AOPA Forum Admin response to "RV Hate" Thread

[MitchMitchell]

VAF,

I wanted to drop by as a representative of AOPA and the Administrator of the AOPA Forums. I wish to apologize for the crude and?frankly?bully-like behavior that is going on in the ?Red Board?.

I have personally closed the thread, and issued a post that includes not only an apology to those that were insulted and/or hurt, but one of warning to posters and their rhetoric.

I would like to specifically apologize to: N8RV, tkatc, katieb, flyingriki, Louise Hose, mkjprice, ironflight, pmnewlon, Sam Buchanan, Snowflake, Mike D, rvbysdi, Alan Carroll and Flybuddy2. If there is anyone that I missed, I extend it to you as well. The moderators and I did not ?nip the thread in the bud?, resulting in soapboxing. Certain moderators inappropriately used it as a soapbox of insultingly gross magnitude.

While I could stand here, shrug my shoulders and say with utmost monotone, "The views and expressions of posters and moderators here do not reflect the views of AOPA or the Association", that goes only so far, and it provides no relief whatsoever to you.

If any of you have questions or concerns, please feel free to send an email to me, as I will respond to it much faster than private message.

I appreciate your time and patience in this, and wish all of you tailwinds and blue skies,

-Mitch Mitchell
AOPA Forum Admin.
AOPA eMedia and ePublishing

On a side note: please let me know via email, or call our 800 number, to turn off or ?edit? the amount of letters/calls/emails you receive from us. I will be more than happy to forward requests down and make sure they are fulfilled.

VAF Admins--feel free to close/lock this thread whenever, but I wanted to get this out to your community.

[gereed75]

Graciously accept. No other comment required. Thank you.

[Jerry Fischer]

That shows some class...something I would expect from AOPA.

[rleffler]

A little off subject, but I was in one Rod Hightower's Grass Roots meetings last night. He was asked about the confrontation between EAA and AOPA. His response was that not only there wasn't any, but he must have said at least a dozen times that every pilot should be a member of both organizations. He stated that he's working with AOPA to be complementary to each other. Neither organization has deep enough pockets to be all things to all people. It was a very refreshing meeting.

[f1rocket]

That's very classy. Nice job. Now re-thinking my expired AOPA membership.

I agree that we all have to pull in the same direction for general aviation to survive. Doesn't really seem like AOPA and EAA are on the same page though. Maybe the new leadership will rethink this synergy.

[Rosie]

EAA helped get my plane in the air, and AOPA helps keep my plane in the air Rosie

[Louise Hose]

Originally Posted by gereed75

Graciously accept. No other comment required. Thank you.

Thank you, Mitch.

[PCHunt]

I didn't go to the AOPA forum, but it must have been pretty bad over there.

[KatieB]

Thank you, Mitch. It means alot to hear personally from someone at AOPA.

[mkjprice]

Thanks Mitch for the classy response. I appreciate that our voices were heard. Again thanks, and AOPA will continue to have my support.