AOPA

"Kilo Charlie" wrote in message
news:0gSuc.8940$aM1.7749@fed1read02...
Interesting perspectives....mostly related to being bothered by phone
solicitations.
Actually not, read back

Also interesting that no one seemed to want to comment upon
the fact that they published an article about sailplane racing.

Was covered in another thread, good article!

I would say
that in doing so they are showing interest in our sport and would like to
see that as a positive step and reluctant to be so critical.

I agree

You may have noted that I never said that the AOPA was the best
representative of soaring. What I did say and what I will stand behind is
that they are the best resource
out there for protecting and preserving our rights to fly freely in the USA.

Agree


Powered pilots share a common goal with glider pilots

Not always true, gliders are not always made welcome at airports and AOPA
is little help in these situations. For that we need the SSA. It is too much
to expect AOPA to get involved in a dispute BETWEEN its members.

wrt these issues and there are many more of them so my hope is that by join
forces that we can be even more effective and eventually get better
representation for our sport

Agree

Naysayers flame away!

No flames here!
Vaughn (AOPA Member)

Kilo Charlie wrote:


I challenge you to find any other organization with as much clout with the
US government and with as many examples as they have of assisting in
preventing the closer of airports and in keeping the feds off our backs in
the US.


I became a member of AOPA because of their work saving airports and
because our sport depends greatly on airplanes for towing. I continue to
be a member for these reasons, even though I've owned a self-launching
sailplane for 9 years.

It's also an interesting magazine at times.

I don't recall any phone solicitations, so the frequency (for me, at
least) must be quite low, as I irritate easily when the phone rings!
--


Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

I challenge you to find any other organization with as much clout with the
US government and with as many examples as they have of assisting in
preventing the closer of airports and in keeping the feds off our backs in
the US.

-------------------

A very true statement. But there's more...

I've been a member since 1980 when I earned my single engine rating. I
started soaring in '96.

Every person who flies in this country should be a member. There is no other
organization that lobby's as hard as AOPA for all general aviation pilots
(fixed wing, rotor wing, experimental, turbine...everyone except ALPA). They
are also a key friend to those who make a living by instructing.

AOPA provides insurance avenues, aircraft financing, legal support, safety
seminars. They fight those who want to shut down your airport, take your
airspace away, add new taxes to your plane and related airport property,
sponge you for landing and use fees, or sue you because you make noise
(towplanes included) or you're a threat to the human race because you fly
dangerous machines that can be turned into bombs.

Join!! Now more important than ever...

Bob de Leon
GE2--Genesis II #2022

(Chris OCallaghan) wrote in message . com...
Casey,

The AOPA is a mixed blessing for glider pilots. It is by far the best
aviation advocacy group (perhaps in the world), and they appear to
provide beneficial services to individual members. But they advocate
selectively. And glider pilots are so far down the list, it would be
easier to measure from the bottom up. I suppose if glider pilots
joined en masse, then lifted their pens in one voice, the org could
provide very valuable services. But having tested existing services
several times in the past few years (W73 housing encroachment and TFR
issues), I have to admit that I was left thoroughly unimpressed.

In the simplest terms, the AOPA and its current leadership does not
recognize sport aviation as a separate, valid interest. I'm sure they
would debate this, but their actions, from my point of view, argue
otherwise.

The bottom line is the AOPA is the most powerful lobbying group that
is NOT in the hip pocket of the airlines. While their interests may
not always align with soaring, it is about as good as it gets. The
AOPA's membership list gets A LOT more respect than the SSA's. After I
became a member I found out about a 5% cut in my glider insurance. It
more than paid for my membership.

Tom Seim
DG-400
Richland, WA