Our image to the outside world

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:49 am

Some may find the this interesting, even helpful;

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/36 ... nised.html

Rod1

Will Greenwood · Post by **Will Greenwood** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:30 pm

Hi Rod, been following it with interest, and the odd comment, however as it is a forum has to be taken with a pinch of salt..or pepper, and in the case of PPrune, usually both !! Most comments were helpfully and as with most posts some had to be read a couple of times to get the facts straight, and yes it would be nice to have a flashy web page some day soon, maybe if we increase the membership and employ another member of staff at HQ ?

will.

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:49 pm

The website doesn't need to be flashy, it just needs not to look like a lash-up -- there's a big difference!

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:31 pm

If you want an example of the power of the web consider this. The Flyer forum has had 36,500 unique visitors and 5.5 million page hits. That could have been us. If it had been how many more members would we have? I would guess 4000+.

Rod1

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:51 pm

......and if you want another example of the power of the Web take a look at the welcoming face the LAA presents to potential members by following Rod's link above.

Are we pursuing a policy of rude and offensive behaviour to deter people from joining?

steveneale · Post by **steveneale** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:58 pm

Flinstone on PPrune forum wrote: thanks for the tips but I tried that at the time. I'm no shrinking violet however after the third rebuff realised I was getting nowhere. One person even asked who'd invited me as if membership were by recommendation only. I thought I'd mistakenly gatecrashed the Freemasons.

I think we just got ourselves an extra agenda item for the next NC meeting

Steve

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:17 am

Rod says: "That could have been us. If it had been how many more members would we have? I would guess 4000+."
Well Rod, maybe you can explain why FLYER hasn't boosted its subscribers as a result of its high hit rate. The last time I looked Flyer and Toadys Pilot were both rumbling along at under 15K, while Pilot is around 25K. Translating page hits and whizzy websites into new members is not a forgone conclusion, the product has to be what potential members want as well as be promoted in the best way possible. Yes we do need to do a better job of the website, add some exciting pictures and example costings as an intro to what we are, but I am certainly under no illusion that it is the panacea that you seem to believe it is.
I'm afraid Flintstone is just another wind up merchant. He obviously has sufficient knowledge about LAA to know whether he wants to operate a permit aircraft or not, and many members have offered support and advice. Ask yourself, if you knew that you could operate a more interesting aeroplane less expensively with the LAA, would you not join because you didn't think the website was good enough?
No doubt I'll now be accused of being a Luddite with my head in the sand, but that is not the case, I really do want to improve our image to the outside world. If people are emailing the office for info and not getting a response then we have to get that sorted out, we certainly need to be seen as friendly and welcoming. One heartening thing that has come out of this pprune thread is that members are generally happy with the Association and supportive of it. We must be doing something right.

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:14 am

I'm afraid Flintstone is just another wind up merchant.

Alternatively he's a person who was interested in joining the Association, attended a Strut meeting and found it less then welcoming. He then went on to a Web forum to ask if his experience is typical or whether he was just unlucky. For his pains he gets branded as a whinger and a wind up merchant.

J.C. · Post by **J.C.** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:30 am

No mike sorry but you're wrong there..you have done exactly what I did and jumped to a conclusion for which I later apologised. He sent me a pm and I gave him a lengthy reply with sound advise on ownership.I feel qualified to give this advice as I have owned nearly 80 aircraft over the years ,(pfa) LAA and Cof A.
As a result I would be VERY supprised if he doesn't join .
I know for a fact that at least 3 people have joined the laa this year due to my advice.
Maybe we need volunteers to form a welcome commitee for calls to the office?

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:38 am

John

I think you meant to address that to Brian.

I've also been in correspondence with him and can confirm that he's not been put off, is intending to visit some more struts and work out what aircraft will suit him.

Captain Pulsar · Post by **Captain Pulsar** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am

I'm with Brian on this one. Whilst the website may not be the snappiest in the aviation world, it certainly should not be taken as the only face of the LAA.

I built and flew a permit aircraft without any website or e mails back in 1992. For a largely voluntary organisation the LAA/PFA did a fantastic job and I am still fortunate enough to continue to enjoy that privilege now.

To suggest I might not have built my aeroplane because the association administering the process did'nt have a snappy website is ridiculous. I would have sold my soul to the PFA, the devil or anyone else for the chance to fly as I do.
It is ever so easy to knock an organisation on a website. It may be that the detractor referred to on the Pprune site has been unlucky with his initial approaches, but i'm sure if he perseveres he will prevail and fly the permit aircraft of his choice within the organisation he feels happy with.

Whilst new members are desirable from an influential and financial requirement I personally will not lose any sleep if someone misses out on such a great activity because they could'nt see past a website that might not be the best.
Without the LAA I just would'nt be flying. A C of A aircraft is way beyond my budget, so whatever the website is or should be, I don't really care. My aeroplane is fantastic, and I applaud the LAA staff who make it possible.

Rob Freestone

JonKil · Post by **JonKil** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:54 am

Captain Pulsar wrote: Without the LAA I just would'nt be flying. A C of A aircraft is way beyond my budget, so whatever the website is or should be, I don't really care. My aeroplane is fantastic, and I applaud the LAA staff who make it possible.

Rob Freestone

I will second that statement, I have contacted the guy too, hopefully it will result in another member & another LAA aircraft.
Is in not each and every LAA members "duty" to promote our association ? That is of course if we are happy with it, the LAA actually reward us for doing so in the form of a membership sub as such. The association is not funded from the great central coffers, so it does a job with the reserves and income it generates, it does a pretty good job in my belief.

Jon

jamie_duff · Post by **jamie_duff** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:43 pm

It's a mostly helpful thread with a few shocking responses.

There are one or two LAA members who have done us all a disservice with their responses. On the whole the responses seem fair, helpful, and well received by the thread author.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:31 pm

I notice that the fellow who started the thread has made 1700 posts on pprune - he has also made 3800 posts on petrolheads in the last 5 years.

He obviously has a lot of things to get off his chest and / or enjoys a wind up.

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:49 am

He obviously has a lot of things to get off his chest and / or enjoys a wind up.

He's also a professional pilot with an ATPL flying CL605's for a living. (Bombardier Challenger bizjet)

I have nearly that on PPRuNe and more than double that on Flyer so by your methodology I must be twice as bad.

What is it that brings out the xenophobia in the LAA membership? Non-members don't have webbed fingers and eat their own offspring you know. Some of them have been known to be almost normal.