me, I apologise that the website is not up to scratch and I will try and get it going properly- from your side, please join MISASA if you have not, and send me any written changes that you may have for the website.
Here is what our team has done this year; in between these we put in hours of practice as well. The ferry flight needs to be done the day before and then we normally come back the day after, effectively taking 3 days for a 12 minute show!
Groblersdal Airshow: ferry flight there and back, 4 hours.
Vereeniging Rotary River Festival: ferry flight 2 hours.
Maputo Airshow: ferry flight 13 1/2 hours.
Kroonstad Airshow: ferry flight 4 hours.
We'll be displaying at Rand Airshow this weekend if you would like to see us- this is a huge leap forward into a show that is the exclusive domain of the 'heavies'; there is a tight time schedule for one of the biggest airshows in the calendar and we have won a spot by working hard at representing MISASA and hopefully all microlighters...
