Improving General Aviation's image
Fostering a positive public impression of GA
Promoting a positive image of general aviation as a creator of jobs; stimulator of the economy; vital means of delivering services, passengers, and goods; and critical element of our national transportation infrastructure helps create incentives to preserve it. Educating the media, community leaders, and other influencers – as well as giving pilots and aviation enthusiasts tools to help promote GA—can make a real difference in perception where it counts. Without trying to “boil the ocean” AOPA has several targeted programs to greatly improve GA’s image:
- Delivering positive general aviation-related programming and messages through AOPA Live, our own online video network
- Conducting economic research to quantify and explain the value general aviation delivers to everyone, even those who don’t fly
- Publicizing the general aviation community’s extensive humanitarian efforts, including disaster response, medical relief flying, and volunteer transportation provided by GA pilots to hundreds of charities
- Researching safety concerns and responding with educational materials for pilots, the media, and the broader community
These education initiatives, including other ongoing communication vehicles, are critically important in dispelling some of the many misconceptions of what GA really is. Without having our voices heard loud and clear, GA will continue to suffer from misperceptions. With active participation from supportive pilots like you, we can help promote the positive aspects of GA and create a more compelling impression of what pilots already know as a tremendously valuable resource.
