AOPA.org

AOPA's new Web site passes the checkride

Excitement laced with tenseness was undeniably present at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, during the wee hours of Wednesday, September 19, 2007. The new AOPA.org launched that day at the crack of dawn after the site had been declared ready for prime time by AOPA's ePublishing and information and technology development teams. Akin to a long cross-country flight, the venture shared excitement, challenge, and opportunity. The wheels have finally kissed the runway at the World Wide Web, and the new Web site is ready for your exploration. During a dozen years gathering online content, AOPA listened to member feedback. The time had come: Dust off the drawing board and utilize new technology to deliver the same great content in a more intuitive way. Research and member feedback helped us understand how you wished to use the site and we organized subjects accordingly by category, resulting in five content tabs. Designed by pilots for pilots, the new site serves information in a logical fashion, making your experience more rewarding. Start with the home page and delve into the five main tabs to discover the wealth of information and data each delivers:

Government Advocacy

Bookmark this tab to stay current on legislative and regulatory actions and to check in with updates on the AOPA Airport Support Network and AOPA's Airport Watch programs. Access your local airport volunteer or download guides to help you set up a support group for your local airport.

Aircraft & Ownership

Shopping for an aircraft? It's a snap with AOPA's Vref Aircraft Valuation service, the aircraft registration database, and the aircraft type club directory. Follow inks to thousands of AOPA Pilot aircraft reviews and land on Pilot's home page for indepth articles and multimedia content. Own an aircraft? Find useful FAA regulations and forms, and links to airworthiness directives, airworthiness alerts, and advisory circulars. Check back often for the latest news about aircraft companies.

Training & Safety

Tap the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's vast resources to make your flying even safer. Take advantage of the many ASF training tools and popular online mini courses, including the ASF Accident Database analysis reports to hone your skills. Included on the site is the updated schedule of live safety seminars coming to your area. Many tools and courses offer credit in the FAA Wings program.

Flight Planning

You told us the top three items on your flight-planning checklists—aviation weather, airport information, and plotting your flight. Now a snap with everything in the same area, explore improved aviation weather maps powered by Jeppesen, print kneeboard-formatted AOPA's Airport Directory listings, print your departure and destination instrument approach charts, and plot away with AOPA's Real-Time Flight Planner. Use the "Security Notam and TFR Locator" map of the United States to stay ahead of pesky temporary flight restrictions. Link to medical certification pages for answers to medical renewal application questions, the TurboMedical ^® interactive form, FAA-approved medications lists, and related topics. A closely guarded gem on AOPA.org is the Pilot Information Center, which fuels many subject reports on topics relevant to pilots, aircraft ownership, and international travel.

Membership Services

AOPA member products and services, including AOPA Expo and other event schedules can be found here. You'll also be able to renew your AOPA membership hassle-free, and review updates of the AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft project, including articles and multimedia presentations about the airplane.