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EuroGA fly-in - Venice Lido LIPV, 18/19 May 2019

Yes; a participation fee, plus it being a type specific fly-in, plus a hard runway and IFR, all dramatically increase the numbers. I think all the type fly-ins charge over €200 and get much higher percentages, with some people even buying airline tickets as a backup. And if people pay for the room… even more so. On our fly-ins, most don’t book a room until around the day before, so it is an easy decision to drop out. We had a thread here on this topic. Of course TBM owners will need less support than GA on average, too.

We don’t do heavily supported fly-ins on EuroGA because there is nobody with the time for organising it, collecting the money, etc. We are rather “free spirits” And, frankly, I have seen a fair few photos from other fly-ins where the whole lot was bussed to some prearranged group visit to a brewery or whatever and it was obvious that a lot of people were not exactly having fun. Maybe type fly-ins are “culturally different” but on our fly-ins we tend to find that everybody goes off in different directions and does their own thing (with a few meetups here and there, assisted by the telegram app group) and then everybody comes together for the main dinner.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Approach to LIPV



EGLK, United Kingdom

Hi Peter,

I have been organising TBMOPA meetings in Europe for about 10 years and I can confirm: It takes time and effort but it has always been rewarding to see old friends and meet new ones.

We were less in the early days but the fleet is growing so naturally, we are a larger group now.

Thankfully it is still manageable, feels like a large family and we can get to nice places. With more than 100 TBMs in the US, it is a different animal!

EGKB LFQQ EBAW

Peter wrote:

I think all the type fly-ins charge over €200 and get much higher percentages, with some people even buying airline tickets as a backup.

It might be that I have completely different idea about the fly-ins (more like the ones we have had organized by EuroGA) but I don’t understand why would somebody pay €200 per person to be taken to visit something or to be brought to the restaurant. Although it’s nice fleet of really beautiful aircrafts and probably nice people, I don’t think I would join such fly-in. I simply like our stuff more, especially when in today’s world one can book anything in just few seconds without being forced to stick with some stiff plan. I appreciate my free time too much to give up the flexibility – if we have fly-in set and I don’t like the weather on destination, I just go somewhere else.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Antonio wrote:

Hi Emir! What’s your tire pressure?

I checked it few days before departure and it was ok, I checked it yesterday per your suggestion – it’s unchanged.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

I don’t understand why would somebody pay €200 per person to be taken to visit something or to be brought to the restaurant.

Neither do I, but that is how most/all of the type specific fly-ins are organised, plus meet-ups organised by certain esteemed GA organisations And the members of these seem to like it that way. And undeniably it makes life easier for the organiser because he block-books the hotel and the restaurant, and then it doesn’t matter if many don’t turn up. But many do turn up – because they paid. It’s a funny thing about human nature… if something is free, it is not valued. If there is a cost, even trivial, that changes the perception. If you paid nothing, then you will cancel if the cat gets pregnant I have just sold a camera on Ebay for £30 (£300 new) and I feel good about that, for several reasons, even though I absolutely don’t need £30, nor the hassle from the buyer telling me that one of the batteries was not as good as new.

The main reason I would be against such organised trips is because it puts on pressure to fly in unsuitable wx. The second reason is that I already do enough running EuroGA and don’t want to be running a special bank account, collecting money from people, etc.

And frankly I think we would have a very small turnout. Nearly everyone here is anonymous. People are here because they want to be here. The sort of organisations that do the €200+ meet-ups also mandate full names within the organisation (usually a closed forum behind a paywall) so everybody knows who else is doing what. Another thing is that we do a few a year. I don’t think one can extract €200+ a few times a year.

A TBM fly-in is a different thing because everybody is IFR and nothing (short of a TS+ right overhead the airport) will affect it. And the owners have loooads of money; €500 landing fees are completely normal.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

A TBM fly-in is a different thing because everybody is IFR and nothing (short of a TS+ right overhead the airport) will affect it. And the owners have loooads of money; €500 landing fees are completely normal.

25 TBMs at one place is really nice sight. I guess with budget organizing customs anywhere isn’t big problem

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Actually, I would not agree to plan our TBMOPA gathering with £500 landing fees unless it is a spectacular and exceptional location.

Our owners got to afford a TBM by knowing how to count… :)

Friendships, valuable seminar content and experiences is what we try to deliver with the events targeted to our owners group.

For £200 paid upfront, it is good value for money and it simplifies bill payments. Imagine settling a restaurant bill for 70 guests otherwise…A nightmare!

I also do safety days where we meet for a couple of hours and then have a bite. This is easy as pilots can escape for a few hours on a weekend without missing too much work or family commitments.

But again, these are all great excuses to see each other…

EGKB LFQQ EBAW

davidfabry wrote:

Our owners got to afford a TBM by knowing how to count… :)

I’m sure about that

For £200 paid upfront, it is good value for money and it simplifies bill payments. Imagine settling a restaurant bill for 70 guests otherwise…A nightmare!

That’s true. We used to split bill evenly (and we still occasionally do that) but then it’s not so common in all cultures across Europe. Some restaurants track each guest and you can pay separately at the exit but then you can’t share e.g. drinks if one person orders a bottle of wine for the group of people. I must admit that your way is easier.

We might start using some application like Revolute to easily split the bill.

LDZA LDVA, Croatia

I was going to fly into Siena and would have to drive 1 hr to my final destination. After speaking to them about the charges I decided that a 2hr drive from Perugia was a better deal for 2 reasons:

1. I would see the countryside in an area Ive never been.

2. I would rather support an organization at a facility that charges what I think are more reasonable fees. (Coming from the US, 95% of the airports in Europe which are hard surfaced, have Instrument and night capabilities are not reasonable, as are most small airports)

I was very pleased with my choice considering I got a rental car at the airport whereas in Siena a car would have been needed to be dropped off for 100 Euros and picked up for the same amount. So not only were high fees charged for “Handling” but they did nothing for the “Handling” I had to call the car company and try to make the arrangements myself. It was kinda like a self service “Handling” for premium prices. These guys need to go to the US to see and be trained in customer service at any of the larger FBOs

So how much off did the TBM owners get? 20% 40% 50% or a RyanAire price, we will pay you if you fly here?

KHTO, LHTL
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