AOPA Pilot Magazine
Welcome to ‘AOPA Pilot’ Online
50 years and ready for 50 more
 Thomas B. Haines |
AOPA Pilot is the world’s largest aviation magazine. For 50 years we have been the voice of general aviation and the official publication of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. AOPA is the largest aviation association in the world and often heralded as the most effective in educating, informing, and representing its members—now 415,000 strong.
The magazine celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with the March 2008 edition, creating a commemorative edition that examines the 50 intervening years since Vol. 1, Issue 1 rolled off the presses in 1958.
Like other successful publications, Pilot embraces new media and strives to provide new and interactive content here on its Web site. Take a look at our digital magazines created for the anniversary issues and at the other multimedia throughout our section of AOPA Online.
For example, we produced several videos to support our Day in the Life of America’s Airports series, which began with the August 2007 issue. On May 19, 2007, we sent a team of editors and photographers to airports all over the country. The August report shows what happened at those diverse airports on that day.
We used technology itself to show pilots how much technology has affected general aviation flying in recent years. A special report in our August 2006 issue provided insight into the top 40 technologies we use or will soon use in our everyday flying. Check back often as we update this special section of our site.
But we need your help too. Share your favorite photographs with us and all AOPA members in the 2008 AOPA Pilot General Aviation Photography Contest. Check out the fabulous winning images online and read how you can enter yours for a chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes and get published in AOPA Pilot.
While we’re giving e-media a greater amount of attention, we have not taken our focus off of the printed page—where we’ve been successful for 50 years. In fact, in 2006, AOPA Pilot brought home the Gold award in the Association Publications category at Folio’s EDDIE awards program—the publishing equivalent of an Academy Award in the movie business. This distinguished award reflects the level of professionalism and dedication of our magazine staff. As a result of this terrific staff, Pilot is the largest, most influential aviation magazine in the world.
AOPA’s Get Your Glass Sweepstakes
Besides putting out a magazine every month, one of the editorial staff’s biggest challenges is managing the association’s annual sweepstakes project airplane. This year we’re fixing up a 1976 Piper Archer II and equipping it with the latest glass cockpit technology. The editorial surrounding this project will show pilots how they can fix up their older airplanes with the latest technology. See the sweeps section for the latest updates.
We’ll give you a chance to experience the Archer for yourself when we give it away in early 2009. AOPA members are automatically entered to win when they renew their membership anytime in 2008. New members this year are also entered to win.
Besides a copy of AOPA Pilot every month, your AOPA membership buys you many, many other resources. You can explore all of them throughout AOPA Online.
One definitely worth checking out is AOPA’s Airport Directory Online, which now features several enhancements, including access to fuel prices, online aeronautical charts, and quick links to runway and taxiway diagrams. The directory itself is updated constantly online.
When it comes to your flight planning, though, make sure you get a look at what has become the most widely used online flight planner anywhere, AOPA’s Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP). Powered by Jeppesen, RTFP includes the ability to overlay real-time temporary flight restrictions and weather along a planned route. The flight planner also allows users to tap directly into AOPA’s Airport Directory Online for detailed airport information and always-current instrument approach charts. To get the most out of this comprehensive flight planner, check out the flight planner and the tutorial here on AOPA Online.
For those just getting into aviation, we have many resources available, including AOPA Flight Training magazine and a newly launched Web site full of helpful information. The first six issues of the monthly magazine are free to student pilots. It’s full of information of particular importance to students and flight instructors. For new pilots and students, we also prepare a special edition of ePilot each week, which carries pertinent news and updates on training topics. AOPA Flight Training also includes a special section and Web site geared to pilots interested in a flying career.
Pilots of all types will find myriad resources on AOPA Online, the most robust aviation Web site anywhere.
Your comments and questions about our publications are always welcome. You may contact us directly through e-mail, or we can be reached by mail at 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350; fax 301/695-2180.
Safe flying,
Thomas B. Haines
Editor in Chief/Associate Publisher
Senior Vice President, Publications
Updated Tuesday, February 19, 2008
