Training and Safety

How can we boost the pilot population? Phil wants to know

By AOPA Communications staff

One of the biggest threats to the future of general aviation is the drastic decline of the pilot population. The number has dropped below 600,000—and it’s still dropping.

In an open letter to membership in the May issue of AOPA Pilot magazine, AOPA President Phil Boyer turned to members to ask them how they would address this critical issue.

Many of AOPA’s most innovative and successful programs started with an idea from a single member like you. Phil asks that members take five minutes to complete a short survey, which asks for ideas and opinions on how AOPA might address this problem.

Let him know your thoughts. You may be the one pilot who holds the key to keeping general aviation from dwindling past the point of no return.

In the coming months, Phil will report back to the full membership on the results of this and other research AOPA is conducting to encourage more people to learn to fly—and what AOPA plans to do.

April 14, 2008