I travel a lot on behalf of AOPA, attending and hosting all kinds of events in support of general aviation. But the truth is that many of these involve preaching to the choir. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I love to get out and talk with our members. There’s simply no better way to understand what issues are truly important to pilots than to talk to pilots all across the country.
But sometimes it’s nice to see how outsiders react to the GA experience, too. That’s what I got to see firsthand recently when I had the opportunity to meet a whole new audience, and what I saw was thrilling.
I was invited to introduce Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the kickoff event for a new national fitness and health campaign called “Shape Up America”—the brainchild of fitness guru Mike Torchia.
As part of the event, there was a big gathering at Pershing Square Park located in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. People from all over the greater Los Angeles area came to participate. And AOPA was there with a flight simulator and staff on hand to help people get the most out of their simulator experience.
It was so exciting to see adults and children take the yoke and get their first taste of life in the cockpit. The experience transcended gender, age, and ethnicity. The reactions were always the same—excitement at trying something new and challenging, joy at being successful, and wonder as they discovered that you don’t have to be rich, a mathematical genius, or fit any other stereotype to learn to fly for real. Time and again I could see how thrilled kids and adults alike were to discover that learning to fly a real airplane is within their reach.
I’ve been talking about engagement and growing the pilot population a lot this year. And this event really gave me the chance to get engaged and to envision a time when at least a few of the people who tried their hand at flying our simulator will head to the airport and take that first lesson.
If you haven’t yet started training, now’s a great time to take that first step.
This issue is filled with information that can guide you on your way (see “A Whole New World,” on page 32 to start your journey). If you are already a pilot, consider sharing this information with someone you know who has dreamed of flying. Better yet, get the same thrill I did by bringing aviation directly to a non-flying friend. Take someone to the airport, give them a ride, and teach them that GA really is accessible to them.
This is how we will nurture the dreams that feed future generations of pilots. And it’s how we can take would-be fliers from being dreamers to doers.
Related Articles
