After 20+ Years of Shaking Things Up, There Is Still So Much More to Do

News/Analysis/Opinion By Jim Campbell, ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief

Have you ever believed in something so strongly that you’re willing to throw ‘common sense’ out of the window? To throw caution to the wind… to pursue that which you feel is one of the most important things you can do… even when there are other more conventional pursuits to follow?

Welcome to the thought, passion and mission behind Aero-News… where what we’ve done may not have always made the most sense, in terms of the health and welfare of our business, but it came from the heart, and it came about because we believed (above all else) that it was the right thing to do.

But doing the right thing has a price--one that has grown over the years… And by and large, we’ve been paying that price all by ourselves...  as the industry slowly eroded… fading away due to neglect, ignorance, and a woeful lack of passionate response to its enemies and all those who threatened its future… to where we stand now, in doubt as to what tomorrow may bring.

I no longer know if personal aviation… the kind that we dreamed of as kids, and now attempt to pursue as adults, has a future… I just know that it if it is to have one, that we need to wake up, quit fooling ourselves, and start building a healthy involved sustainable community to support it.

And right now, we don’t have it.

Not even close.

We have an industry that turns its head and ignores what kills it off, bit by bit… we have a preponderance of leaders that are afraid (or unwilling) to lead… and we work in a climate in which those who try to do the right thing are often attacked/ridiculed for it—without a peep from those who benefit from those trying to save their collective asses.

Some of this occurs through ignorance… some through dishonesty and malevolence. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell which is worse…

In just the last few weeks, I watched a scary percentage of those we tried to work with at NBAA demonstrate their inability to communicate and market themselves effectively, much less professionally. I watched that same industry and the organization that leads it fail to confront NetJets as it turned traitor on its own industry brothers and sisters aby allowing itself to be bought off by those who want to sell off our ATC system to those who will ultimately use that status to destroy what still works in the aviation infrastructure we depend on every day. I expected someone to make a big deal out of the NetJets betrayal (besides us)… but instead… crickets. And the ignorance we faced as we went from vendor to vendor, trying to get them to talk about their products and services was terrifying… with all but a handful of folks proving that they had neither the skill or the interest to promote themselves with any professionalism whatsoever. BizAv has many foes and a vast number of problems… but many of those appear to be self-inflicted.

The pro-ATC privatization forces are lying to the American public each and every day with profound effect… and the collective ability demonstrated by the rest of aviation to counter this threat has been fragmented, uncoordinated, and often ineffective. Several associations wouldn’t even get involved until their absence became embarrassing (and ANN, among others, called them out for it) and now they jump all over each other trying to claim credit for the modest high-points of a fight that has yet to be won – and God help us, might yet be lost. Nothing less than an aggressive, concerted, all-out defense will keep this type of harm at bay… and unless we get our act together, sooner or later, the bad guys are going to win… because as an industry, I see little evidence that we have what it takes to keep them at bay.

Years ago (late 80, early 90s), I watched a highly motivated industry take on the FAA over an onerous airspace grab—NPRM 88-2… and a few years after that, I watch an engaged and empowered community take the FAA to task for the victimization of Bob Hoover… thousands mobilized, the associations earned their reps (and were, in many cases, better led) and while the fights were long and arduous, we eventually emerged victorious – as a far more cohesive community than we are right now.

Think about it…

And then look at where we are now.

When EAA was getting screwed over by the FAA for those ridiculous/scandalous ATC fees, there was a perfect opportunity for the industry to not only speak up once again… but to ACT UP… and we blew it… and as a result, millions of Oshkosh dollars go to a government that alternately ignores and hassles us for services they must provide, regardless. And think about this… those were OUR dollars… money that could have gone to making the Oshkosh experience better than ever—as it is the one aspect of aviation that is a supremely hopeful locus for aviation’s future… But, instead the bucks went to fund a bloated arrogant government that thought it should be paid TWICE for services that were already their responsibility to begin with. The total loss to our collective efforts now totals over 2 million dollars… and well over a half-million for 2017 alone… that money that the FAA has scooped up, after we still paid our Federal taxes, fuel taxes, what you… and could have been used to further strengthen EAA chapter programs, provide more resources for youth initiatives, add some museum enhancements, and a number of other outreach programs. I’ve been told there is also, always, a need for maintenance and improvement projects on the AirVenture grounds as well, such as in the campgrounds and aircraft parking areas, in addition to technology upgrades. Most important… I have a feeling that that EAA could do a lot more with our money than the FAA can -- and in ways that would certainly enrich our community.

But no… over a half-million of our sport aviation bucks are being sucked away each Oshkosh so that the FAA can prove that they have the right to shake us down… and the community has not even remotely fought this as well as it could have… and should have.

While at the Deland Sport Aviation Showcase (E-I-C NOTE: this occurred before the Halladay accident), I received, for all too brief a time, the approval of dozens of folks who stepped up to say thanks for our recent, uncompromising, articles on the latest issues with Icon Aircraft. And then I saw how the rest of the so-called aviation media treated it… I read fluff pieces with just the slightest bit of personal surprise. There was rare mention of the many documented problems that Icon has demonstrated heretofore, virtually no mention of the many falsehoods and broken promises that got them to this point -- and the elephant in the room -- that a company that has burned through so many millions of dollars, demonstrated such poor business acumen -- that has played so fast and loose with the facts, and has produced just a smidgeon of aircraft (of which a number of the first generation reportedly demonstrated serious issues) has a snowball’s chance in hell of EVER turning a profit… especially in an industry that is coming to understand that Icon is a house of cards… and potentially a bad bet for their flying dollars.

In other words, how can they survive? Their hype/BS machine can only obfuscate reality for so long.

Larger questions seem to be ignored… what could all those millions of investment dollars that have propped up the Icon hype machine for the last decade… what could those dollars have done if invested among other companies in the industry with far more credible business records… And why is Icon hiding from answering direct questions from those looking for real answers… or refusing flight opportunities to those (and we’re not alone on this) who will NOT agree to write things the way Icon wants them?

Think of what real sport aviation entrepreneurs could have done with those millions. For that matter; what could SeaRey have done with just a few million? Kitfox? Van’s? Sling? Zenith? RANS?

How about MPV… who admitted that finding investment capital in the age of icon has become nigh onto impossible, as people refused to get involved in an industry that allowed scandals like Icon to be propagated for years on end?

And this… if/when Icon reaches the point of absurdity and either folds and/or is sold off for pennies on the dollar… how much damage will have been done to the industry rep, overall? And how long will that damage last? Will it be the final straw? People still remember Bede and Revolution and Dreamwings and other fiascos… and they all contribute to our inability to find support, understanding, and funding.

And there are other, possibly greater, problems/embarrassments in the offing… if you think that Cirrus’ troubles are over… after years of mistreating/screwing their vendors, customers, partners and trusted allies, I beg to differ. I have strong reason to believe that even all that Chinese money won’t keep Cirrus from doing what it ultimately does when the mood allows—lie, cheat, and harm the industry that has turned its back time and time again to its vicious pursuit of the dollar… no matter how many people, companies, partners and such have to be sacrificed so that Cirrus reigns supreme and can keep the pliable aviation media spinning things their way… as long as they keep seeding this BS with ignorant, dishonest foreign dollars.

Frighteningly; that’s not all… not by a long shot… but the next David Riggs, the next Revolution Helicopter, the next FlightPrep patent scam -- could be but a few days off… especially with too many (but not all) gutless associations, and an aviation media that writes more advertorial than editorial and stands idly aside while new victims are offered up for sacrifice.

Our job, as potentially the last remaining, plain-speaking, independent aviation media entity, has become a brutal isolated undertaking. It’s a lonely pursuit. Most of the associations will cut independent media’s throat to make an extra ad dollar or to claim credit for things that others have done long before they realized they were missing the boat.

BUT… where does that leave us???

Bruised, bloodied, disillusioned, exhausted beyond belief… but still willing to keep trying -- for now… mostly because we have an idea that could change everything… maybe. BUT… seems SO worth trying.

At the same time, this has been pretty much a solo act to this point… and the time for that is nearing an end… if we’re going to be successful in creating better times for the Aero-Verse, it’s going to take a lot more than just yours truly, and it’s going to take a renewed spirit of mission, energy, cooperation, integrity, and passion to see it all through.

I’m one guy… and that’s not even remotely enough.

In the next few days, I’ll write a bit about what we envision, the obstacles we have faced and how we might make a better future happen-- with a LOT of help. We hope you’ll decide to be a part of a better future and join us in a mission to rebuild the Aero-Verse.

FMI: jim@aero-news.net