Each year AOPA strives to make its annual convention, AOPA Aviation Summit, the must-attend event of the year for pilots and aviation enthusiasts. This year is no different. We’ve reached out to some of the biggest names in aviation including Patty Wagstaff, Sean Tucker, Dale Snodgrass, Mike Melvill, Dick Rutan, Corky Fornoff, Rod Machado, and Skip Holm, who all will be on hand to host dinners, speak at forums, and much more.

Our educational forums have been expanded and we are pleased to be offering more forums than ever before. We’ve added exciting new activities to Airportfest, AOPA’s one-of-a-kind aircraft static display, and we invite you to come see the Red Bull Street Team, join us for a pancake breakfast, and take in all the fun, new displays. So, whether you’re a veteran attendee or if you’ve never attended before, the AOPA Aviation Summit offers exciting new experiences for everyone. Plus, if you register now you can save up to 25 percent.

We look forward to seeing you November 11 through 13 in Long Beach, California! Register today online. Be sure to check out last year’s AOPA Live coverage.

AOPA comes to the rescue for member’s medical

Medical Services Program helps George Jordan get his medical

After AOPA member George Jordan received radiation treatments for prostate cancer, he was able to keep flying as long as he provided the FAA with a status report every year, along with his regular medical every two years and documentation from his oncologist, aviation medical examiner, and family doctor. Frequent PSA tests indicated the treatments were successful. It wasn’t until two years later that a problem with his medical appeared.

Throughout his radiation treatment, and periodic follow-up reviews, he retained his FAA medical. His medical was never officially lost, but the FAA wasn’t renewing it, and so he was effectively grounded. He went back and forth with the FAA and kept waiting for his medical to show up. Jordan didn’t blame the FAA.

“I understand they probably had a large backlog and were doing their best,” he says. He would be told, “It’s in the system,” but no one could tell him where it was in the system—he knew his medical was somehow stuck in the system.

Finally, this past December, Jordan started thinking about spring flying weather. His 1946 Stinson 108 was itching to fly, so he decided to try a different approach. He contacted AOPA’s Medical Certification Center and was advised to sign up for AOPA’s Medical Services Program for $37 a year. (There’s a more comprehensive program available for $99 a year.) He explained his situation to AOPA’s Jacquie Brown and hoped for the best. Less than 24 hours later, she called Jordan.

“Your medical is on the way!” she told him. Jordan was flabbergasted, yet grateful at the speed at which his situation was resolved.

“I had a problem and AOPA stepped in and solved it,” Jordan says. “Amazing!” he adds.