President's Perspective

Your vote makes a difference

I often refer to the three pillars that define the mission of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association: to provide information, education, and advocacy on behalf of our member aircraft owners and pilots--a focus that hasn't changed since AOPA was founded in 1939. While students and newly certificated pilots rely heavily on the information and education aspects of AOPA's services, advocacy has been and always will be critical to general aviation's long-term future.

National elections, even mid-term elections, provide an excellent opportunity to look at advocacy, which, in the face of issues and elections, becomes the most important of AOPA's three missions. Without nearly seven decades of AOPA's advocacy, many say, there would not be general aviation in the United States as we know it today. What does advocacy mean to you, and more important, how can you make a difference?

The current FAA authorization and funding mechanism, which operates the efficient system of general aviation fuel and airline ticket taxes that has successfully sustained the FAA for almost 40 years, will expire on September 30, 2007. The FAA and the airlines have created an alliance and are calling for a new FAA financing structure that would include user fees for many general aviation operations; if they succeed, the U.S. general aviation industry could be irreparably harmed. While piston-powered aircraft purportedly would be exempted from user fees, few expect an initial exemption like that to last.

AOPA has made its position clear to both the Bush administration and Congress: No user fees for aviation! Not only does the current system work, and work well, but it keeps Congress as the FAA's "board of directors"--the user-fee system proposed by the FAA and airlines could seek to transition that responsibility to the airlines, which are more concerned with their profits and other agenda items than assuring a strong and safe future for general aviation.

On November 7, 2006, you, our members, will have the opportunity to make your voices heard in the voting booth. Now more than ever, your vote matters--you can help to make a difference. And please, let me be clear: AOPA is not telling you how to vote; that's your decision. There are many reasons why you may choose to vote for a particular candidate. We simply want you to know your candidates' positions on general aviation so you can take it into account as you decide who merits your vote.

The best way to find out where a candidate stands on aviation issues is to ask. When you speak or write to a candidate for Congress, remind them that the current tax system has provided a stable and reliable revenue stream to the FAA for nearly 40 years--and that the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget predict that the current system will provide sufficient revenue for modernizing the air traffic control system to meet future growth.

Then, ask these three questions:

Do you oppose replacing the current system of aviation taxes with a user-fee-funded system?

Do you support continuing to fund approximately 25 percent of the FAA's budget with general fund dollars?

Do you oppose eliminating congressional oversight of the FAA?

The answers to all three questions should be, "Yes."

You can reinforce these issues any time by asking these same questions after candidates are elected. Make sure they understand that you care--and that you vote.

Our Government Affairs staff has looked at the contenders for seats in Congress and has made a number of recommendations based on the candidates' demonstrated or anticipated support for general aviation. To see the general aviation "scorecards" of key candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, see AOPA Online.

AOPA's advocacy is not limited to national issues. In fact, some of our most important battlegrounds are in state legislatures. AOPA is called on every day to "promote, protect, and defend" GA interests across the country. Our Regional Affairs staff has reviewed thousands of bills across the 50 states, and actively engaged in supporting or opposing a few hundred of them.

Protecting airports is the top issue at the state and local levels. Responsible planning and zoning is the key. Ask these candidates, Do you support comprehensive aviation planning and zoning regulations to protect airports?

We've also identified some 137 active GA pilots, including 50 active and 41 former AOPA members, currently serving in state legislatures. They will serve as important initial contact points for the Regional Affairs staff as they grow their network of lobbying relationships.

Please exercise your right to vote November 7, and don't overlook aviation as you consider the candidates' positions on the issues of the day. Through your vote, you can make a difference.

To learn candidates' opinions on aviation issues, see AOPA Online.