Growing the membership

[Kristin Winter]

Ben,

>>Isn’t it what we want? If he succeed I will eat of his hand and polish his shoes on a daily basis. What is wrong with trying? Why are you so negative? Now there is a new company that takes over the parts issue so why not give it a chance? They might be interested, especially if ICS will arrange to buy X numbers of the first batch. I am for it, by trying you have 50% chance to succeed, by not it is 100% failure.<<

Pardon me for pulling rank here, but I have more time in the general aviation industry than the entire officer corp. and probably the entire board. You have nowhere near a 50% chance of charming Piper into proving more support. You have a 0% chance. The only why you are going to get more parts is to show a business case for it. For that, you start much lower than V.P. level.

For ICS to start buying parts for distribution, would require a complete change in the way ICS does business. Why do I say that? Three words! Strict Products Liability. The insurance costs would be significant, so getting into the parts distribution businessis something that ICS would either need to be all it, or all out. Does anyone here think that ICS can start to run a full fledged parts business with volunteers? Of course not! So you would need employees. How would we fund the employees? By getting rid of the magazine. But we can't get rid of the magazine. Checkmate!

The problem is that the executive committee does not understand enough about aviation to be a player.

I apologize for being dismissive and talking down, but that is just the facts as I see them.

[Ben Ayalon]

Fair comments Kristin. You definitelyknow much more than me.

Ben