National pilot association president to meet with pilots in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

AOPA President Phil Boyer will hold a Pilot Town Meeting on Thursday, January 30, for general aviation pilots in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. In a lively, interactive session, Boyer will update pilots on current and upcoming developments in national aviation legislation, policy, and regulations and solicit pilots' views on the general aviation situation in their state. He will also discuss AOPA's newly unveiled Airport Watch program, a joint venture with the Transportation Security Administration to help keep America's general aviation airports secure from terrorists.

Boyer, president of the 389,000-member association, will discuss perceived security issues facing the general aviation community. He will also outline the new General Aviation Serving America Web site, which is an initiative to educate the country about the important role of general aviation in the national economy and transportation system. The Pilot Town Meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to all pilots without charge.

Phil Boyer, a 36-year veteran aviator and former network television senior executive, is the third full-time president in AOPA's 63-year history. Instrument and multiengine rated, he has logged nearly 7,000 flight hours, including two transatlantic crossings. He has been president of AOPA since January 1991.

Boyer has held over 288 Pilot Town Meetings during the past 10 years, reporting to pilots all across the country and soliciting their feedback to keep AOPA action focused on current pilot concerns. To date, more than 61,000 pilots have participated in these Pilot Town Meetings.

AOPA represents pilots and owners of the 221,000 general aviation aircraft that constitute 92 percent of the U.S. civilian fleet.

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