Original Posted By: "Hodgson, Mark O"
Dear List members,The spirit among Pietenpol builders is great as is the "comrade-in-arms"feeling one gets from the group. But there are other "low and slow"aircraft that have their groups as well. i.e. Flybaby, GN-1, Volksplanesand others. Also IMHO part of this expresses an underlying dissatisfactionwith the big (you know who) experimental aviation group that has all butabandoned it's humble roots. Anyway the newest group I have seen is the"Poverty Pilots Association" for those that can't afford an airplane butbuild one anyway. The dues have recently been increased from $0.00 to$00.00 It started with the VP group but they have now widened it to includeany low and slow type builder that fits the poverty category. The do havethere own website up and it is worth a chuckle http://www.vppa.biz/ It iskind of slow to load so you will have to wait a bit to see it. Anywaywouldn't it be great to have a group for builders that are doing their bestto build some type all inclusive grass roots group for the plans builder??Maybe something that fits the new Sport Plane Category that is not a kit?If you want to see how big that "other group" is here is a satellite photoyou of their flyin. It is big, over 43 meg so it takes a while to downloadbut it is amazing.http://www.airventure.org/2004/gallery/ ... te.jpgKind regards,Bob B.Pietenpol List Brethern-I didn't get to be at the big bash at Tick Hill and I only briefly saw DocMosher at Brodhead (didn't notice the T-shirt) so I may be a bit off in myassessment of the whole situation, but here's what I seem to be seeing as atrend.I fear that there is a hidden agenda within the group perpetrated by asecret few! Perhaps by exposing the plot, we can stay united and moveforward once more without fearing for our rights!I speak of course, of the fledgling T.A.C.O. (Texas Air Camper Organization)group. Merely by it's name there is a taint of snobbery and elitism becauseof the "Pietenpol only" slant! Are they willing to accept other airplanes intheir organization? Should there be another group dubbed T.O.G.A. (TexasOrganization of Grega Aircampers)? Should the name be changed to acceptmulti-cultural builders? Perhaps something along the lines of T.A.L.L.(Texas All Lightplane Lovers). Come to think of it, why is it restricted toTexas??Now, about that B.Y.O.P. (Build your Own Pietenpol) T-Shirt. Do you see aclose parallel here? Seems to me that it's exclusionary to all but thePietenpol elitists. Man, these guys are sneaky. I believe that even thoughthere are two different groups at work here, there is enough harmony inpurpose that there must certainly be a link.Don't you all see the wedge that is beginning to divide us from each other?Are you all blind to the calamity that this slippery slope represents?Brothers, beware!!! If you are building or flying a GN-1 and want to call ita Pietenpol, don't let these menaces steamroll over your rights.Shoot....... If you want to build a Lancair and call it a Pietenpol, who arethese snobs to stop you. It's a free country and we can label things any waywe want ( in the words of a former U.S. President :it depends on what "is"is).I think a good, level playing field may be realized in the future if we hadan organization with an acronym like B.R.A.T. (Build Right And Prosper) orY.S.O.P.M.M.P. (Your Sense Of Propriety Makes Me Puke) or something elsethat would let us do whatever we want to do without being bound by traditionor history.T.A.C.O. indeed!Larryps. I'm still waiting for my I.D. and T-Shirt________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: More Brodhead pixDate: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:33:45 -0400