LeSving wrote:
How is that article supposed to help AOPA internationally or help them gain international members? I have been a member of EAA for ages, and I have never seen any article written by them using such a tone and angle. This cannot be entirely coincidental.
This has a lot to do with AOPA’s stance. While they do cooperate and overlap, AOPA is a US Federal lobbying organization first and foremost, representing everybody from G550-owning business aviation to a guy flying his Aeronca from a field. EAA is an organization of grass roots homebuilder hobbyists first and foremost, a much narrower role that is focused on private cooperation between members as much as politics, wherever they may live. Federal lobbying in the interest of a broad US membership is no holds barred political territory, and European GA is a valid example of the possibilities if things were to go in another direction.
Everybody likes to take credit. EAA.
April 25, 2018 – A rapid response by the general aviation community made a big difference in helping to eliminate a dangerous amendment to an FAA reauthorization bill in the House of Representatives. Supporters of ATC privatization on April 23 attempted to slip a provision into the House’s FAA reauthorization bill that would set the stage for airline domination of the ATC system. EAA members swiftly responded to a call for action and urged to contact their congressional representatives to oppose the plan. “Thank you to each and every one of you who reacted and responded quickly to eliminate this attempt at backroom politics that could harm GA,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board. “This again showed the strong voice of general aviation when we respond in a unified effort.
I somehow believe that the voices of major airlines and aircraft industry means orders of magnitude more than GA in matters like this. All voices counts of course, and a united voice is good.
Silvaire wrote:
European GA
What exactly is “European GA” ? It is vastly different from country to country. We have EuroGA which is the same all over, but that’s about it 
LeSving wrote:
I somehow believe that the voices of major airlines and aircraft industry means orders of magnitude more than GA in matters like this.
Evidently not, given that the airlines lost and GA won.
LeSving wrote:
What exactly is “European GA” ? It is vastly different from country to country.
You’ve answered your own question.
Silvaire wrote:
Evidently not, given that the airlines lost and GA won.
Who are the rest of the associations, there are 250 altogether? So far we only have AOPA and EAA. Airlines have multiple associations for instance. Besides, this is politics, stuff like this happens all the time. Testing to see if the map correspond with the terrain, just to see what is possible and what is not without disproportionate cost and fuzz.
From what I gather, the US version of a private ATC would be without governmental oversight, which is very different from what we have.
Silvaire wrote:
You’ve answered your own question.
Again, point of view. Last time I looked the US was one single country. Europe a collection of countries, languages and cultures.
LeSving wrote:
From what I gather, the US version of a private ATC would be without governmental oversight
Incorrect.
Silvaire wrote:
Incorrect.
As I said, from what I gathered (using Google of course )
From EAA:
highlighted several areas where national security could be at risk with ATC privatization:
As the Department of Defense relies on the FAA for aspects of national security, it has indicated “serious concerns” regarding proposed changes.
The National Capital Region relies on the FAA’s air traffic system to search and identify air threats before summoning air defenses and U.S. Customs to intercept them. That priority would be diminished with airline control of the air traffic system.
Unlike other nations that have privatized air traffic systems, the U.S. proposal would eliminate all government oversight of ATC operations.
From Federal Times (whatever organisation/association that is)
Sixty nations have privatized their air traffic control systems; however, none has suggested removing government oversight. As proposed, the AIRR Act relinquishes control of previous investments, as well as passenger comfort and safety.
True or not ? I don’t know, but I’m in no position to dispute what they write. If it’s true, the proposal was obviously dead in the water from the start. In other words, just politics.
