Social drinking at flying clubs -- Piet le Roux

I am very disappointed that the letter of Mr. Poalo Ruzzier was published in the previous issue. I thought this letter was very biased and in bad taste. I had read it on the SAMAA blog on December 2007 and had written it off as just over-reation. I don’t normally read the “letters to the Editor” part of SAMAA News because the letters will always “toe the party line “or would be accompanied by a stern reply to enforce it. But my wife did and was disgusted by this letter. She had on numerous occasions enjoyed a sun-downer with us at our field. She was also in charge of the bar during the 2007 Masters. She has newer witnessed any of the pilots behave in the fashion described in this letter. We both feel that the greater majority of the model flying community and South Africans have been insulted and some response by Mr. Ruzzier and yourself would be welcome.

In your reply to this letter Mr. Editor you said:” However it would make life for all of us so much better if, all our clubs were ‘dry’ ”.

Just remember that these clubs belong to their members and not to SAMAA. These members will decide what is acceptable and what is not. The committees of these clubs will deal with anyone misbehaving. It is important that SAMAA respect the independence of these clubs and do not interfere unless its absolutely necessary.

It is important that the editor of any publication should always be objective. I admit that this is not easy, for an opinionated person like me it would be very difficult, but I am not the editor. Just because a letter underlines the present SAMAA policy of no alcohol does not make it is suitable for publication. On the 16/08/2007 I wrote you a letter in reply to articles that were published in the July 2007 issue of SAMAA News. One of the articles contained incorrect information about nickel metal hydride and nickel cadmium batteries. You did not publish this letter nor did you publish any corrections.

This letter can still be viewed here.

With this in mind how could you publish Mr Ruzzier’s letter?

Piet le Roux

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