Microlighters

Ja, so who wants it?

At the risk of placing my neck over the guillotine just to see what it feels like, here goes;

Volunteering to join committees is often done for various reasons.

Some enjoy the exclusive parking bay. Others enjoy the monthly biscuit and coffee (read into that what you will) official leave of absence from the wife to mingle with like- minded buddies chewing the fat over there favourite pastime.

Some like to be included in the yearly backslap / award / piss-up photograph. Some carry the weight like a martyr to gauge sympathy from the beneficiaries / sponges.

Some are in the industry and have a vested interest in the affairs whist others recognise the good/ experience that they have gained and want to contribute to improving for the good of all and then some decide “ If I don’t, someone else is jus gonna fu%^k things up”

Everyone starts the year with good intentions - to maintain and improve the lot for the better of all. Firstly, fix the crap of the predecessors, shake out the cobwebs, confront the issues and communicate with the members.

Lekker.

“Who complained? Fu#k you. You can’t fire me coz you haven’t paid me. You don’t know what you’ve got. I’ll just sit in the corner, drink my beers and slowly enjoy the self- destruction coz without my backbone you okes are jelly”

“Sorry, but all I asked was the phone number”

Anyway, that rules me out of contention for Round Table President.

Point is: with flying, I know Jack Sh$t. but I can organise a piss-up in a brewery. I can’t attend meetings, I’ll have to swing the conversation to beers in order to argue with authority and I don’t have any answers. That’s why I don’t join committees.

But if you tell me what you need, where I can help, where I must sign, what I must do, I’m your man.

I don’t wonna feel guilty or be ungrateful coz someone is putting effort into my cause when I don’t even know what he’s doing.

Isn’t it time that we can communicate on forums and get collective response without having to schlep to meetings and sub committees and if not, then why not? Between us all, we should cover the technical, admin, financial, legals and the socials.

OK, well that rules me out.

Wow Leon

Nicely put Sir.

Talking from the other side of the fence - I have been on flying committees from Paragliding/Hangliding, Microlight, Power flying and even a airfield association committee for around the last 20 years. I guess that makes me a sucker I don't think I have ever even had special parking bay reserved for me, and also probably have the crapiest hangar out of our club's 29 hangars. In fact - it is a principle/value that I hold dear - I would not want a person to be on the committee with me if it was only for some personal benefit.

Okay that is a long way to get to what I really wanted to say. From a committee perspective where you say:

But if you tell me what you need, where I can help, where I must sign, what I must do, I’m your man.

Clubs need more of people with that attitude. It is not a committee that makes a club a success - I see them more as facilitators - and with soldiers such as yourself - that is what makes the whole thing work.

The only part you need to watch out for is

...where I must sign,...

It may just be a committe member acceptance form

Point made tongue in cheek and not meant to offend.

I realise that the efforts are a thankless task and can't be measured with mortar and brick, but the implication that the majority of us who know didly are just in it for the free ride, or rely on a handfull to sort out is a bit unfair.

If I can't make it to the 'fix the shed day' at least make use of my carpenter who's in my place.

Tell us what, where, how and I'm sure the response and contribution will be positive.

Now that's a man wiff plenty experience.

Good one Leon.

When you getting a fixed wing mate.
Oh shit now that was the wrong Q or a Gyro.

Gyro's out for now.

Get out the good crockery, coming to share your coffee and convert you to a trike soon.

Problem is when you join a club etc and you have a passion burning deep inside, you give it your all and at the end of the day you get "so who the F..K is that anyway" comment thrown at you, this breaks the spirit of most of the volenteers and then eventually you never hear from them again, you find him/her sitting in a hangar beer in the hand after just having punched holes in the sky with nothing to say and a stupid grin on his face, now and then when asked for some advice you cannot believe the knowledge this poor asshole has, why don't we volenteer him for President ?? and when he swears at you for even looking in his/her direction then nobody can understand the response. Sorry but this is true, it is a thankless job and some arseholes never seem to learn and keep volenteering, maybe one day the feeling will go away and then who knows who is going to be next inline ?

Sorry ned to rant a bit.