Anyone interested in having a big GA national rally again??
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Join Date: Jul 2008
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Initially, reading through the posts after I started the thread, I felt pretty demoralized at the swathe of negativity that builds such a brick wall to the possibility of a return to a national rally. If we all feel that way then nothing is ever going to happen regardless of the heavy handed administrations of the elf and nartzy brigade.
To put a few of my cards on the table, I was a member of the PFA for many years and actually flew in and took part in the setting up and tearing down of many of the big rallies. There was a hell of a lot of enthusiasm there, but like most committee run events a lot of unnecessary costs, inefficiency and empires. I firmly believe that it will be possible to have a national rally again, but it does need to be run in a totally different way, and NOT by the LAA if possible
Let them stick to the core running of flying for pleasure which they are so good at and leave the risk of the rally to people who can deal with it on a well practiced professional basis.
I don't mean to be unfair, but large committees like the PFA/LAA are notoriously prone to vacillation and bungling. Look what happened this year with regard to the attempt at a rally at Sywell.
Personally I like Andrew’s input to this string and I know it may grate with some other people, but we need forward thinking mixed with a degree of belligerence.
Even if we can’t get a big rally up and running just like that, it may form naturally via a smaller rally as more and more people attend year after year. This was the way the old PFA national rallies evolved. This time we have the benefit of hindsight and we can be ready for it.
To put a few of my cards on the table, I was a member of the PFA for many years and actually flew in and took part in the setting up and tearing down of many of the big rallies. There was a hell of a lot of enthusiasm there, but like most committee run events a lot of unnecessary costs, inefficiency and empires. I firmly believe that it will be possible to have a national rally again, but it does need to be run in a totally different way, and NOT by the LAA if possible
Let them stick to the core running of flying for pleasure which they are so good at and leave the risk of the rally to people who can deal with it on a well practiced professional basis.I don't mean to be unfair, but large committees like the PFA/LAA are notoriously prone to vacillation and bungling. Look what happened this year with regard to the attempt at a rally at Sywell.
Personally I like Andrew’s input to this string and I know it may grate with some other people, but we need forward thinking mixed with a degree of belligerence.
Even if we can’t get a big rally up and running just like that, it may form naturally via a smaller rally as more and more people attend year after year. This was the way the old PFA national rallies evolved. This time we have the benefit of hindsight and we can be ready for it.
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.. but what we need to avoid is competion between the regionals. All that produces is a split in the market.
Last year the LAA backed 3 regionals and there were a lot of 'unofficial' events oganised by those disappointed airfields.
It is important that someone takes a grip of where and when the events happen rather than letting things drift. It certainly isn't the LAA......
Last year the LAA backed 3 regionals and there were a lot of 'unofficial' events oganised by those disappointed airfields.
It is important that someone takes a grip of where and when the events happen rather than letting things drift. It certainly isn't the LAA......
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Lucy, I think there will be a factor of natural selection here regardless of competition, because some airfields are going to be easier to get to than others and this would attract more pilots. Take also into consideration where the most aircraft are based geographically and it follows that an airfield not too far from there is going to do well. This will build a regional into a BIG regional and the raised profile of size will attract more aircraft (and spotters of course) from further afield and may even tempt some European arrivals.
Now, if it becomes "national" the foreign pilots are going to go for an airfield that they find easy to get to, so airspace restrictions (CAS) etc become a factor.
One airfield will eventually evolve into the favoured attraction and almost without noticing it, we will have a national rally. Then, we will need to use the lessons we have leared from the old PFA days.
Now, if it becomes "national" the foreign pilots are going to go for an airfield that they find easy to get to, so airspace restrictions (CAS) etc become a factor.
One airfield will eventually evolve into the favoured attraction and almost without noticing it, we will have a national rally. Then, we will need to use the lessons we have leared from the old PFA days.
