AOPA puts a powerful team to work for members every day
As I come to work each day, I am inspired by the team of professionals that has created the world's largest aviation association. As strategist and author Lance Secretan has said, "Leadership is about inspiration — of oneself and of others.... Leadership is not a formula or a program.... It is an attitude, not a routine."
"Helping members get their medical certificates back is one of the most rewarding jobs at AOPA — and we did that some 6,000 times last year. When they get their certificates in the mail after sometimes months of waiting, they often call in tears, they are so thankful for our efforts in helping them."
—Gary Crump, an emergency medical technician and commercial pilot, is director of the AOPA Medical Certification department
"One of my toughest jobs is conveying to members in one quick tag line all of the many, many valuable benefits we offer. Most members don't realize all of the benefits they are missing."
— Dana Lohneis, marketing
program director, holds a degree in marketing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
"As the manager of the AOPA Aviation Services staff, I continually find a great deal of satisfaction in helping a member with a regulatory or ownership question. We receive 130,000 member contacts a year. Each is unique and so is every member. We never forget that here."
— Kelvin Ampofo, a commercial multiengine instrument pilot and graduate of Embry-Riddle Aero-
nautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, manages a staff of 15 who every day help members with countless questions and issues.
"As the manager of the AOPA Aviation Services staff, I continually find a great deal of satisfaction in helping a member with a regulatory or ownership question. We receive 130,000 member contacts a year. Each is unique and so is every member. We never forget that here."
— Chris Dancy, director of media relations, is a private pilot with 24 years working in mass media.
"It's rewarding to help a news reporter with no knowledge of general aviation and sometimes a bad perception of it to understand how useful GA can be and to understand the passion that pilots feel about flying."
— Chris Dancy, director of media relations, is a private pilot with 24 years working in mass media.
"Members are always surprised to learn that AOPA's Airport Directory is so much more than the world's most comprehensive airport directory book. The online version of the directory is updated daily and includes every instrument approach procedure in the country."
— Machteld Smith, senior editor of special publications, is a private pilot with multiengine, seaplane, and instrument ratings and 20 years of experience in directory publishing.
"Sometimes it seems like I spend more time inside FAA headquarters than I do in my office, but when it comes to solving a tough issue, nothing beats good contacts and a good understanding of how FAA personnel might react."
— Melissa Rudinger is AOPA's vice president of regulatory affairs. A longtime pilot, she holds fixed-wing and balloon instructor certificates.
And that's certainly true here at AOPA, where leadership is an attitude. We feel the responsibility of this leadership position every day as our team of professionals fights battles on Capitol Hill and at your local airport, works to bring you the most useful and valuable member benefits, answers your important questions on most any general aviation subject, and strives to assure general aviation's proper role in this nation's — the world's — transportation infrastructure.
Walk the halls of our headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, our Washington, D.C., office in the shadow of the Capitol, our Oklahoma City office near the FAA's Airmen Certification Branch, and our insurance agency in Wichita, and you, too, will be inspired and amazed at the level of skill and expertise available to you.
In our Legislative Affairs office in Washington, for example, you will find an experienced team of lobbyists. In crafting AOPA's legislative strategy, the team examines member input received through firsthand contact and the many, many surveys AOPA undertakes each year to determine member interests and needs. Preventing user fees is consistently at the top of that list. In 2004, the legislative team worked hard to assure that Congress passed a one-year moratorium on user fees. But that moratorium expires in September 2005 at the end of the current fiscal year. Most recently, the FAA budget has been under pressure, causing some to suggest implementing "alternative" ways to fund the air traffic system, which we have come to know is code for "user fees."? So this battle is far from over.
Security issues affect all members in many ways. AOPA staff works with the FAA on many security issues. Others must be maneuvered through the halls at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Yet others fall under the influence of Congress. In 2004, AOPA worked closely with the TSA, providing guidance on how general aviation works and the impacts of security initiatives. Also last year, I testified before the House aviation subcommittee urging that the Baltimore-Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) be rescinded. As a result of that testimony, Congress now requires the FAA to file a formal report justifying the existence of the ADIZ and many members of the House and Senate have expressed their frustrations regarding the FAA and TSA's slow approach to restoring general aviation access to the Capitol area.
Leveraging the clout of our 404,000 members, the Legislative Affairs professionals worked in Congress to fight efforts to impose permanent "temporary" flight restrictions (TFRs) over New York City and to stop the implementation of airline-type screening at general aviation airports. Meanwhile, the staff worked with Senate leaders on sensible security requirements, such as the long-overdue provision directing the FAA to begin issuing pilot certificates that include photographs.
The most visible sign of AOPA's commitment to general aviation security is our widely regarded Airport Watch program that has provided thousands of security signs to airports everywhere. The signs warn those who may do harm that pilots and airport staff are watching for suspicious activity. The program trains those on airports to report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies or to the dedicated 866/GA-SECUR[E] hotline where federal employees will call in the appropriate resources.
One of the most distressing new regulations to pop up in 2004 was the TSA's Citizenship Validation Rule. This new rule relating to alien flight training and validation of the citizenship for all pilots caused massive confusion among pilots, flight instructors, and flight schools and unnecessarily burdened citizens with onerous proof-of-citizenship requirements. AOPA worked with the TSA to simplify the requirements and dramatically reduce the impact of the regulation, resulting in a "livable" approach. Meanwhile, the AOPA Communications Division staff provided clear guidance to members on how the rule applies to them.
To assure continued access to important members of Congress, AOPA's Political Action Committee carefully scouts out incumbents and candidates who support general aviation. In the important 2004 election year, 95 percent of AOPA-supported candidates were elected to Congress. In fact, there are 19 AOPA members serving in Congress. AOPA PAC raised and contributed $772,300 to federal campaigns during the most recent cycle, including a strong base of Republicans and Democrats active on general aviation issues. In compliance with federal election laws, none of your dues money is used to support candidates.
Beyond the Beltway
As the world's largest aviation association, we can deploy resources more effectively than any other organization, including well beyond the Washington Beltway. In fact, AOPA's regulatory and certification staff had contact with at least 20 different federal agencies to keep flying affordable and as hassle-free as possible.
Our regional affairs staff worked on major airport issues at some 50 significant general aviation airports in 2004, protecting these local facilities from closure, unwanted development and restrictions, and unreasonable costs and business practices. In state capitals across the nation, this talented group from headquarters and our 13 regional representatives provided input on several dozen bills dealing with taxes on general aviation, new rules on pilots, and increased funding for safety and capacity improvements at general aviation airports.
Among the most important weapons in AOPA's arsenal for battling local airport problems are 1,700 Airport Support Network volunteers around the nation. Partnered with dedicated staff at headquarters, these volunteers become the association's eyes and ears at the local level, able to respond immediately to threats and opportunities. The headquarters staff worked on some 2,900 requests from the volunteers last year. In addition, the volunteers have a cadre of electronic resources available to help them learn from and network with each other to solve local problems before they demand national attention. Issues tackled by volunteers and staff included skyrocketing fees at Minneapolis-St. Paul reliever airports, the proposed closure of Chapel Hill, North Carolina's Horace Williams Airport, Tennessee's proposed jet fuel tax, tax exemptions for airplanes in Rhode Island, New York, and Arizona, and support, coordination, and assistance to flood- and hurricane-damaged airports in California and Florida. With success on serious airport issues from Stuart, Florida, to Concord, California, our airport staff truly worked issues coast to coast.
AOPA also devotes staff professionals to the area of air traffic technology, making sure that the FAA implements technology that is beneficial to general aviation and not exclusionary to anyone. Your association worked closely with the FAA to assure that the so-called "A-76" process of evaluating how to best deliver future flight service station information focused on the needs of the primary FSS users: general aviation pilots. Because of our persistence, flight service of the future will include standards and metrics to assure reasonable service levels. AOPA technical staff also advocated for and demonstrated the benefits of the Wide-Area Augmentation System, which enhances GPS signals and provides vertical guidance on instrument approaches, allowing procedures to be developed for thousands of airports currently not served by instrument approaches.
Lines of communication
One of the classic signs of a strong leader is the ability to listen and then respond with appropriate measures. AOPA employs many tactics to assure that we hear member needs so that we can respond as efficiently and effectively as possible. Besides the above-mentioned surveys, AOPA hears from members every day via telephone, e-mail, fax, and letters. In addition, our staff travels extensively, interacting at all levels of general aviation to assure we're hearing the message clearly. I personally conducted 30 Pilot Town Meetings and other speeches last year, speaking to more than 5,000 pilots in 19 states. I learn something new at each stop as members speak their mind. All that I hear on the road finds its way back to headquarters for follow-up.
Our annual convention, AOPA Expo, is also an excellent venue for listening to members. In 2004 this major exhibition was held in Long Beach, California, and attended by more than 11,000 members anxious to visit a cadre of seminars and general sessions. Among those addressing the members were FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, TSA Assistant Secretary David M. Stone, and Mike Melvill, the first private astronaut in space. The convention's exhibit hall and aircraft display allow attendees the opportunity to learn firsthand about a wide variety of general aviation products.
Our Membership Services staff had more than 250,000 phone and e-mail contacts with members last year, assisting with all sorts of transactions and learning member opinions on a variety of subjects. A new computer system implemented in 2004 allows this staff to quickly key in member comments on any subject, making the report available to the appropriate manager for a quick response and later compilation to understand how member needs are changing.
Meanwhile, our technical specialists, all of whom are flight instructors and many of whom also have other related qualifications, including A&P mechanic certificates, backgrounds running flight schools and FBOs, and experience as charter and airline pilots, responded to more than 130,000 member contacts through the AOPA Pilot Information Center. Whether it's one of the thousands of aircraft valuations performed for AOPA members or a quick interpretation of an FAA regulation, the staff is at the ready every workday.
Among the most valued services is the ability to talk with our medical certification specialists, who each year help scores of members maneuver through the tedious process of getting a medical certificate back after a medical procedure or event. Thousands more tapped into our unique TurboMedical online program to help prepare for FAA medical exams and to prevent questionable answers on FAA forms from torpedoing a medical exam.
One of AOPA's biggest challenges is making sure members understand all of the resources available to them as part of their membership. A staff of nearly 30 communications professionals works across numerous disciplines to send members information through a variety of channels — both print and electronic. Our well-known magazine staff produces AOPA Pilot, the world's largest and most authoritative aviation publication. New and student pilots and flight instructors know they can turn to AOPA Flight Training magazine for content relevant to them. New student pilots can receive the magazine and an introductory AOPA membership free for six months. Flight instructors who participate in the flight-training program also receive the magazine free. The magazine won two prestigious design awards in 2004, the second year in a row that it scored well in this national competition.
When it comes to more immediate communication needs, AOPA turns to its electronic channels, such as AOPA Online, the world's largest aviation Web site. The site receives more than 4 million visitors each year. The Web staff added 27,000 pages of new content in 2004 alone. Members know AOPA Online is the place to turn for the latest TFR, weather, and other information to assist with their flight planning. More than 110,000 members now use AOPA's Real-Time Flight Planner for their flight-planning needs. AOPA's Airport Directory provides the most complete and comprehensive airport and aviation business information available anywhere. Much of the last half of 2004 was spent by our directory staff preparing the 2005/2006 edition of the printed directory, but every data update they made was instantly available to online users.
AOPA's other Web sites also play an important role in getting out the word about general aviation. Flight Training's Web site was completely redesigned in 2004 and now provides comprehensive resources for student pilots and flight instructors.
As you have surely found in your personal and business lives, e-mail has become a boon to communications — when it is used appropriately. We strive to use e-mail as an effective way to deliver both general aviation news and alerts that can affect your flying. In fact, in 2004 our ePublishing and technical staffs delivered some 4.8 million e-mail messages regarding 209 airspace bulletins. Surveys and comments show that members appreciate these important alerts. As one member noted: "Thanks. I planned to fly tomorrow and the Lancaster TFR would have been right in my path! Keep up this valuable service to your members!" And another: "The airspace bulletins you send out are invaluable."
AOPA ePilot, our e-mail newsletter, has proven to be a powerful communication tool. Nearly 230,000 members receive this e-mail weekly, making it by far the largest e-mail newsletter in aviation and the only one that offers readers the ability to customize the type of content they would like to receive. Some 62,000 AOPA Flight Training magazine subscribers, meanwhile, receive their own version of ePilot stuffed with information for students and flight instructors.
AOPA learned a long time ago that we cannot just communicate with pilots. We must reach out to the nonpilots in order to help them understand general aviation. To assist us in that, we use a team of media relations professionals. These staffers are in touch with major media outlets daily — either answering questions from reporters or proposing stories to enhance the image of general aviation. Whenever a major aviation story breaks, these employees are the first responders, gathering facts and preparing briefs to help me and other managers respond to media calls. Our staff helped set the record straight when such major media as CBS News, The New York Times, and The Boston Globe got the facts wrong about general aviation. AOPA members, too, play an important part in this process, often alerting us to unfair and inaccurate general aviation stories before we otherwise hear about them.
Our recently updated GA Serving America Web site provides a place for the general public to get a complete unbiased look at general aviation. The site was heavily promoted through an AOPA-sponsored advertising campaign on The Weather Channel and on hundreds of Web sites during the last two weeks of December.
Service network
As I like to point out, AOPA members' aviation experiences vary from those of student pilots to astronauts — quite literally. In an effort to provide the right mix of products and services for such a large and varied membership, we turn to a team of employees who are continually scouting out new offerings. Among the most popular of these offerings are the AOPA credit cards issued by MBNA America Bank, N.A. In 2004 our popular AOPA 5% FBO Rebate Program returned $3 million to members; $15 million has been provided to members since the rebate program debuted in 1997. In 2004, for the first time, purchases at Aircraft Electronics Association member avionics shops also qualified for the rebate. Along with the FBO rebate card, which also provides a rebate on aviation purchases at FBOs and flight schools, members can now choose a WorldPoints card. This new card allows members to accumulate airline and retail points on each purchase. Prefer American Express? AOPA now offers an Amex card, too.
One of a pilot's biggest fears is facing an FAA inquiry for some regulatory violation. To help pilots with this, AOPA years ago launched the Legal Services Plan. Little did we know that in this environment, the age of airspace restrictions, it would be so necessary. In 2004, the plan provided more than 1,000 telephone consultations for a variety of violations. More than 78,000 members take advantage of this plan, which for one low annual fee offers guidance through any number of legal challenges from reviewing hangar leases to dealing with serious FAA enforcement actions.
AOPA works hard to address the unique insurance needs of pilots. For example, our Aviation AD&D insurance in 2004 was increased from $125,000 to $150,000. In addition, the AOPA Insurance Agency was instrumental in obtaining deep rate cuts for aircraft renters insurance. Throughout the year, the agency strived to help renter pilots understand how important such coverage is to them, given that many FBO policies only cover the FBO, not the renter. In addition, the AOPA Insurance Agency expanded its coverage and began offering insurance to flying clubs. When a major insurance company stopped providing coverage for retractable-gear airplanes operated by flying clubs, the AOPA Insurance Agency stepped in with coverage plans.
And these are just a few of the many such services available to you as a member. Whether it is an important title search before you buy your dream airplane, an Aircraft Financing Loan to finance that dream, a life insurance policy that accomodates flying, or a discount on a rental car at your local GA airport, AOPA understands your needs.
Professional leadership
As you can see, your association spans many, many professional disciplines and in all cases, we strive to provide the very best in leadership both in the area of general aviation and in the association world. Your association is truly a world leader on many fronts, in part because of its professional staff.
As we move through our fourteenth year without a membership dues increase, all the while offering an ever-broader palette of products and services and an ever-greater role in leading general aviation, you should be proud of all that we have accomplished. Of course, every day we remember who it is that really makes the association a success: you, the member. Without your support and membership, none of what we do matters — a point never lost on all of us working for you. — Phil Boyer, AOPA President
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