President's Position: It's the little things

We spend a lot of time around here talking about the big issues—FAA reauthorization, third class medical reform, and user fees. These are issues that will affect all of our members and the aviation community as whole, and we put our hearts, souls, and backs into fighting for what’s right for AOPA members and their freedom to fly.

The big issues are vitally important, but they aren’t the whole story. There are actually hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller issues that AOPA tackles every day, and with good reason. All those “little” issues can add up to big trouble, or big gains, for general aviation.

Many of these issues aren’t glamorous and they may directly affect only a relatively small percentage of our members. But they’re still important, because every loss is a little chip away at our freedom to fly—sort of a death by a thousand cuts. And every victory provides a little reinforcement that helps to build general aviation’s strength and support its unique role in the life of our nation. So what sort of smaller efforts has AOPA been engaged in lately?

In the course of just a few weeks, AOPA persuaded the FAA to delay its plans to switch to the ICAO flight planning form; got Mexico’s aviation authority to extend a deadline requiring GA aircraft to carry 406 MHz ELTs; convinced the FAA to keep publishing world aeronautical charts, while working with stakeholders to find alternatives; and won a commitment from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collaborate on simplifying cross-border travel for GA. During that same brief period we saw California’s GA Caucus grow; money returned to the Ohio aeronautical fund redirected toward airport improvements; and pilots in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Iowa, Texas, Michigan, and South Carolina benefit from pro-GA legislation in their states.

AOPA was actively engaged in bringing about each and every one of these wins—and it’s still just a small slice of what we’re doing at any given moment to support GA in the states, at local airports, in regulatory offices, and through type clubs of all shapes and sizes. Efforts such as these take time, energy, and resources. Working effectively at the state and local levels means putting boots on the ground in state legislatures, spending time getting to know lawmakers and making sure they understand general aviation and its needs. Staying on top of regulatory developments, proposed rules, and international issues also demands time, expertise, and persistence.

You may wonder why we bother. Why does the timeline of implementing a new flight planning form matter? Well, it matters because there are still lots of questions that need to be answered. An abrupt switch to the new format wouldn’t provide a solution for pilots filing certain types of plans, such as DVFR plans, not covered by the ICAO form. It wouldn’t give the makers of flight-planning software or automated filing systems the opportunity to update code, modify software, or implement new procedures to make sure the right plan was filed in the right way. And that says nothing of the frustration and confusion pilots would feel when suddenly confronted with a new form. Even if you’re already using the ICAO form and don’t need to switch, the struggles of others could bog down the whole system, creating problems for you, too.

Let’s look at another one—South Carolina’s passage of a law that removes a 6-percent sales tax on maintenance performed on general aviation aircraft. If you live and fly in South Carolina, the benefits are obvious, especially for aircraft owners. But renters will benefit too, as FBOs pay less for aircraft maintenance and can pass some of that savings along. And even pilots in neighboring states will benefit. Tax exemptions like these pressure other states to create their own exemptions or lose business—and that creates a ripple effect as states lower taxes in order to compete. After all, airplanes are, by their nature, mobile. And a 6-percent difference in price can make flying your aircraft to another state for major maintenance a no-brainer.

You get the idea. I recognize that none of these issues will affect as many pilots as, say, FAA reauthorization, but they do matter. In aviation, as in life, it’s often the little things that determine the final outcome. Don’t worry, we’re committed to keep fighting for third class medical reform and all the other big issues facing GA. But we’ll also stay on top of the little things to make sure that, in the end, general aviation wins.

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AOPA PresidentMark Baker is a native of Minnesota and has been flying GA aircraft since he was a teenager.