ALL MEMBERS ! Please fill out those proxy forms..!!

[Paul Catanach]

If Chris or others perceive a division within the Association then perhaps that's a topic for discussion when this lunacy is over, with the aim of either dispelling that perception or removing the division if it exists.

I can only say that I have met some absolutely fantastic people on Strut evenings all of whom made me wish I were a member of wherever we happened to be at that time (I think I've visited five or six). All were equally welcoming and made me conscious that I should join one.

In my defence there's a huge hole in the LAA struts map, perhaps it's time to re-vist the idea of creating one instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

[Alan Kilbride]

I feel the Strut aren't high enough on the agenda for the LAA.
The quarterly LAA/STRUT meetings were unanimously voted out a few years ago as not fit for purpose, with the instigator to come back to the LAA with an alternative. He has yet to do so.
How can the LAA rank and file connect if their Strut reps can't connect with the hierarchy?

[Chris Martyr]

Deleted as not pertinent to the 2018 AGM

[neilmurg]

I wasn't a member at the original vote
This is taking up WAAAAY too much of everyone's time. Step back, chill out.
There are a too many facts/opinions/lies swirling around and we need some calm reflection.
Calm reflection

For my part: there are 2 motions before the AGM
For some reason someone thought it was a good idea to publish an article in the Times calling LAA members (me!) misogynist old farts (paraphrased). And then 2 people proposed 2 motions:
1 Give TC-T the award back and the LAA were wrong and stupid to take it back
2 Give TC-T the award back

I don't know who came up with this strategy, but, IMO it wasn't a good one

This has NOTHING to do with the LAA, who they are and what they do
If I believe TC-T's remonstrations, I've still been called a misogynist old fart

I expect a huge vote to reject both motions, for many reasons. It's inevitable given the way this saga has been resurrected.
The important thing is the LAA, that it continues, has good governance and adapts to more easily deal with these challenges in the future.
As for Tracey, I wish her well in her endeavours, and that she learns to move on

[Chris Martyr]

I wasn't a member at the original vote
This is taking up WAAAAY too much of everyone's time.

Boy is that ever true !
I'm sure I wasn't the only one heaving a sigh of relief after it was all at last concluded in 2016 .
The 2016 AGM was actually a good day with a delightful talk from Arthur Ord-Hume and amazing wartime recollections from WW2 bomber crewman , Rusty Wauman. The only disconcerting bit was the presence of the elephant in the room.

I certainly never envisaged that someone was going to mischievously empty a tank full of petrol onto some barely burning embers two years down the line .

Yet here we are in 2018 , doing the exact same thing ! If you're tired of this Neil , how do you think us real grumpy old misogynists feel...

It really has to be closure MEANING closure once we get to close of play on the 21st . Irrespective of the outcome [which has almost become immaterial now , hasn't it ? ]

If this matter cannot then be laid to rest , then I believe that the LAA will have to start looking at 'thinking the unthinkable'.

[SteveSlater]

I feel the Strut aren't high enough on the agenda for the LAA.
The quarterly LAA/STRUT meetings were unanimously voted out a few years ago as not fit for purpose, with the instigator to come back to the LAA with an alternative. He has yet to do so.
How can the LAA rank and file connect if their Strut reps can't connect with the hierarchy?

Hi Alan
Not too sure how this fits in with the debate on this thread, but we have a Strut leaders meeting and telephone conference scheduled for November 3rd, to which your Strut has been invited. I'm also down to visit one of your Strut evenings next March. Since I became CEO in late 2015, I've visited more than 30 different Struts or events, in the last few months as far afield as Devon, Scotland and Norfolk.

We also now have an LAA Board member, David Millin, who has a particular role in liaising with Struts and we invested this year in allowing Struts to design promotional banner which we sponsored. Happy to listen to any other ways 'the rank and file can connect', but I agree with the decision made by the old NC itself, that their meetings were not the best way to move forward.

[samrutherford]

@Tracey

I've answered all your questions/allegations. Any chance you could do the same for our questions?

Plus one more question, did you write the following on your Facebook page? Or will you tell us it was someone else?

(20/11/13, in Nairobi, half way through the Africa trip)

My complete silence since departing Cape Town might have raised a few eyebrows given my more expansive outpourings on the Ocean to Ocean blog when I flew with the Russian crew from Kiev to Cape Town earlier this year in an Antonov 2. I can only say that the physical and psychological demands are so much greater with a solo flight of this nature, added to which there is a huge filming programme running in parallel, that it is as much as I can do to deal with the day to day operations.

[jollyrog]

@Steveslater

Steve,

Can you post images of the letters received from her legal representatives in this forum? I agree with the earlier comment that the membership should have sight of these.

Thanks.

[Paul Catanach]

I also have a question about votes and their counting.

What is to prevent someone voting by proxy and raising a hand at the AGM? Not that I am suggesting anyone would do this but what are the mechanisms behind counting and ensuring that only members are in the room?

[jangiolini]

I agree with Roger could you please print images of the legal letters here. We would like to see what pressure is being put on the Board. They effect us all!
John.

[SteveSlater]

I also have a question about votes and their counting.

What is to prevent someone voting by proxy and raising a hand at the AGM? Not that I am suggesting anyone would do this but what are the mechanisms behind counting and ensuring that only members are in the room?

There will be measures in place at the AGM to check members' eligibility and to ensure that the rules are complied with.

[Paul Catanach]

Thanks Steve.

[L21-B]

@Steveslater

Steve,

Can you post images of the letters received from her legal representatives in this forum? I agree with the earlier comment that the membership should have sight of these.

Thanks.

I would also like to see the letters from her legal representatives posted here, its only fair for all members to see what pressure is being placed on our 'Board' and what the implications are for the LAA.

[Harry Hopkins]

I was chairman of the 3 man team which selected Ms Curtis-Taylor for the Woodhams Trophy and take responsibility for it, so if you want a head on a platter you're welcome to have mine.

We did not submit our nominations to the Board for their approval, so all the talk about Board failures is totally unwarranted.

Ms Curtis-Taylor did not, repeat not, solicit this award and neither did any one solicit it on her behalf: it was entirely our idea.

No other nomination for the award had been received or mooted; hence no other contender was denied the trophy by our selection.

Conscious that GPS is now ubiquitous and that such long distance flights commonly are supported by a team, we never the less judged it to be a meritorious flight: it was a long flight over some inhospitable terrain in a slow aircraft, the controls of which are quite heavy and was therefore a feat of endurance, airmanship, tenacity and not a little courage.

This award was made in 2014 but the furore didn’t start until 2015 at the earliest. No one objected at the time.

We were all volunteers and were working to recognise what we considered worthy efforts by Association members. We are human and subject to human fallibility. We have patently failed to meet the exacting standards and extraordinarily demanding detailed `due diligence’ you seem to have expected of us.

I have read with dismay the many conspiracy theories conjectured by some of those who have posted messages here. I am appalled that our choice should have created so much bile. There is a vacancy in the Trophies and Awards Working Group for one of you perfectionists to fill. Apply via the Office.
Harry Hopkins

[jangiolini]

Thanks Harry for that very concise explanation. I maybe wrong but you were never accused of being complicit and it is well document in these posts that you and your team made your decision with the available information. If I maybe so bold I believe you and your team do a tremendous Job and are to be commended rather than looking for your head on a platter.

What has been obvious through all this is that information from the Board is very sparse and to be honest any information has to be teased out. A lot of this could have been prevented if the Legal threats were published and shared with the members a lot of the conspiracy theories would not have been formed facts are much better.
I maybe missing something and if so please tell me... I believe the LAA is the Members as well as the Board and various committees etc should we not be talking to each other.
John.