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With more than 700 aviation attorneys to choose from and over 100 years’ accumulated experience, AOPA Legal Services Plan is the only aviation legal services plan backed by AOPA’s 70 years of general aviation experience.
Rapidly changing rules, incomplete flight briefings, and conflicting reports…
“Our members will need to be still more vigilant—even pilots with 18 years or more experience have contacted AOPA,” says AOPA legal counsel John S. Yodice.
Attorney/pilot relies on AOPA Legal Services Plan
Christopher Piety an attorney and a pilot, of San Carlos, California recognized that he needed assistance in navigating the complexity of the US Code and its application to pilots for both compliance and to defend himself if he needed to.
“What research I have done and what I learned from the AOPA articles by John and Kathy Yodice, the FAA enforcement system does not give pilots the usual constitutional due process rights and hearing procedures fundamental to our civil and criminal systems. That means a pilot must know how to handle him or herself correctly the first time, or risk losing the privilege we all work hard for.” said Piety.
And for that reason, he is enrolled in the AOPA Legal Services Plan, which makes aviation legal assistance and representation available to him as an AOPA member.
“The legal services plan is tremendous in that for very little cost, one has access to a level of expertise that costs many thousands of dollars on the retail market, ” said Piety,an AOPA Legal Services Plan member for two years. “As an insurance claims professional, I purchase specialty legal services at wholesale prices, and the AOPA program still beats that hands down. There is no question that everyone should have this protection for the tremendous value it provides.”
Most pilots don't think they'll need legal assistance because they're good, careful, and experienced pilots, or because they don't fly often. But the plan provides members with services they may need, no matter how infrequently they fly—like reviewing their hangar, tie-down and lease agreements.
“I have used the service already to obtain advice and assistance on a self-reporting matter. I also plan on using the service for when I am purchasing an airplane within the next year,” said Piety. “As an attorney I have very high expectations of fellow professionals. AOPA exceeded my expectations with assistance that was immediate, courteous, on point legally, but also practical.”
Take a moment to enroll online in the AOPA Legal Services Plan, or call 1-800/USA-AOPA (1-800/872-2672).
AOPA helps pilots make it home from Mexico
As two AOPA members planned their flight home from La Paz, Mexico, recently, they discovered that the pilot could not locate his medical and pilot certificates.
That’s when panic set in for AOPA members Chet Belknap of Santa Cruz, Calif., and his son, Scott Belknap, of Fallbrook, Calif.
Would they be able to return home? How would they get there?
“We had all these questions and nobody to ask,” said Scott, who considered flying home commercially but was deterred when no flights were available. “Who do you call when you don’t know the ramifications for what’s just happened to us?”
That’s when Chet called AOPA and was connected to the AOPA Legal Services Plan staff. As a member of the plan, Chet has access to staff and more than 600 aviation attorneys to help him with the most covered matters for just $33 all year long.
The plan staff helped them acquire an FAA temporary authorization to fly without their certificates. This temporary authorization is the only documentation accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security agents for a return border crossing in lieu of actual certificates.
The customs agents advised them that if they had not had the FAA temporary authorization form, it could have meant a fine of $10,000 ($5,000 for each violation).
“That phone call [to the AOPA Legal Services Plan] saved us,” said Scott.
Enroll in the Legal Services Plan online or call 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672). Read the plan description for complete coverages.
A wake-up call
The AOPA Pilot Information Center has received [taken] numerous calls from members who got “wake-up” calls after flying into areas that had been restricted by notam after September 11. For some members, the wake-up call came in the form of an Air Force jet pulling up alongside the member’s aircraft. Others received their wake-up call from the FAA inspector or FAA attorney wanting to know why the member violated the notam.
Our Legal Services Plan hears from hundreds of pilots who have run into an aviation problem that requires legal intervention. It isn’t difficult to imagine the hassles and the costs that these pilots might incur resolving even minor issues without the help of the Legal Services Plan. Fortunately, the Legal Services Plan is available to help and has offered assistance with many of these cases.
You’ve got mail
George Murphy, owner of Alaska Bush Expeditions and a pilot since 1966, found himself facing thousands of dollars in fines because of a mail mix up. Murphy never received his notice to sign-up for alcohol testing, a new test at the time, and because he was unaware that the test was required by the FAA, he only completed the drug test. But he did receive his notice that the FAA was fining him heavily for the violation, and that’s when he called the Legal Services Plan, which he had fortunately added to his Membership prior to the incident
The Legal Services Plan was able to quickly resolve this issue, dramatically reducing the fines levied against him. And Murphy was back in the cockpit.
“The Legal Services Plan offered me help immediately. They even gave me the option of finding my own attorney up here, or they would help me find one in Washington.”
George Murphy • Willow, AK • AOPA Member #00315009
Quick resolution
“As a commercial pilot flying part 135 cargo, I had a minor incident while taxiing my aircraft that could have been a major setback to my flying career. Through the assistance and advice of the AOPA Legal Services Plan, I achieved a quick resolution to the situation without having an FAA enforcement toward me or my FAA record.”
Roger Lux • Scottsdale, AZ • AOPA Member #01121695
Now, more than ever, don’t risk flying without the AOPA Legal Services Plan…
Read the latest aviation law articles from AOPA Pilot detailing how you can help protect yourself from FAA enforcement actions in today’s ever-changing general aviation climate.
Take a minute to enroll online in the AOPA Legal Services Plan, or call 800/USA-AOPA (800/872-2672). As little as $33 puts all the aviation legal assistance you need on your side all year long. With more than 700 experienced aviation lawyers available, we can help protect your right to fly.
We know flying and we know aviation law.
All cases are different - past successes do not guarantee future results.
Updated June 30, 2009
