Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By r_w_walker
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1554461
I saw an article in AOPAUK recently about a new organisation hoping to help save airfields.

GAIN - the General Aviation Infrastructure Network - is being set up as the national Community Interest Company (CIC)

http://gainetwork.org.uk/

I have a basic subscription to the organisation i.e. Much less than the £1000 Bronze membership.

They should be amending their membership details on the web site to include the basic option but if you wish to help contact them.

I hope they are successful but they will need a lot more support if they are to succeed.
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1554464
What do they do?

In particular, what do they do that existing GA organisations don't already do?

The website describes some well known problems and asks for donations but doesn't seem to describe what GAIN would do with the money.
By r_w_walker
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1554474
GAIN’s strategic partner is Portcullis Public Affairs - a leading government and strategic communications consultancy with a 27-year record of ethical excellence, supported by their strict Code of Conduct to which GAIN wholeheartedly subscribes. Portcullis Public Affairs is retained by and lobbies on behalf of major companies, charities and non-commercial organisations, nationally and internationally, and with a track-record of success working at this level.

They are being paid to talk to and explain GA's problems with airfield planning to politicians.

We desperately need changes to planning policy for airfields. It should not be left to local planning authorities and NIMBY's. We need a National policy for a frame work of large and small airfields.
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By chevvron
#1554639
I'm a bit wary of organisations like this after hearing of the Airfields Environment Federation (AEF) which purported to offer environmental 'advice' to small airfields and got government funding to do so.
A long retired airport manager from Fairoaks used to attend their meetings (until they sussed who he was and banned him) and he told me they were actually a vociferous group of anti GA types who sought to get many private strips and small airfields closed on environmental grounds. Back in the '80s, the LAA (then called PFA) were constantly battling against them.
When it was first proposed that GA should be kicked out of Biggin Hill back in the late '70s/ early '80s, there was a proposal to re-open Wisley for GA and the AEF were instrumental in getting this rejected (along with 'local' interests of course)
I can remember an incident back in the late '60s/early '70s reported in the local South Herts evening paper (Evening Echo) whereby an aircraft on training out of Elstree had carried out an actual forced landing in or close to a built up area. The AEF then secretary, Moyra Logan, wrote a letter to this newspaper expounding the 'official' AEF view that all flying training should be carried out over the sea from airfields on the coast!
Last edited by chevvron on Thu Aug 24, 2017 1:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
By Bob Upanddown
#1554656
I always thought that the organisation protecting our airfields was the GAAC who, it is reported, are preparing a report on the “Network of Airfields” for the Aviation Minister.

It seems GAIN is supported by AOPA but AOPA also support the GAAC as do a large number of other GA associations.

So why do we need yet another organisation to join the alphabet soup of organisations claiming to represent GA?
How can a brand new organisation spring up and claim to represent anyone other than the people who formed it? (Having said that, the names of the officers of these organisations makes interesting reading if you want to do a bit of research).

How on earth can we ask for a joined up network of airfields when GA presents an image of the most disorganised and disjointed bunch of people there is? There have been discussions on this forum in the past about AOPA and all the other organisations representing GA. ENOUGH ALREADY!!

If Portcullis are professional lobbyists, then that’s a good move IMHO but should it not be AOPA and the LAA (or the GAAC who already represent GA) who are instructing Portcullis? Why do we need yet another organisation?
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1554704
I can see the value in having a few highly able lobbyists onside supporting our community.

I would however take a great deal of persuading that the UK needs yet another aviation organisation. There are far more than I can count any more, and I'm pretty good at sums.

Activity like this should be run through the existing organisations - many of which are really very good at this sort of thing already.

Join and support BMAA, LAA, AOPA, GAAC, or any other of the mature organisations already actively supporting GA. We don't need another one.

I am also inclined to worry that it's a junket supporting highly paid consultants masquerading as a charity. Childrens Air Ambulance anybody?

G
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By Bob Upanddown
#1555555
Genghis the Engineer wrote:I can see the value in having a few highly able lobbyists onside supporting our community.
I am also inclined to worry that it's a junket supporting highly paid consultants masquerading as a charity.
G


AOPA seem to be partly responsible for generating the alphabet soup as AOPA supports both the GAAC and GAIN.
A couple of decades ago, I was involved with (but a long way from) some of the Quangos of the day and that was a pure junket-fest.
There is an AOPA AGM coming up very soon. Maybe that would present an opportunity to ask AOPA why they saw fit to support yet another organisation to represent GA and, perhaps, ask what AOPA has spent (if anything) on supporting such organsations.