Fleet Airworthiness Steering Committee

by **jeffrey aryan** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:48 am

To Ben and All,

Ben, I respectfully disagree with you about leaving ICS would be disservice. I have been having serious thoughts of leaving for well over 5 years now and have been a member for close to 17 years now.

I renewed my membership almost 2 years ago because it was convenient and with the hope things would change in the Type Support Dept. Well, IT HASN'T.

As I and many others have said over and over and over.

There has been talk, proposals made, talking to board, time wasted about moving into a more dynamic organization and "NOTHING HAPPENS". It is like the U.S. govt. when they don't want to do anything. They just nod there heads' and agree to look into the problem.

Well, the BOARD just sits in their lofty clouds or whatever they do and look at doing one thing. "THEY DO NOTHING AND SAY NO".

They don't respond or defend there position here, in the magazine or on Delphi. Their feeling is, they have only a responsbility to the board and not to the membership. I say "HOG WASH and BS." Hey guys, your soldiers are deserting, going, gone..... Wake up.

We all know they read both sites. If they don't then they are really out of touch.

The board doesn't have the membership at heart. Because if they did then they would let people take over and run with new projects, ideas and subject material while enjoying the benefits. If things fail. Then they could say we tried and such and such messed up.

How about this concept. "LEADERSHIP". Where is it ?

The board is run by bunch of "OLD GEEZERS" who can't let adults' who are younger (one who is 44 years old) with more energy and willing to invest more personal time and money into the organization.

It just makes me sick as to all the comments that have been written here and Delphi by everyone and nothing gets done.

Oh yea, God forbid I mention the word "DELPHI" on this forum. I bet this message will probably be mysteriously, accidentally erased as have others with no explanation or why and who did it. What are they afraid of ?

As you can see I am more than frustrated at this situation. Yes, I have thought about running for office because I will be retiring soon and I will have more time to devote it. But the fact remains the board doesn't want things to change and it won't let it change. Obstacles are continiously being put up.

The change will occur only when the OLD GEEZERS keel over or ICS dies first. Which one do you think will happen ?

Regards, I hope yours and everyones' Comanche flys for a long time.

Jeffrey Aryan
ICS #10151

by **Scott Ducey** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:38 pm

Jerry, I am glad you brought up this point about participating on the Board. I thought I mentioned it somewhere here, but I was indeed contacted by Bruce Ladrie about taking Don's spot as Treasuer prior to the Board meeting in Florida. I was told that Don was tired of the job, and wouuld like to hand the reigns to someone else. I was sort of excited about the opportunity, because part of my background is looking at numbers. It is my job, and thought I could add a lot of value as a former accountant and financial analyst. However, after the meeting Don 'changed his mind', which i have no doubt had something to do with my views. i was then asked to be 'secretary' which involved taking notes during the board meeting. it is hard for me to get excited about taking notes.

i suspect you will follow up with, "why don't you run against him"? while i have dedicated a large chunk of my personal time to ICS and the Comanche, I am not going to spend it trying to 'run a campaign'. i have a job and i have a family. for what it is worth, because of my convictions for better tech support and a better ICS, i missed my kids opening day for baseball while making the presentation in FL. i am not going to dedicate my time working with a group of people that feel 'things are just fine the way they are'. i personally believe we should have a change in the board across all offices held. there is a reason why there are term limits in government - its healthy, brings in fresh ideas, and makes sense. furthermore, if i was the only new board member and had to deal with a number of members of the board that can not think outside of the box, i am not too sure that would be the best use of my time, nor would it be good for my blood pressure. i would not be very useful to those clutching to the notion of 'we need the magazine', and we can not explore and talk about addressing some of the serious concerns that we face. i do not want to form committes to explore very simple concepts that we already know to be true.

the issue of the magazine and our future needs to be explored. the board indeed has a good point about the potential for an exodus, however, the board did not say 'lets poll the membership', lets explore the idea. kris and i received a definitive 'no'. We can go round and round all day long on these various issues, but the punchline in all of this is the Comanche faces a number of unique issues that type clubs like Bonanza does not. We can point to them, but they are not in the same situation as us, irrespective of what their members pay for dues. given our unique issues, does it make sense to continue to pay 70 cents of every dollar to Village Press. I don't think it does, but the Board feels otherwise.

if the board would like to seriously explore options about their future, i am willing to help out. but i am not interested in forming committees or working in a role that isn't meaningful or where i can not add much value.

the short answer is this: the board frustrates a lot of people with their views, and hence, it is hard for people to rationalize volunteering for something that will go nowhere.

best regards,

scott ducey

by **Kristin Winter** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:59 pm

We did not make a take-it-or-leave it proposal. We pointed out in the SBM, as I had in the FBM, that ICS needed a change in business model that will attract more members. The board acknowledged that we have dwindling membership and that ICS faces a future financial crisis. They did vote to raise the dues by $3 to make up for the declining membership. Dick even acknowledged that there was no point in marketing to the large number of Comanche owners who are not members, because ICS had nothing to sell. Yet the board refused to consider a change in business model. There were no alternative proposals. The closest thing to a solution from the board was the statement by Dick and Dave F that someone will step up, as has happened in the past.

The after meeting comments at dinner were even more enlightening. Scott D. was criticized for not understanding how ICS works, and Don Nelson decided to stay on as Treasurer on the flimsy excuse that Village Press would be doing more bookkeeping and he should supervise. The truth is that they didn't want a dissident on the board.

That was the last straw for me. I tendered my resignation as chair, and the sole member of the new Fleet Airworthiness Committee. Attached is my letter to Bernie, which was accepted this morning.

by **SLIMDREDGER** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:41 pm

Scott:

Your last post says it all, and I completely support the points you have outlined.

Without better technical/parts type support our airplanes can quickly become interesting antiques instead of traveling machines.

Prior to the last two board meetings, I wrote Don and Bernie letters urging them to make technical/type support the primary mission of ICS.
I read, admired, and supported the outlines of the ICS situation that Pat Keefer and Kristin Winter presented to the board.

I find it incredible that the board has rejected the proposals and even the concepts and concerns outlined therein.

Count me as an "old geezer" who is extremely disappointed in the direction ICS is headed.

I again thank you, Pat, and Kristin for the time and money you have given to this matter.

Warm regards, Al Powers ICS 2978