Flight Planning
This Holiday Weekend, Make a Difference… Share Flight with Others
It's an unfortunate symptom of the times. General aviation has been victimized - as a symbol of corporate and personal excess, by inappropriate regulation, by a weakened economy, but most of all, by a lack of understading among the majority of Americans of the value general aviation brings to all of us. Pilots know better, and it's high time we started reminding everyone just how important GA is to the health of our nation and its future.
As an AOPA member, you are the best ambassador for general aviation. You're at every airport in the country and are in a unique position to help GA at the local level.
And one of the best ways you can win more friends for GA is to take people flying!
Share Your Freedom to Fly
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An orientation flight is the quickest way to demonstrate the excitement and discipline of general aviation. Careful planning on your part will ensure that the person you fly will leave with a newfound respect for flying.
Why should you fly?
No doubt, you have a friend or colleague who has expressed interest in your flying. If you have never given an orientation flight, friends and coworkers are a great way to start. You will feel more relaxed with someone you know and will have practice so that you can give a flight to someone you may not know as well. For example, you may want to take an air traffic controller, a teacher, a reporter or a political or business leader for a flight.
Although it's an important event any time you introduce someone to GA, you will fly different people for different reasons. The majority of GA pilots say they were introduced to flying through a friend or family member. You can be the one that opens the world of aviation to another by making their first flight positive and enjoyable.
How do I participate? Where do I find someone to take on a flight?
Start with a friend. You already know the people who have expressed interest in flying, and now is the best time to take them up. Finding a friend who knows of GA only through accident reports can be particularly beneficial. You can be responsible for changing a friend's negative or misinformed impressions of "little airplanes."
When it comes to reporters, pick a candidate from newspapers, radio stations, or television. Columnists are good choices because they are always looking for new subjects and adventures to write about. Keep an eye out for individuals covering aviation issues, and make them an offer as well. If nobody comes to mind, call the media outlet and make an offer to take someone there on a flight.
If you have or know school-age children, it's not hard to find a teacher and invite them on a flight. If you don't, just call or pay a visit to the principal of a local school and explain your offer.
If you don't know someone who works in air traffic control, contact your nearest military or civilian tower, ATC Center, or FSS, and tell them you'd like to take a controller on an orientation flight.
AOPA resources Available for Orientation Flights
Depending on the interest of your guest, you may want to share some of these AOPA resources at the end of the flight:
Pilot and Teacher Handbook-PATH to Aviation
General Aviation Serves America
You can make a difference.
The more people we introduce to GA, the more accurate the public's perception of it becomes. Regardless of who you are flying, you will be performing a valuable service to GA. Thank you for being part of this important outreach program. Have fun and fly safely!
