What Have You Done For Me Lately?

[hotairballoonist]

What Have You Done For Me Lately?
By Maury Sullivan – BFA At-Large Director/Treasurer

I hear this all the time regarding the BFA or my local balloon club.  I follow the Reflector, more as a lurker, and regularly see challenges of what is the BFA doing about this, that and the other.  I’m proud to say, the BFA Board of Directors is a very energetic and ambitious group of volunteers.  During the BFA election process I was personally contacted and challenged by a long-time BFA member who regularly posts to the Reflector and asked my opinion on matters concerning the BFA safety seminar program.

As a direct result of some personal election challenges, I was able to spearhead a movement that completely rewrote the Continuing Education and Safety Seminar Guidelines, obtain Board approval, posted the new material to the BFA web site and answer many of the criticisms that have plagued the safety seminar process over the years.  In addition, the BFA Seminar Webinar© has been restructured to provide the same high standards including testing to ensure proper attendee participation.

In the same two month period, the BFA Board has also tackled the challenges presented by the recently issued “white paper” of an FAA staff calling for all hot air balloon pilots flying passengers for hire to register with their local FSDO.  The Balloon Ride Operators Division and the Board are working in concert to try to stop or at least significantly curtail this obtrusive legislation.

Ever go to a weekend balloon event and get challenged by an FAA inspector that you are not permitted to participate because you, as the holder of a private certificate, are not permitted to carry passengers or receive compensation for hire?  Balloon events have been using ‘get out of jail free cards’ or letters of FAA personnel and legal counsel that support the fact that, in most events, the perks of a free hotel room, food, show up money, etc. are not considered compensation for hire.  This primarily hinges on the fact that pilots are not required to fly in order to receive these benefits.  There is currently a movement afoot to cancel all such letters, opinions, legal guidance, etc. that are not included in the FAA’s digital library as part of FSIMS.  Members of your Board have written to local FSDO’s to ask that these critical documents get included in the digital library.

Are you a BFA member who is also a member of a division like Hot Air Competition Division, Gas, Balloon Ride Operators or have you donated money for a special purpose or program like Jr Balloonists, Domont Safety Award, etc.?  With the recent acquisition of new non-profit accounting software and a Treasurer familiar with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, the BFA financial records and reports will now comply with all fiduciary responsibilities as well as show any funds established by donors or restricted by the Board of Directors for specific purposes.

BFA President Sam Parks is preparing a more comprehensive story on the accomplishments of your Board in its first 100 days.  I can assure you, it’s more than is accomplished in Washington DC.  Look for this story in the next issue of Ballooning.

So, next time someone asks what has the BFA done for me? . . . you’ll know.  Maybe now you won’t be afraid to ask a friend to join.