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What we ALL do for GA lately!


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Rather than hijack several threads on MooneySpace, which I have been guilty of myself a few times [sorry], I decided to start this specific thread with a few quotes from various passionate Mooney lovers!

 

"Most Mooney owners I've met in the last 20 years do, Jolie, even when we don't wear it on our sleeve. With all your outstanding Mooney support activities over the last year or two, you must realize that."

 

 "The simple fact that we share info, speak highly of the mark and most of us are dedicated Mooney owners show we are doing something for GA and Mooney."

 

" I'll give you (Jolie) and the Mooney poster the benefit of the doubt, but if you want to challenge ME on what I have done to support Mooney and General Aviation lately I just shake me head...."

 


Yes, we all support GA and Mooney, of course.  We all try to take care of ourselves mentally and physically, we get our medicals, we belong to AOPA, EAA, MAPA, we donate, we support our local mechanics, we support Mooney Service Centers, spend thousands of dollars, etc.  We are passionate about the special thing we do known as flying.  We are proud of it and we take care to help preserve the institution of flying through the air...........freely.   Flying an airplane and all the financial commitment that comes with it is not easy, as well all know.  We all spend our hard earned dollars and our precious time on this passion of ours, no doubt.   It's what we love.


 

We [Mooney owners and lover's, past, present and future] are indeed passionate about our Mooney's.  This is where we came up with the Mooney Ambassador concept last year at Oshkosh.  Like many of us, I became a Mooney fanatic [Mooniac], many, many years ago and have been guilty of the fanaticism since then.   I believe that most pilots/aircraft owners are very passionate about their brand of aircraft and their flying abilities, just Mooney people are more so.

 

It is my opinion, from so many of us that post on MooneySpace and elsewhere, we all feel the frustration of where Mooney Airplane Co is right now, where it's been and where the heck is it headed.  

 

After wondering around the AirVenture grounds in 2009, seeing all the aircraft manufacture's displays, we made our way to the MAPA tent and sulked.  We felt left out, angry, disappointed, and lots of other strange emotions, because Mooney did not have their usual huge display at Oshkosh.   We, as many other Mooney lovers, spoke to Trey, Lela, Joe, Ronnie, Susan, and anyone that would listen, about the situation.  With all this grumbling, Jolie said, why can't we do something?  [Not to wave her flag, but this person, Jolie, is always, and I mean ALWAYS for the underdog.  She'll find a way to make lemonade out lemons!]

 

"Why can't we do something, why can't we find a way to share this passion we all have" she said.  Why can't we all, as Mooney lovers, go and display our aircraft where Mooney Airplane Co. is displaying, and let prospective buyers know how proud we are of our planes, new or old?  We can also go and share this passion at functions without Mooney Airplane Co being there.  We can do this at air shows, airport days, or wherever the public will be.   We LOVE to talk about our Mooney's, so why not let it out to others about the great and unique qualities of these airplanes and the history behind them?  Great idea, I agreed!

 


Secondly, while we're doing this Ambassador thing, I said, let's take the opportunity to include the other aviation underdog, General Aviation.  While we're displaying our Mooney's,

let's talk to folks about the positive aspects of General Aviation? 

 

Every time some nut flies an airplane into a building, we [GA] get a bad rap.  We [AOPA, EAA and all pro-GA folks]  have to hit the street running.  I mean, we have to offer up a counter attack in favor of positive aspects of GA.   So, let's tell the public that their little GA airport is the "lifeline" to their community.  As with the Haitian earthquake last year, or with the Watsonville, CA earthquake in 1989, General Aviation was the hero with life saving relief efforts.  Let's tell them about the advantages of business flying.  Tell them about EAA Young Eagles, about Angel Flights for free medical flights for those in need, emergency air ambulance and rescue services, organ donor flights, fire protection, police, first responder services and yes, of course, recreational flying. 


 

The third concept of the Ambassador thing just fell into place.  As with all the other Mooney groups, the Florida Lunch folks, the VMGer's, Mooniacs, and others, we are all looking for a place to fly our planes.  We search for the famous hamburger or we take a neighbor up.  We'll fly to a place in our beautiful country where we have never been, to another airport just to walk around and look at other planes, etc.  We're just looking for a place and an excuse to fly.  These are all most important and we love doing it.   Now we can add another aspect in our search of a place to fly.  Put on a Mooney Ambassador event at an airport!   We can talk about Mooney's [and what Mooney lover doesn't like to do that?], help promote GA and have someplace wonderful to fly!  It's a win, win, win situation!

 

Our Mooney Ambassador slogan has become "What Have You Done For GA Lately".  Jolie and I are not, in anyway, insinuating that all of us are not supporting GA.  We are all doing that indeed!  Flying and doing all the things we do with our airplanes is absolutely supporting GA.   It is what we love and what we dedicate ourselves to, emotionally and financially.  Yes, we are all doing tons to support GA in this fashion.   Our slogan simply means, we have to do more.  I think we all can do more to help protect our freedom to fly.  We can do more to help protect our local airports.   We aviators need to speak up and speak out.  We cannot sit back and let AOPA and EAA alone, do the talking and promoting for us.  

 

We are all feeling frustrated with the current status of Mooney Airplane Co.  and with our current economy.  Maybe we have opinions on how Mooney should run their service department or about what Mooney needs to do to survive.   I'll bet the quality folks working at Mooney are more than feeling all these same things.   We all want the legacy and the concepts of Al and Art Mooney to continue.   We all want Mooney and General Aviation and our GA airports to continue to flourish and not go away. 

 

The Ambassadors, for me and Jolie, is a way in which we have been able to vent our frustrations in a positive way.  We have no financial interest in Mooney, nor do we have any control over decisions that will help Mooney Airplane Co survive.  Yes, like many, I do believe this is a very critical time for Mooney and for Al's legacy to continue.  This is a great airplane!  Regardless of those that have owned, controlled, abused and worked for Mooney, it is a credit to all those people, good and bad, that the basic concept has been kept alive.  Just look at that tail, wing and fuselage!  Leadership with a true passion for the airplane and its future, a strong financial backing coupled with a vibrant economy are needed for survival and its future.  We are supporting that that will happen.  In the meantime, we are wearing it on our sleeves for all to see. 


The Ambassador program is not for everyone and we certainly realize this.  Like so many other terrific GA support and promotion groups, the Ambassadors is just our little way of trying to help celebrate Al's legacy, keep the Mooney name out there and support our beloved General Aviation.  Oh yes, with all this, we also have another wonderful place to fly our plane!  At the end of the day, doing an Ambassador event is a lot of work and we're tired, but it is amazingly gratifying too, which makes it all worth while.

 

Keep flying those Mooney's and promoting GA, in all the ways you do. 
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  • 1 month later...

Opening up my daily dose of AVweb Flash in my email "inbox" this morning, I found that I'd been overlooking the section titled "question of the week".  Hmmm!


Regardless, I found last weeks question was something to the affect of "what have you done to help promote GA?" 


It stuck me instantly [not bad for me] that AVweb was asking the very same question we as Mooney Ambassadors ask "what have you done for GA lately".  I liked it! 


There were several questions that you could answer.  Questions such as, are you involved with local airport officials, elected officials/representative, airport boards, supervisors,etc.   Do you support financially other groups that speak out for GA.  Have you flown Young Eagles.  Or, have you done nothing, or not interested, or other!  


As AVweb is asking this question throughout the aviation community, I felt the need to post again to MooneySpace, that this is a great opportunity for us Mooney owners and pilots to step up just a bit more in the coming new year, in our efforts to support GA and GA airports throughout the United States. 


We are returning to several of our Ambassador display locatons for 2011.  We are also soliciting those that would like to join the Ambassador efforts in promoting the positive aspects of GA and GA airports to the public, at your nearby airport day/air show or other airport activity.


Have a terrific Mooney Holiday flying season!

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