Hi there!
I am following your discussion, and its a pleasure to see that people are talking about this subject.
I am a guest in your country, and I am just a hobby pilot.
Seems like BiH is starting to get the feet under itself, with regards to aviation.
In the pre war period, most of these activities were paid for by the government. Aviation clubs were getting support from army, kantons, and the staffing of the functions in the clubs were mainly aviation professionals.
I think the future for BiH airforce, or civil protection aviation in cooperation with the airforce, such as police and border police, will lay in the hands of the politicians.
There are many fine people trying to reinstall the education for mechanics and pilots, there are even more people interested in using these services.
Unfortunately, many of the senior aviators, professors and the necessary infrastructure to make the governmental and regional aviation possible again, are simply preoccupied in other positions, and there has been a gap on educational level.
This leads to less political influence, and even though there are up to date organisations on high level in BiH that will be ready to implement a modern way of handling all administrative legislations and its practical work, there will still take years before this country can say that it offers all infrastructure to new generations that would like to educate themselves within aviation.
It has started, though. Several controllers and admin people are trained here and abroad. Clubs are flying gliders and a few motor planes. Airspace is defined again. Airfields are being better equipped. Systems for keeping aircrafts in the air, such as inspections, are being implemented by JAR, or now EASA, standards around the clubs.
Then its the factor of who will pay for all of the future.
Private airlines and private clubs, thats one side of the future.
Would a private airline pay to have museum objects in their hangars?
Would clubs keep not serviceable planes in their hangars?
Maybe, if the economy allows it.
Economy in most clubs depend on volonteers and on getting more paying members. Flying and non flying.
Its about money and organisation. European General Aviation clubs and businesses claim that the main income for them is actually getting and selling fuel. BiH dont have fuel to sell for GA airplanes, so thats one less source of income. The law makes it even harder to get the 100LL needed.
It should be easier in the future to import it, but then again, if nobody recruits new pilots, then clubs might die out, and we could be left with only army pilots flying, in addition to the professional airlines. Partly or totally owned by other countries...
Well, here is what we can do: word by mouth: talk about aviation in BIH, just like here on forum. Dont forget your old friends, maybe they would like to activate their old skills in aviation, if they knew there are opportunities to hit the skies again. Invite diaspora to the airfield when they visit. Call tourists to come and see your club. Get the media to write about good and bad. After legislation is done, after the administration and organisation is set, then I guess we have to put some more pressure on the educational system, to push aviation back into the universities.
And then, when we are all in pension, then we will see Letjelice / avioni of BiH, taking off with future economic safe landings back here in BiH.
But if we dont talk about it, it will be forgotten.
...and in the end, to make a kid interested in aviation, maybe you could make him or her an airplane of folded paper and show him / her how it flies...
