Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) will increase membership fees from 1 July by 3.5%, which the organisation says won't cover the full extent of expected cost increases.
Speaking in an RAAus online briefing last night, CEO Matt Bouttell said that membership fees would rise by $10 per person from $275 to $285 per year, which was less than the current rate of inflation,
"Inflation is sitting above 5% and we're all feeling it at the moment with the cost of everything," Bouttell said. "The board has taken the line 'let's not impose the entire cost increase that were experiencing onto our members' and incur a small deficit for the financial year, which we're able to do because we're in a pretty good financial position."
In the 2020-21 financial year, RAAus booked a surplus of $123,512 against revenue of $2.9 million. That figure was down on the $304,533 surplus recorded for 2019-20. At the end of 2020-21, the organisation was sitting on $1.6 million in cash.
RAAus has also opened nominations for three board positions to take up the posts at the next Annual General Meeting in November.
"RAAus is requesting nominations from suitably qualified members who have the skills and experience to maintain the expertise required to oversee the operations of the company," the nomination pack states.
"Interested members would also ideally have a sound understanding of contemporary governance practices, modern management practice and a good understanding of the aviation industry in general.
"Nominees must be members of good standing with no outstanding or ongoing disciplinary actions, adverse audit findings of a significant nature or other pending actions against them from RAAus, another approved self-administering organisation or CASA."
More information on nominating for the board is on the RAAus website.