Amen! Bob --- On Sat, 1/16/10, Robert Fullenkamp <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Robert Fullenkamp <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Donations to get Kim back into the air To: "William R. Bayne" <[email protected]> Cc: "Techlist Ercoupe" <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, January 16, 2010, 8:18 PM I will contribute $10 for WRB and request that he solve the worlds problems on another forum. Robert Fullenkamp On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 5:23 PM, William R. Bayne <ercog...@txercoupem useum.org> wrote: All, Let me begin by pledging $10 to the special cause of "keeping Kim flying", to such extent as it will go to that end and no other. I will not, however, send that $10 at this time. In saying what follows I in no way mean to fault the obvious good intentions of Prof. Ed and Hartmut. Each of them has my greatest respect and admiration for stepping forward without hesitation in a cause I can support wholeheartedly without reservation. Nonetheless, there are some realities that I believe should, at the very least, cross our minds. The number of "good causes" that contributions will inevitably prove insufficient to support, in whole or in part, is infinite. For any given cause, a majority will not choose to contribute. If it turned out that some thousands of dollars were contributed that were not needed, all donors (me, for one) would not be comfortable to see their money go into the EOC Fred Weick fund. In my humble opinion it is amply endowed in perpetuity. Whether there is one, two, or ten recipients, the effect of the award is symbolic. It is but a financial hiccup in the expense of a college education today for any recipient, incidental and easily forgotten. What is the best possible Ercoupe-specific "return on investment"? A spacecraft none of us can afford a ticket on with twin tails? The Swift club, over time, managed to buy the aircraft Type Certificate. Type Certificate ownership hugely benefits Swift owners. I don't think the Fred Weick fund in any manner directly benefits Ercoupe owners. I question the wisdom of the priority the EOC places on increasing the size of it year after year without end. I would like to see the EOC adopt and fund other, more Ercoupe-specific priorities in place of (or at least in addition to) the Fred Weick Fund. Members of EOC put a lot of time and effort in restoring Dave Kenny's coupe for Vitas Lapedas, an overseas acrobatic pilot who was severely injured in a non-Ercoupe crash. Very few hours were flown in that aircraft by Vitas, and today the aircraft rots on an airfield in Ireland. While Kim's situation is obviously different, the unfortunate lesson is that the most well intended efforts pursued with great enthusiasm and dedication do not all end well. 1. To such extent as Kim's insurance settlement is insufficient for him to buy back his plane and fix it with parts and time donated or discounted, our help is unquestionably appropriate. 2. At the same time, I am extremely uncomfortable with the idea of money being collected to keep Kim in the air by one or more individuals instead of a nonprofit organization such as the EOC. To such extent as some may refuse to participate in even the best of causes if the EOC is involved, this group needs to consider setting up such an entity independent of the EOC. There is no reason two such organizations could not co-exist. 3. I am not, in suggesting this, offering my personal involvement because there are those who would refuse to participate in even the best of causes if the I were involved. Unfortunate, but that's the way it is. 4. If we presume the insurance company "pays off" Kim with $20,000, we still need to know what valuation they will put on the remains. What he has to work with is reduced by that amount. It may be that Univair, Skyport, Vern Gregory, and other enthusiasts (both in and outside of the EOC) will offer parts, materials and labor in whole or in part to effort. 5. It is the shortfall, and there WILL likely be a shortfall, that is our defined "worthwhile cause". More than a few Ercoupe enthusiasts have put their heart, soul and money into making their bird the best they can afford, even to the extent of a new engine, and sees it go down with severe damage. Each of us should weigh why we would help Kim and not Tony (or others who have suffered similar loss of their Ercoupe through no fault of their own)? In the long run, fate (or whatever) requires that each of us play the cards we are dealt. 6. I will help Kim with any shortfall for two reasons. He has (a) declared his need in sharing with us the fact that his financial resources have been depleted just getting to where he was before this crash, and (b) his situation is "special" for the same reason that the "Special Olympics" exist. We are better pilots, individually and collectively, when we give personal priority to the inspiration and encouragement of those relative few of us who daily must overcome huge challenges just to meet the constant demands of living. These are my personal heros, and I think they're "super", one and all. Just my opinions, WRB -- On Jan 16, 2010, at 12:13, Hartmut Beil wrote: [Attachment( s) from Hartmut Beil included below] Guys, gals, I received 12 donations so far including my own and this a very good start. It was pointed out to me that in the event that Kim's insurance pays for everything, we will have some money left. I am positive that in a event like this Kim will be delighted to put the collected money to some other Ercoupe related use. To donate $10 either go to the www.ercoupe. info site and find the donation button there. Or use this link : https://www. paypal.com/ cgi-bin/webscr? cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_ id=11214577 Attached an image of Kim with his Ercoupe for those that can not picture him. Hartmut Windows Live: Keep your friends up to date with what you do online. Attachment(s) from Hartmut Beil 1 of 1 Photo(s) <1359252404.jpg>KIM.jpg
