President's Perspective

Help Share The Joy Of Learning To Fly

Last month, I related the sad story of the 15-year-old Tampa boy who in January stole a nearly new Cessna 172 from the flight school he was attending and purposely flew it into the side of a downtown building. As any pilot could have predicted, the damage done to the tall building by the Skyhawk was minimal.

But in the wake of September 11, 2001, the damage done to the public perception of the light airplane flying activity we love was horrendous. Although pilots could only shake their heads, nonpilots everywhere - without any real understanding of GA, and imagining the worst - suddenly saw "those little airplanes" as a new and extremely menacing threat.

Since then, I've talked with hundreds of pilots all over the country who bemoan the lack of public understanding. "But I'm just Joe Schmo, an AOPA member out here in Nowheresville," they tell me. "What can I do?"

What can you do? You, students and seasoned pilots alike, are the essential ingredient to better public understanding of general aviation. Those nonpilots who are suddenly fearful of something, but not knowing anything about aviation, are your friends and coworkers. And if you ask them, there's at least a fair chance they'll admit to having once harbored dreams of being a pilot. Perhaps they still do, and with new resources available through AOPA Project Pilot, you can help them take the blinders off. AOPA Project Pilot has been around since 1994. Since that time, tens of thousands of you have nominated even more potential new pilots - men and women who may now delight in the sight and sound of a small airplane, rather than fearing the unknown.

If those individuals you identify are truly interested in becoming pilots and have the time and financial resources to do so, nominate them for AOPA Project Pilot. Offer to assist them, not as their instructor but as their friend, through the training process. Answer their questions and provide encouragement as the new student pilot goes through the challenging experience of flight lessons. In doing so, you'll help change myopic attitudes about GA. Your nominee, formerly unaware of the beauty, joy, and value of GA, will be able to see the truth from the best possible viewpoint - the left front seat of a GA aircraft.

Shortly after you nominate a friend or coworker for AOPA Project Pilot, information and welcome packs will arrive for both you and your prospective pilot. As the Project Pilot mentor you'll receive materials that identify you as a program participant, information to help you mentor your nominee, and a "First Flight" certificate to mark his or her introduction to flying.

The prospective student you nominate receives a package of materials valued at more than $45, including an AOPA Flight Training trial membership for six months, six free issues of this magazine, and AOPA's updated Joy of Flying videotape that illustrates and answers most newcomer questions.

The full services and support of AOPA will be behind you and the new student pilot, including AOPA's toll-free Pilot Assistance Hotline at 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672). On the Project Pilot Web page ( www.aopa.org/info/pp/) you'll find a new article every month offering mentoring tips, training discussion points to help you start conversations with your student, safety ideas to share, and links to other resources on AOPA Online.

The timing couldn't be better. Besides the obvious public relations job we as pilots have to undertake, many more people are coming to flight schools to learn to fly. They feel that with the hassle of increased lines at airports due to security restrictions, they might be able to use general aviation for their personal and business transportation. Today people measure travel time from their home or business to the final destination. We've looked at numerous city pairs, and in most cases the average four-place, fixed-gear, single-engine airplane will beat using the airlines on trips under 600 miles.

This month, AOPA is unveiling new resources for Project Pilot, designed to make your job as a mentor even easier and more effective. And, if you are a prospective student needing a mentor, you can visit the Project Pilot Web page and click on the "Find a Mentor" link to search for a volunteer pilot in your area. The new AOPA Project Pilot materials are available at the touch of a computer keyboard, and nonelectronic aids are available with a call to AOPA's toll-free Pilot Assistance Hotline.

Being a mentor is a serious commitment. But particularly in these perilous times for GA, helping friends and coworkers see and understand the joy of general aviation is crucial. To find out more about AOPA Project Pilot, or to nominate a friend or coworker, go to the Web page ( www.aopa.org/info/pp/). My wife and I have mentored several neighbors and friends; all obtained pilot certificates, and several earned advanced ratings. Some have even bought aircraft nicer than our own! Regardless, you get a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction when you help someone through the process of learning to fly.