"For Members Only"
I was just merrily reading along about GPS Interruptions in the Piper Owners Aviation Update article this morning (Sunday April 28, 2024). I came to a point in the article and there is was, you must be a member to continue reading.
That says to me that unless you have paid your dues we, The Piper Owner Society, do not wish to share our knowledge with you. Those restricted articles are normally in the private selections of the emailed articles.
As a long time CFI, I believe that sharing what we know about aviation is every pilot's responsibility. We should help all people learn. Knowledge is key to aviation safety.
I have been offended by this mentality for the eight years of my membership and realize finally that I'd rather not be included . I will not renew my membership in the Piper Owner Society.
If this is printed you undoubtably had to sign in to read it.
Comments
Hi, sorry to see you go. Many pilot's have created blogs, youtube channels, newsletters, classes, etc to help educate and pass on their knowledge at no charge. Kids these days are using Tik Tok ;)
Publishing is a tough business and especially so for a narrow interest organization like the Piper Owner Society. I am happy to pay my dues to support - otherwise I would not have found this community. I am lucky to have met a number of members at Oshkosh and I am a better pilot for it.
I have no affiliation with the Piper Owner Society aside from being a member but I have had a chance to interact with some of the leadership and I was struck by their passion to build a community of fellow pilots and sincere interest in creating engaging content.
I have learned things here well in excess of my cost for the subscription and have given back freely with hopefully useful advice. The best return on investment has honestly been the online friends I have met - I look forward to hearing about their adventures and living vicariously through their experiences.
Eric Panning
1981 Seneca III
Hillsboro, OR (KHIO)
I am watching many clubs on a steady downward spiral due to giving the knowledge away for free.
Cost of contribution to keep this site running is nominal and many people burn through more than the subscription in a week's worth of coffee. So, am lost on the pain of helping carry the load.
Best wishes on the path forward.
I don't think you understand my point. Yes there is much to learned from the publication. I do not think it is appropriate to withhold information from non-members! We've outgrown the playground, it's no longer cool to have a secret that can only be shared with someone in the club!
Completely agree that there are a lot of people who want a free education. Actually, there are a lot of people who just want free everything. But even under the "free" model, somebody still has to pay for this "free" stuff. Personally, I'm good with everybody paying for their own enlightenment, or at least finding a willing donor who understands the deal.
While some individuals are publishing information in the public space, it is still not free as both the publisher and viewer turn into the monetized product.
But, that reminds me, need to look into getting that free CFI for my next ticket, free study guides for the next ticket, free examiner for the next ticket, and that free A&P for annual. Oh, and need that free insurance as well. Having a safe pilot and plane are definitely things that help everybody and all that free goodness will enable this, right?
Again, best wishes on the path forward.
By the way, if not already noticed, I am actually a fan of reversing the general decline in club membership numbers, and giving stuff away for free is an easy target. Simply put, freeware actually does not offer value.
Have already pushed one major club (not naming names, but will guarantee that everybody will recognize it) into reversal of the freeware model and it moved content behind a membership registration wall. I also pushed this same organization into working with industry to offer exclusive product and service discounts to members, and the exclusive discounts went from 0 to 10 in five years and is still climbing. Membership numbers from these changes reversed from a downward trend to upward as people learned the easy path to saving more money than the cost of their membership fee.
Fortunately, have not needed to engage with Piper Owner Society as the operators already understand the model of attracting paying members by way of good educational content and (at least one) industry discount.
So, the best model works when everybody scratches each other's backs. Not when one person gets a back scratch and then walks away. Have first hand knowledge where even the Russians shoved a broom in somebody's hand when they wanted a free meal.
I'm sorry to see you go, Jim, but I appreciate your being a member for the last nine years or so. I find it interesting that you're a CFI complaining about the few dollars that we charge to maintain the website and magazine. Just out of curiosity, do you give free flight training under the same opinion that you find fault with us? If a wanna-be pilot doesn't want to pay for instruction, to you supply it anyway?
Just curious.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Aviation Director, Piper Owner Society Forum Moderator and Pipers Author.
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