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Guys,
This topic is a bit far afield from our interest in
rotary engines however I thought I'd kick in what I know.
I work as a management consultant to non-profits.
You should know, if this is an area of interest to you, that EAA's tax return is
on-line at www.guidestar.org. Publicly
available tax returns are part of the price one pays in order to
be granted non-profit status by the IRS.
You have to register to view the file but it costs
nothing to register.
Here are some of the significant
stats:
Paul P's salary: $78,471
Tom P's salary: $179,317 + $26,964 in benefit
payments
Chief marketing guy, Stephan Brown's salary: $205K
+ $22K benefits
Chief financial officer, Jerome Strigler's salary:
$152K + $19K benefits
Some major numbers from the income
statement:
Sport Aviation and Experimenter subscriptions and
ad revenue: $2.5 million
Fly-in registration revenue: $3.4
million
Fly-in booth rental: $2.6 million
EAA membership fees: $5.9 million
Total revenue for 2002: $17.9 million
According to their tax return, they spent $213,552
more than came in that year.
You can satisfy most of your curiosity about how
the numbers work at EAA by looking at the tax return.
Barry Gardner
Wheaton, IL
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2003 11:48
AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Oshkosh
report
"But it is the emphasis that is all
wrong. The homebuilds, the innovative, the one of a kind, and the
associated issues and activities should be the centerpiece; and the other
stuff can gather around. Otherwise it is no longer the EAA; and it is
not living up to its name."
The problem is that the homebuilts, the
one-of-a-kinds, and associated activities don't bring in as much money as the
warbirds and the airshow. MONEY is now the primary driving factor of the whole
EAA, Airventure organization. We, the members with less than $ .5
million in our checking account, and those who don't have a
P-51 and an Extra 300 or Giles or two out in the backyard hangar, are
just in the way... although our continuous flow of funds is appreciated
by those who are in charge of this "non-profit" organization (Tom Poberezny).
Our planes and ideas are just filler material to make the whole thing look
bigger so more people come, so they make more money.
Just take the average few years
attendance of 750K people and multiply it times a McDonald's 1/4lb
cheeseburger at $4 and the truth will be revealed. Then do that with the
admission charges, the camping, EAA merchandising, etc.... They are making
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ONE WEEK! and that's not including EAA annual
memberships and dues.
Now look at what we, the members get out
of our EAA membership. We get the honor of being able to attend this event and
give them more money, we get a half-assed version of "Flying" magazine with
very little pertaining to actually working on or building your own airplane
(unless it's the latest $150K factory fast-build kit), and we get the benefit
of joining a local chapter, where we may actually gain something of value in
terms of help and knowledge from people who, like us, do not make a red cent
off this deal.
Now look at what is spent on the EAA
museum, the supposed beneficiary of this whole thing (a very nice
museum, but not what it could be if the total funds recieved were
available), and then look at poor old Tommy P. He slaves away day after day
making sure things are going in the right direction for this once a year
money-making event, taking only enough time the rest of the entire
year to flit around in his P-51, or any of his other stable of aircraft.
He is a multi-millionare thanks to us.
Not only that, but practically ALL the
labor for this HIGH DOLLAR show is not just volunteers... THEY HAVE PAID
TO VOLUNTEER! Even at our little local airshow, we wouldn't DREAM of charging
those who give freely of their time for walking through the gate to do so.
That is why, when I go up there, I don't even CONSIDER helping out as a
"volunteer".
Maybe Tommy and the crowd should get
together with somebody like Oral Roberts and make a real killing..like they
haven't already. Mike C.
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