Three years ago this month, my wife, Lois, was contemplating her solo cross-country trips, on her way to gaining her private pilot certificate. She was waiting for just the perfect day: clear, absolutely no wind, no clouds, and a forecast that provided her with another 24 hours of CAVU. All of us who are pilots understand, since we have all been through that same anticipation.
That very month, your association launched an important program designed to address the dwindling number of those learning to fly: AOPA Project Pilot. Lois was my "test case" for the program. No, I wasn't her flight instructor, but I was her mentor. My job was to provide that needed psychological support throughout the process of flight training, which we all know can be quite daunting.
When we started the program under the banner of "Sharing the Experience of Learning to Fly," we had no way to anticipate the number of members who would get involved. It was up to you, as a pilot, to submit the name of a friend, relative, or business associate who had indicated an interest in flying. Upon receiving that name, AOPA sends the prospective pilot a kit, compliments of you — the member — containing a videotape, an 86-page special issue of Pilot magazine, the first in a series of student newsletters, and other supportive materials. As the mentor you receive newsletters that provide information on how to assist your nominee without interfering with the role of the student's flight instructor.
At the outset, AOPA indicated to you that we would track the results of this unique effort. I am very pleased to report that through February, one month short of 3 years, participation has exceeded 36,000 people: 15,845 members have registered as mentors to more than 20,000 students. We continue to be committed to this effort to help build the pilot population.
In spite of AOPA Project Pilot, which targets adults; the complementary program for young people, the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles; and other worthwhile efforts, the total pilot population continues to drop. Recently, the FAA reported figures for calendar year 1996. The number of active pilot certificate holders (those with current medicals) has declined from a high point in 1980 of 827,071 to 622,261. More important, the feeder system — student starts — dropped from a high of 138,000 to just 58,427 last year. Imagine how general aviation would be today without these worthy efforts.
Why should we as pilots be concerned about whether or not there are more of us? A couple of years ago a member wrote to me and stated that his airport was congested enough on the weekend — why encourage more people to learn to fly? Probably no one is in a better position to answer that question than AOPA. With the number of pilots dropping by almost 25 percent in less than 20 years, and general aviation flight hours down by 40 percent in the same period, it becomes harder each year to support the present infrastructure of GA. A growing number of communities are calling for local airport closings, but can AOPA continue to protest — and, in most cases, win these battles — in light of a declining number of users?
As Congress continues to call for user fees and other formsof taxation, just how effective can we be on behalf of general aviation if we are seen as a small and dwindling special interest group? The manufacturers of new aircraft see their biggest market as new pilots. With increased production, new models, and new designs all introduced since product liability reform was passed in 1994, what will happen if student starts continue to dwindle? Will the innovation that brings us new avionics for our present aircraft continue? Believe me, without a change in the student start rate, all of aviation is in for even tougher times.
Recognizing these facts, for more than 2 years AOPA has been silently working behind the scenes to get the entire industry to promote learning to fly. General aviation is a $5-billion-a-year industry when you include all segments, yet it collectively spends zero on promoting its lifeblood — student pilots.
First, we joined with GAMA (the General Aviation Manufacturers Association) to form GA Team 2000, a nonprofit industry-wide group chartered to educate the general public on the merits of flying light aircraft. Next, with our partner, GAMA, we went about gaining support from all segments of the industry. And we got it — big time! Now more than 100 organizations, many in competition with each other, have signed on as founding members and put their dollars forward to launch the "Be a Pilot" program, which starts this month. No previous effort such as this has received so much support. A national cable television campaign begins on April 21, and the theme "Stop Dreaming, Start Flying" will be advertised to the general public.
Those of us within the industry have also pledged support through our own programs, such as AOPA Project Pilot. Contained in your magazine this month is an opportunity for you not only to mentor a student nominee, but also to hand your friend, relative, or business associate the coupon that we have provided. When redeemed, this will get the prospective pilot a $35 introductory flight lesson at participating flight schools. There is no better time than this month to register a candidate for AOPA Project Pilot and give him or her the coupon for a discounted first lesson.
Continuing to lead against the challenges facing all areas of general aviation is the role we play as your association. However, without your support, we cannot succeed. To that end, AOPA once again calls upon its greatest resource, a large and active membership, and asks for your participation in this worthy effort.
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