Aircraft Owners & Pilots Asso

PROTECT YOUR FREEDOM TO FLY BY: ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES THAT ENSURE GA FLIGHT AND SECURING SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO ENSURE OUR SUCCESS.

SEE SCHEDULE OSINCE 1939, THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION (AOPA) HAS WORKED TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM TO FLY FOR GENERAL AVIATION (GA) PILOTS IN THE UNITED STATES. MORE THAN 290,000 MEMBERS RELY ON AOPA, AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST AVIATION MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION, TO ADVOCATE FOR GA INTERESTS AND KEEP FLYING SAFE, FUN, AND AFFORDABLE. AOPA WORKS WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO ENHANCE SAFETY, PROVIDE TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR PILOTS, AND ENSURE THEY GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR FLYING. BEYOND JUST THE PILOT COMMUNITY, AOPA WORKS TO EDUCATE DECISION MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND VALUE OF GENERAL AVIATION FLYING. ONE OF THE ASSOCIATION'S MAIN PRIORITIES IS TO ENSURE GA REMAINS A VIABLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION AND RECREATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AOPA PROVIDES ITS MEMBERS WITH AN EXTENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF BENEFITS THAT CAN BE GROUPED INTO FIVE AREAS: ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, EVENTS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND THE AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE.1. ADVOCACYAOPA'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS ENCOMPASS A BROAD RANGE OF GENERAL AVIATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ARENAS.THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STEM AVIATION CURRICULUM, SEEKING REGULATORY RELIEF FOR PILOTS DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, PROMOTING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT ECOSYSTEM, IMPROVING THE CROSS BORDER TRAVEL EXPERIENCE, CREATING A MORE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AT OUR NATION'S PUBLIC-USE AIRPORTS BY WORKING TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF FBO PRICING AND FEE TRANSPARENCY, CHAMPIONING THE SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO PROVIDE REAL-TIME STATUS OF SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE DIRECTLY INTO FLIGHT DECKS, AND WORKING TOWARD AN UNLEADED AVGAS SOLUTION FOR THE ENTIRE GENERAL AVIATION FLEET OF NEARLY 200,000 AIRCRAFT. AOPA'S ADVOCACY TEAM ALSO INCLUDES SEVEN REGIONAL MANAGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND NEARLY 2,000 ACTIVE AIRPORT SUPPORT NETWORK VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP KEEP AOPA INFORMED ABOUT GENERAL AVIATION ISSUES IMPORTANT TO PILOTS. WORKING THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEERS, REGIONAL MANAGERS, AND HEADQUARTERS-BASED STAFF, AOPA PROMOTES, PROTECTS, AND PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITY AIRPORTS ADVOCATING TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDING. AOPA WORKS ON BEHALF OF GENERAL AVIATION PILOTS TO THWART UNNECESSARY AND COSTLY REGULATIONS, PREVENT EXCESS TAXATION ON FLYING, ENSURE A SAFE SYSTEM, AND PROTECT OUR FREEDOM TO FLY.AOPA'S ADVOCACY WORK WAS RECOGNIZED BY LEADING ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE WASHINGTON, DC-BASED NEWSPAPER, THE HILL, AS A TOP ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.2. EDUCATIONEDUCATING OUR MEMBERS, AND THE GENERAL AVIATION COMMUNITY, ABOUT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THEIR FREEDOM TO FLY IS CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION. PILOTS, AIRCRAFT OWNERS, AND AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS HAVE COME TO COUNT ON AOPA AS THE CALLED-UPON SOURCE OF INFORMATION THAT IS VITAL TO THEIR FLYING INTERESTS. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF RESOURCES AND CONTENT THAT KEEP MEMBERS EDUCATED AND ENGAGED ABOUT ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN GENERAL AVIATION.AMONG THESE ARE: TWO REGULARLY PUBLISHED MAGAZINES, DAILY WEB CONTENT, MORE THAN A DOZEN ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS, A WEEKLY VIDEO NEWS PROGRAM, EIGHT PODCASTS, STREAMING VIDEO, PILOT INFORMATION CENTER ONLINE CHAT, MULTIPLE WEB SITES AIMED AT SPECIFIC INTERESTS, AND EVENTS ALL WITH THE GOAL OF EDUCATING AND INFORMING OUR MEMBERS, THE LARGER AVIATION COMMUNITY, AND THE PUBLIC.AOPA ALSO ENSURES THAT ITS WIDE BREADTH OF CONTENT AND RESOURCES IS AVAILABLE TO THE AVIATION COMMUNITY IN THE MYRIAD WAYS THEY CONSUME TODAY'S NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT. THIS INCLUDES ROUND-THE-CLOCK ACCESS TO NEWS, INFORMATION, WEATHER AND AIRPORT INFORMATION, AIRCRAFT GUIDES, AIRCRAFT OWNERSHIP RESOURCES, AND MUCH MORE. OUR WIDE RANGE OF CONTENT CATERS TO BOTH VETERAN AVIATORS AND THOSE NEW TO THE FLIGHT DECK. AOPA CHANNELS OFFER DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR LEARNING TO FLY, AID IN FINDING A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER, AN IN-DEPTH GUIDE TO CHOOSING A TRAINING AIRCRAFT, AND INFORMATION ABOUT AVIATION CAREERS. AOPA'S ANNUAL YOU CAN FLY PUBLICATION IS ALSO SHARED WITH FLIGHT SCHOOLS AS AN AID FOR STUDENT PILOTS.PILOTS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INFORMATION ABOUT EARNING ADVANCED RATINGS AND CERTIFICATES, AS WELL AS TRANSITIONING TO HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT, TURBOPROPS, AND JETS. OVER THE PAST YEAR, AOPA PROVIDED VALUABLE INFORMATION TO PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT OWNERS WHO WERE LOOKING TO CAPITALIZE ON GENERAL AVIATION AS AN ALTERNATE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE ALSO OFFERED MEMBERS STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE INCREASING PRICE OF AIRCRAFT INSURANCE.3. EVENTSAOPA WANTED TO GET BACK TO HOSTING EVENTS IN 2021 BUT WITH THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC STILL IN FULL FORCE WE DECIDED TO CHANGE OUR MODEL AROUND AND OFFER SCALABLE CONSUMER FOCUSED EVENTS. WE HAD TWO AVIATOR SHOWCASE EVENTS, ONE IN MANASSAS, VIRGINIA AND ONE IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS. THESE ONE-DAY EVENTS HOSTED BETWEEN 500 AND 800 ATTENDEES AND CONNECTED PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT OWNERS WITH THE INDUSTRY'S LEADING EXPERTS FOR THIS IN PERSON BUYING EVENT. AOPA ALSO CAME BACK IN FORCE AT OTHER EVENTS SUCH AS SUN 'N FUN AND EAA AIR VENTURE WITH A STRONG PRESENCE AND GOOD TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR CAMPUS. 4. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AOPA MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FROM THE ASSOCIATION'S AFFILIATES AND PARTNERS. WITH A TEAM OF DEDICATED SERVICE SPECIALISTS, AOPA HAS THE RESOURCES TO ANSWER VIRTUALLY ANY AVIATION-RELATED QUESTION MEMBERS MAY HAVE.WHEN A MEMBER HAS AN AVIATION-RELATED QUESTION, THEY CAN CALL THE AOPA PILOT INFORMATION CENTER TO GET FAST AND ACCURATE ANSWERS. WITH A TEAM OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOTS, AVIATION MECHANICS, DIGITAL PRODUCT SPECIALISTS, AVIATION MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, AND OTHER AVIATION EXPERTS ON CALL, THE PILOT INFORMATION CENTER TAKES PRIDE IN ASSISTING AOPA MEMBERS WITH ANY AVIATION QUERY.5. AIR SAFETY INSTITUTEFOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS, THE AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE (ASI) HAS BEEN LEADING THE GENERAL AVIATION INDUSTRY IN CREATING AND SHAPING NEW SAFETY INITIATIVES THROUGH ENGAGING EDUCATION, INDUSTRY COLLABORATION, RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.DESPITE THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, GENERAL AVIATION (GA) FLIGHT ACTIVITY REMAINED STRONG IN 2021 WHILE ACHIEVING ITS SAFEST FISCAL YEAR ON RECORD WITH A 29 PERCENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR IMPROVEMENT IN THE FATAL ACCIDENT RATE FROM 2020, LARGELY IN PART DUE TO THE AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE'S SAFETY EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, OUTREACH TO THE GA COMMUNITY, AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, AND ACADEMIA. APART FROM ITS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RENEWAL PROGRAMS, ASI'S SERVICES AND PRODUCTS SAFETY VIDEOS, PODCASTS, QUIZZES, SEMINARS, WEBINARS, PUBLICATIONS, AND RESEARCH ARE FREE TO ANYONE.WITH MORE THAN 8.6 MILLION IN TOTAL REACH AND PARTICIPATION IN 2021, ASI CONTINUES TO EXPAND ITS SAFETY MESSAGE AND INFLUENCE ON GENERAL AVIATION SAFETY WITH FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES: KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, PROFICIENCY, EQUIPMENT, AND CULTURE.IN 2021, ASI RELEASED THE 31ST JOSEPH T. NALL REPORT, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND WIDELY USED ANALYSIS OF GA ACCIDENTS IN THE INDUSTRY. THE REPORT FEATURES NEAR REAL-TIME DATA TO HELP INFORM AND DRIVE NEW AND MODIFIED SAFETY INITIATIVES. THE INSTITUTE CANCELED ITS IN-PERSON FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER COURSE (FIRC) DUE TO COVID AND FULLY TRANSITIONED ITS FIRC RESOURCES AND EFFORTS TO THE ONLINE VERSION (EFIRC), WHICH RECEIVED A NEW LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FAA ALLOWING ASI TO CONTINUE THE EFIRC THROUGH OCTOBER 31, 2023. IN 2021, ASI RENEWED MORE THAN 6,500 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATES THROUGH THE EFIRC PROGRAM.ASI LAUNCHED A NEW AOPA BACKCOUNTRY OUTPOST IN BOZEMAN, MT, TO EXPAND AOPA AND AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE PRESENCE AND INFLUENCE IN A REGION RIPE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING GA SAFETY AND AOPA OUTREACH.IN RESPONSE TO THE GA COMMUNITY'S INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR MORE PODCAST AND VIDEO CONTENT, ASI CONTINUED TO RELEASE MONTHLY "THERE I WAS" PODCAST EPISODES AND CREATED THREE NEW ACCIDENT CASE STUDY VIDEOS, A NEW FOUR-PART SERIES THAT ADDRESSES THE TOP FOUR ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT CAUSES DRIVING UP INSURANCE RATES, A NEW "REALITY CHECK" VIDEO THAT REVEALS INSIGHTS INTO MAKING A SAFE TURNBACK TO THE RUNWAY AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE ON TAKEOFF. ASI ALSO CREATED A NEW VIDEO SERIES CALLED EARLY ANALYSIS THAT MAKES PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS OF GENERAL AVIATION ACCIDENTS, ADDRESSING NOTABLE PORTIONS OF THE TRAGIC FLIGHT AND HIGHLIGHTING AREAS THE NTSB WILL LIKELY INVESTIGATE TO DETERMINE A PROBABLE CAUSE.ASI'S SUCCESS IN REACHING AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS AROUND THE WORLD MILLIONS OF TIMES EACH YEAR UNIQUELY QUALIFIES IT AS A LEADING INFLUENCE ON GA SAFETY MATTERS.