AOPA Services

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is general aviation's advocate and the largest, most influential aviation association in the world. Its membership of more than 414,000 comprises nearly two-thirds of all pilots in the United States. Visit and bookmark our Web site designed especially to serve the information needs of student pilots. All AOPA Flight Training members, including those with free six-month introductory memberships, have full access to AOPA's resources, including the members-only areas of AOPA Flight Training Online and AOPA Online.

Happy New Year!

What are your New Year’s resolutions? For many of us, they run along the tried-and-true “lose weight,” “get more exercise,” and other well-intentioned self-improvement ideas. As pilots, we may find ourselves making well-intentioned resolutions of an aviation nature: “I’m going to finish my certificate in August,” or “I want to take my co-worker on a $100 hamburger run,” or “I’m going to get started on that instrument rating.”

We can help you reach your goals, whatever they may be. If this is the year that you are going to start flying, begin planning your journey with AOPA Flight Training Online. Read a synopsis of the FAA requirements for a sport, recreational, or private pilot certificate. Use our databases to find a flight school at your local airport or a flight instructor. Use our TurboMedical® interactive online form to help you prepare for the medical examination that you’ll need for the recreational or private student pilot certificate. AOPA Flight Training Online is conveniently organized into the basic stages of flight training—presolo, solo, maneuvers, cross-country, and flight-test prep—to present information, resources, and tools that complement every phase of training.

For the private pilot who wants to add on a certificate or rating, AOPA Online offers practical test standards and sample FAA knowledge test questions for virtually every certificate and rating. Plus, you can search for pertinent articles from the archives of AOPA Pilot and AOPA Flight Training.

Don’t forget to visit the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Web site for a huge selection of online interactive courses, safety quizzes, and numerous other resources. There’s something for every pilot at every stage of training.