NEED HELP from new BOD members...

[oldpilot]

Last week (8-4-05) I sent an email to prahq@pra.org requesting to place a classified AD in the next Rotorcraft Magazine issue. I asked that MY count of the words be verified and to be advised of the cost and I would send a check for the final amount since I did not wish to give my VISA info over an unsecured email. As of this morning (Monday 8:30 PDT) no reply. I sent a second request a few minutes ago.

There is no 800 number to call and this should easily be handled by email. Why is PRA too busy to take my money and run my Ad? I would think ANY revenue generating activity for the PRA would be or SHOULD be a high priority :confused:

Can anyone on the BOD look into this? :mad: :mad:

:D UPDATE - - 08-16-05 Rec'd email from Pam responding to my classified Ad email of 08-04-05 (only 12 days to respond :mad: ). Hopefully my Ad will get posted correctly and this delay didn't cause me to miss the current deadline??
Stay tuned...


~Oldpilot~

[Brent_Brown]

Same old song. You have to keep at them, someday they will get to you.

[PW_Plack]

Steve,

Did you try contacting any board members directly before venting here in public? It's a little like having a complaint with the mayor of your town, and tacking up a note on a tree to get action. This forum is not a PRA communication channel, and most board members seldom or never post here.

If someone had an issue with a member of your family, and the first you knew about it was to read it in the newspaper, you'd assume the other guy's real agenda was to make you look bad, not to solve the problem.

Members of the BOD, with their individual phone numbers and e-mail addresses, are listed inside the front cover of Rotorcraft magazine. I assume the next issue will be updated with the new board members.

And, yes, things do appear to run a little slowly in Mentone this time of year. My last renewal check was held for about two months before it was deposited.

[oldpilot]

Paul,

I guess I would have to ask YOU why you did not just send me your reply in a private email, if that is how you REALLY feel? Instead, you chose to keep your criticizm of how I chose to solve my problem with PRA, public?? Fine with me :D that's what I want anyway.

I simply do not agree with your assertion that "...most board members seldom or never post here".

Many PRA members have had difficulty with the PRA and it is in trouble right now. The 'Staff' is unresponsive most of the time. I'm sure someone will tell me how THEY were helped - all I know is I'm not being helped and customer service sucks at PRA in my opinion and my experience.

There is absolutely no reason I should not make my problem public on this Forum. I have as much right to bring problems with the PRA to this Forum as you have to defend the PRA on this forum.

Now back to the problem at hand: it is 11 days since I first sent an email to PRA to run my Classified ad and STILL NO REPLY and NO REPLY FROM ANY BOD MEMBERS! <perhaps Paul is right...naaaa couldn't be>

~Oldpilot~

[gyroplanes]

The 'Staff' is unresponsive most of the time.

~Oldpilot~

The "Staff" is one person who does everything.

The "PRA" is the "Staff", "Leaders" and "Membership"

Things could be better at HQ. Things could be better with PRA. It all takes time, money and help.

[Pam Bundy]

Tom,
Thanks for you comments.

As you stated, the "Staff" is only one person. Doing everything can sometimes be quite overwhelming, especially after a Convention. Times like now, I wish that I could clone myself about three or four times. As if things aren't business enough, the PRA office computer contracted a Trojan virus last week that left the office pretty crippled for several days. The problem was finally straighted out yesterday. Hopefully, emails can get answered this week.

If any one has any helpful suggestions about volunteer help for the PRA office overload, I'm all ears.

Thanks,
Pam Bundy

[GyroRon]

I picked up a virus in my computer last week as well. I think Norton got rid of it for me....?...... Got it visiting free porn -------------- ;)

[Wilson]

If you want to find motivated volunteers to help around the office I would suggest contacting your local senior citizen center. Or what ever you have in your area where senior citizens gather. Post a note requesting office help and you will find volunteers to pick from. Many like something to do and they may be quite experienced. Your local employment office may even offer this service for volunteer help.

The police department I worked at used them for years with good results.
Wilson

[enewbold]

Now back to the problem at hand: it is 11 days
since I first sent an email to PRA to run my Classified ad and
STILL NO REPLY and NO REPLY FROM ANY BOD MEMBERS!
...perhaps Paul is right...naaaa couldn't be. ~Oldpilot~
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I agree with you 100%!
If in fact the PRA staff is only one person, that one person should at
the very LEAST acknowledge your inquiry!

I had a similar problem with my membership application. Sheesh, all she
had to do was send ONE LITTLE NOTE that she had my money and
that all was well, rather than let me stew about it for a month.

And, YES, this is the place to air problems like this!

Ed in Columbus, OH

[oldpilot]

After reading Pam's reply:

I note she has confirmed that no one is assisting her with the work load she alleges she has. Where is the PRA President??? why isn't he all over this? Where are all of the other elected officials - who is running the show? :mad:

The times when there will be an increased work load are mostly PREDICTABLE. Why isn't management attending to this? Why does the 'staff' of one have to appeal on this Forum for assistance -

If any one has any helpful suggestions about volunteer help for the PRA office overload, I'm all ears.

All I wanted to do was place an Ad and provide REVENUE to the PRA but it isn't a priority because the Elected officials apparently don't know how to run a small business. The business (PRA) is there to serve it's customers (members and potential advertisers) NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND - as some have suggested :confused: .

The most basic and solveable problems seem to plague the PRA. These issues stem from poor management and are the leading cause of small business failure. I can see the complete failure of the PRA is close at hand. It is not the responsibility of PAM to solve these problems - it is the responsibility of the President FIRST and then the BOD. WHERE ARE THEY!!! :mad:


Declining Revenues, disgruntled members, lack of staff supervision and a major internal fire burning over the clever manipulation of the airport ownership - possibly a little insider slight of hand that got caught ;).

THE END IS NEAR...

OUT

~Oldpilot~

[enewbold]

...and a major internal fire burning over the clever manipulation of the airport ownership - possibly a little insider slight of hand that got caught. ~Oldpilot~ Hmmm... interesting.

What's this all about. I haven't heard about this before. Care to share the information about it? Curious minds want to know... :confused:

Ed in Columbus, OH

[oldpilot]

Ed in Columbus, OH

Go to the bottom of this thread and change the setting to show all the threads from the beginning. Look for the many headlines on Mentone and Gary Goldsberry and you will begin to get the picture of what I am refering to.

~Oldpilot~

[Hognose]

Oh, for crying out loud. Get a grip.

Steve, PRA is not a small business. It is a membership organisation. Perhaps you have been confused by exposure to such profitable nonprofits as EAA.

EAA can be gargantuan because it is a very, very big tent. It can afford extensive professional staff, publish several professional magazines, and still pay its leaders seven figures a year.

PRA is Lilliput to EAA's Brobdingnag. There are only a few members, comparatively speaking. There is one (1) paid staffer, her compensation is a matter of public record, and -- to put it mildly -- she does not have to debate whether to spend it on diamonds or furs.

She is very overloaded with work, and it takes time for her to get to things -- but she does. It took over six months to get a magazine subscription problem sorted out, but it did get sorted out in the end.

Despite its tiny status, PRA manages to put on a very good fly in, publish a very good magazine that is targeted narrowly to the specific interests of its members, rotorcraft builders and pilots.

EAA's Sport Aviation Magazine had one gyro article in the 1990s:
http://www.cozybuilders.org/ref_info/sportavi90.html

...four in the 1980s...
http://www.cozybuilders.org/ref_info/sportavi80.html

..ten in the 1970s. Of course, Martin Hollmann and Dr Bensen were writing then...
http://www.cozybuilders.org/ref_info/sportavi80.html

...in Kitplanes, from 1985 to 1998, thirty-nine, but that includes some duplicates.
http://www.cozybuilders.org/ref_info/kitplane.html

When you became a gyro builder and/or pilot, you joined a minority group. Being out of the mainstream has its benefits (everybody thinks you're really cooler than they are) and it has its downside (there is nobody you can relate to for miles around).

I am not saying that having a classified ad sit unhandled for weeks is good. I am saying that with the other stuff going on in our sport/avocation/vocation/industry, it's a bit disproportionate to think it's an item for the board of directors.

For Christ's sake, how will they get anything done if they are supposed to be the classified desk manager as well?

The BOD members are all elected from a slate of volunteers. My understanding is that they are not compensated for this work, which takes them away from their regular jobs, their families, and, not least, their avocations, such as sport flying. Indeed, most of them pay out-of-pocket to participate in board meetings, I believe.

As far as the airport thing is concerned... when I see somebody actually getting rich off PRA I will get out my stick and join the gang beating that dead horse. Instead, I see people getting distinctly un-rich.

cheers

-=K=-

[KenSandyEggo]

I don't know....I wouldn't mind having a nice piece of cash-appreciated property with a nicely paved airstrip with mine and my buddy's name only on the deed. :cool:

[enewbold]

As you stated, the "Staff" is only one person. Doing everything can sometimes be quite overwhelming, especially after a Convention. Times like now, I wish that I could clone myself about three or four times. As if things aren't business enough, the PRA office computer contracted a Trojan virus last week that left the office pretty crippled for several days. The problem was finally straighted out yesterday. Hopefully, emails can get answered this week.

If any one has any helpful suggestions about volunteer help for the PRA office overload, I'm all ears.

Thanks, Pam Bundy

Pam, I am currently working as an IT (Information Technology) professional in downtown Columbus, Ohio. If there is anything I can do to help ease your workload, please let me know. I will volunteer my time to help you with it, regardless of the type of work you assign (web development, paperwork filing, email answering, whatever). Just let me know what I can do to help out.

Ed Newbold
Columbus, OH
PRA, EAA, AOPA
http://enewbold.com/

[enewbold]

Go to the bottom of this thread and change the setting to show all the threads from the beginning. Look for the many headlines on Mentone and Gary Goldsberry and you will begin to get the picture of what I am refering to. ~Oldpilot~ Oh, I see (I think). It took me about two hours to wade through all of the messages, claims, charges, counter-charges and explanations, and I am still very confused by it all. However, as a new PRA member, I will take a 'wait-and-see' stance on it all until I have spoken in person with all parties concerned.

I have met both Tim O'Connor (at his hangar) and Gary Goldsberry (at Mentone 2005), and both appear to be very friendly, honest and reasonable people. I hope to meet everyone else at other fly-ins around the country this year.

Cheers,
Ed in Columbus, OH

[Heron]

Thanks again Pam for been there for us (when you can off course)
Many things can be done trough this Forum to help, we need a project coordinator.
The taxiway should be a priority for 2006, many dangerous situations happen during the fly-in. We need to get "live" aircraft away from the landing zone, not funny landing in a funnel of turning blades.
Spare computer will cost 300 bucks and can be donated, I will look around here in Florida an see what can be done.
Tom, we really need to do better, we can and we will!
Heron (most active non member) :D

[Rotornut]

When I need to speak with PRA, I call them and always get a human at the other end of the phone. MJ :)

[animal]

I picked up a virus in my computer last week as well. I think Norton got rid of it for me....?...... Got it visiting free porn -------------- ;)
you didn't get porn dailer did you? I worked on a customers computer that had that one, it was a nasty bugger.

[GyroRon]

Don't know Tim, Norton spotted it and said it was some kind of trojan virus and it couldn't delete it. Then Norton scanned the computer a day or two later and it was gone.... or is it?

[BUD ONEAL]

To all of you who unhappy with the PRA> Pam runs the show,Gary has a business to run of his own. He has to make a living as we all do.As far as two people s name on the deed why not? Do you want to be responsable for the payments and taxes? Who the hell cares but a few of you who have nothing better to do than bitch about something that our board members try and do for all of us.What has it cost any of you ? You get a great magaizne mostly on time for the price of a night out at burger king. We all have the right to visit our airport and fly whenever we want.Why the hell don't you who bitch the most do some more to help the pra instead of tring to tear it down. THE END OF THE PRA IS NEAR and if it is then you A-- H----s will be the reason for it. Get real !

BUD O'NEAL, PROUD TO BE A MEMBER,non bitching, of the PRA

[C. Beaty]

The people most likely to believe everyone else is a crook are crooks and cops.

The people most likely to bitch about the government are those on the dole (Most of the London tube bombers were living off the generosity of British taxpayers).

The people most likely to believe they’re ill served by volunteers wouldn’t dream of volunteering their own services.

And so it goes.

[oldpilot]

Bud,

Please take your meds on a regular basis!!!! You are the POSTER CHILD for why the PRA is falling apart.

"As far as two people s name on the deed why not? Who the hell cares but a few of you who have nothing better to do than bitch..."

Thank you Bud for this statement (above)...I rest my case. Since you don't understand the answer to your own question there is no use trying to explain it to you. But it is at the HEART of the discontentment in the PRA.

The veiled profanity to make your case and condescending tone only invites the same back at ya...and how do you think your reply brought the PRA members closer together :confused: - Bud you are one of the ROCK THROWERS you are complaining about, but you just can't see it - unfortunately.

out

~Oldpilot~

[Heron]

One of the best things at the Convention for me was to meet lots of guys and see they are much younger than I thought.
End of an ERA? I dont think so, it will change for sure and I hope for the better . . .
Bud at work is a role model to be followed, with words though he misses a littel of his magnetic, charming personallity.
Love you Bud, try the same with the complain crowd . . .they wat somenthing

[BUD ONEAL]

Steve, I have been a proud member of the PRA for at least twenty years. I take my "meds" daily.Thank god I don't need anything but centrum silver to keep me level. What you need to do is read chucks post and try and understand what you have read.
Then and only then will you get a grasp on what is real.

[GyroRon]

If it wasn't for Bud, I might not be here flying gyros. He has been a huge help to me in my early gyro days, and I learned alot about gyros through him. He is one of, if not the kindest person I have ever had the honor of meeting. And he has done more for the PRA and the sport of gyroplanes than any other person I have met to date. Please don't pick on Bud as he certainly doesn't deserve it! This whole thread and almost all the others like it, is just fustration caused my mis-communication.

[Heron]

Yes he is a very very good person and we need more like him around!
Matter fact . . .there are many good people in the gyro world that I visit so often.
Venting is just venting . . .all is going good!
Heron