A Few Things To Ponder As We Put Together The ATC 2012 Project...

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. 

Steve Jobs

The formulation of the Aviation Transformation Conference is proving to be the most formidable undertaking I’ve ever encountered... and it is requiring an extraordinary amount of time -- most that in consult with persons from all walks of the aviation life to put together a cohesive picture of what needs to change if aviation is to survive. I am learning a LOT from these conversations and consultations.

I have found, though, that I learn more from the inevitable questions... on both sides of the coin... than I do from any other aspect of these conversations and in order to prime the pump a little bit (with much more to come), I’d like to put an initial ten questions in front of you and invite you to respond with your info, insight, opinions and comments. Please take a little time and let me know what you think...

• 1. What happened to the Ultralight industry and the availability of very simple, basic, affordable flying machines? One would think that such things would be more popular now than ever before.

• 2. We have dozens of reports indicating that the FAA mandated process of aircraft Re-Registration is slow, complex, unnecessary and invasive. How did Re-Registration get shoved down our throats without a much bigger fight from the aviation community (and would that have made a difference)?

• 3. Why are airplanes SO expensive (Top 3 causes)?

• 4. Do you believe the aviation industry will exist, per se, a decade hence if the current status quo is maintained? In other words... is the aviation business in as much trouble as has been postulated?

• 5. Do the great majority of aviation regulations enhance or inhibit aviation safety and/or commerce?

  

• 6. Are the aviation associations, by and large, performing adequately in defending the rights and future of the aviation industry? 

• 7. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt tells ANN’s Jim Campbell that the “Pilot’s Bill of Rights” (proposed by Senator James Inhofe and promoted by ANN for well over a decade) is unnecessary because “we’re already doing most of that anyway...” What do you think? Is the FAA already protecting Pilot’s Rights adequately? 

• 8. Is $100K too much money for a new LSA... and if so, what’s the highest price allowable (in your mind) that could turn you into a buyer for the right Light Sport Aircraft?

• 9. Can GA recover without an (overall) economic recovery?

• 10. Whaddya think... Is AOPA a better organization with its new leadership (Fuller) or was it better when Phil (Boyer) was running things?
  Same question for EAA (possibly a mite premature at this point)... is EAA better now with a year’s worth of new leadership, or was it better with Tom Poberezny's leadership?

FMI: Yo, ANN! Here Are MY Answers To Your Ten Questions