[Cap'n Wannabe]

From Nicholas Christie via Facebook

Yesterday, I received a call from Mark Smith, Editor of Sport Pilot indicating that 'Michael Linke' CEO of RAAus had e-mailed him demanding that Sport Aircraft Sales (a business owned by me) no longer be allowed to advertise in this RAAus publication.

I wrote to Mr Linke & the RAAus board to seek clarification and the response was a confirmation of this decision (although I am unable to publish it here as it was marked 'commercial in confidence').

This comes just a few days after I had personally reached out to RAAus (along with another party close to RAAus) to try and bring ALL the industry players 'together' in a round table meeting to find common ground, and work towards a sustainable and co-operative Recreational Aviation industry. The SAAA and AOPA agreed in principle to this meeting and was awaiting a response from RAAus. Mr Linke knew that the meeting was being planned and the RAAus board was to be made aware of - and vote towards having - this historic meeting, in their next board meeting in February.

Sadly, only a few days after this, Mr Linke tried to disrupt the process (or me, or my business) by 'banning' Sport Aircraft Sales from advertising in their publication.

I'm passionate about aviation, and most share my passion. Every bone in my body says to me that the industry can't go on fractured if we want it to survive and thrive!

The CASA and RAAus have been left unhindered to do 'secret deals' behind closed doors that are harming the entire industry in Australia. We need a united voice to level the playing field and allow 'Recreational Aviation' (whether RAAus or GA) to have the same privileges, rights and obligations. There is no room in Australia for a private company 'monopoly' on Recreational Aviation alongside a Government that is complicit in its biased dealings with that private company.

It is un-Australian at best. At worst, it's bordering on corrupt, and Australian values don't accept corruption, or the monopolising of industries. It goes against our values as a Country, irrespective of our political, socio-economic or other backgrounds.

Here's the letter (attached) that Sport Aircraft Sales has written to Mr Linke and the RAAus board. Please take the time to read it and make up your own mind about how Mr Linke and RAAus have behaved in this instance.

If you are passionate about aviation, whichever memberships you hold or licenses you exercise, or aircraft you fly, make your own voice heard in whichever way you want. The industry needs us to speak up now, and show that you care about all pilot's 'freedom to fly'.

Sport Aircraft Sales will continue to provide excellent service to all RAAus members and will continue to broker RAAus and VH aircraft into the future. But you won't see our advertising in the RAAus magazine.

But you also won't see me flying an RAAus aircraft, or instructing in one any longer. I wrote to the board last night notifying them that I've cancelled my RAAus membership yesterday, and that I have voluntarily pulled a further full-page advertisement that I had booked (for 12 months) in the magazine on behalf of another company.

Game-playing seems to have been the hallmark of the RAAus organisation over the last few years, under Mr Linke, Mr Monk and this seemingly fractured board. Making noises that you want to talk and engage with the industry while looking the other way and doing deals with CASA instead is one thing.

But when a private company engages in bullying of a small business operator because they can't bring themselves to engage openly in dialogue with the rest of the industry (for the benefit of their members and the Australian aviation community), its downright shameful.

Ben Morgan's reply..

Nick I think you’re right, there is an “us versus them” culture, but lets recap some of the past two years;
1. In late 2017 RAAUS sought to ban and exclude key associations and businesses from AirVenture, which lead to the majority of industry associations walking away from the funding and the event. The situation backfired on RAAUS spectacularly, with the industry simply walking away and relaunching AUSFLY;
2. In 2017 the RAAUS refused to support self certification medical standards for GA pilots during the reform push - arguing that such medical standards were their exclusive “competitive advantage” and shouldn’t be available to anyone else. They stood against creating universal medical standards that would benefit all pilots regardless of what you fly, thinking about their profits not pilots rights;
3. The RAAUS attended the Australian General Aviation Alliance Summit in Wagga Wagga 2018, taking the stage and arguing that the government should OPPOSE the GA Industry call for a change to the Civil Aviation Act, standing directly against key reform aimed at helping reignite our aviation industry.
4. The RAAUS trademarked the AOPA “Freedom to Fly” slogan in 2018 in an effort to undermine and pointlessly agitate the GA associations. I’m sure everyone is as confused as I was on this one. The only thing RAAUS achieved was to find itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons;
5. The RAAUS in 2018 partnered with the Australian Airports Association (a lobby body setup by the monopoly privatised airport owners and operators to extract millions from the federal government and to encourage greater non-aviation development) to introduce fees and charges on RAAUS members - whilst AOPA and others were busy nationwide fighting uncontrollable increases in airport landing, parking and leasing fees. A fact that leaves me speechless.
6. The RAAUS in 2018 worked feverishly behind the scenes directly cahoots with CASA to undermine the entire sport aviation community funding, seeking to vastly increase their CASA subsidy support at the cost of devastating their Sport aviation association peers. This has also backfired with the sport bodies formally communicating that they are no longer willing to work with the RAAUS, as they are clearly only thinking of themselves. The relationship breakdown has been entirely avoidable, yet the RAAUS are determined to dominate at all costs regardless of who they put offside in the process.
7. In late 2018 the RAAUS attended a senate inquiry in Canberra on pilot medical standards, where it had the opportunity to show support for the GA community. But instead, the RAAUS acting Chairman and Leg; Counsel provided wildly misleading statements in an attempt to justify a continued monopoly over self-certification medical standards.
I think it’s fair to say that we are each deeply concerned for the future of our industry. Whilst there has been push-back from the GA associations over the past two years, it has not been without clear merit or cause.
With respect to working together, the AOPA, SAAA, AMROBA, GFA, HGFA, APF, AWAL and all the type groups associations have come together respectfully and are working shoulder to shoulder on all the key issues.
A great example of the work that we are doing together is this year's Junior Pilots programme. The SAAA, AMROBA, GFA, HGFA and the type group associations have all joined the AOPA Australia program in 2019 as key partners and will be out on the road with us encouraging youth to become part of our industry.
However, if you pick up the January 2019 edition of RAAUS SportPILOT magazine, you will read all about how the "alphabet" associations are apparently at war, at each others throats and making loud noises to people who are not listening!
Why can I hear the theme song to twilight zone playing?