You Can Fly: AOPA Works to Build Pilot Community
You Can Fly program addresses four key areas
You Can Fly—it’s an inspiring message with a serious mission. AOPA, with the help of generous donors to the AOPA Foundation, has embarked on a long-term effort to grow the pilot community. The number of certificated pilots has been steadily decreasing for decades. That shrinks our community, increases prices, and stifles innovation. By investing in four key areas, AOPA is positioned to stop the decline and reverse the trend.
The You Can Fly program seeks to engage young people in aviation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education while they’re still in school; support flight training providers; make aviation more affordable through flying clubs; and help bring lapsed pilots back into aviation.
Aviation High School Initiative. AOPA has identified a gap in aviation youth education that no other organization is filling. By working with schools directly, we are helping to expose a diverse group of students to aviation that might otherwise never realize that a career as a pilot, aerospace engineer, or aircraft mechanic is completely within reach.
Flight Training Initiative. Flight school operators face many of the social, technological, and economic shifts that affect general aviation. This program helps schools evolve to ensure their students are successful and their instructors are effective.
Flying Club Initiative. Flying clubs are one of the best ways to save money while making it possible to fly more, enjoy great access to aircraft, and spend time with friends and family. AOPA is committed to helping more pilots experience the special benefits of flying club membership.
Rusty Pilots. Unfortunately, some pilots push through the challenges of earning a pilot certificate, only to stop flying later. AOPA has created a fun, interactive program that gives all the information a pilot needs to get current again. These free programs provide attendees with a logbook endorsement attesting that they have completed three hours of ground training toward a flight review, and puts them in touch with a local flight instructor to complete the flight portion. Approximately 40 percent of seminar attendees go on to become fully current.
Success Stories
His license to learn
New pilot will keep on learning new skills
Name: Bill Stuhl
Age: 46
Event: Instrument checkride
Where: Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (CRG), Jacksonville, Florida
“What a great journey it has been, and what a great feeling to have accomplished this goal. January 8, 2017, was a cold Jacksonville day, but the weather was just right for an instrument rating practical test. The rating represents a new milestone in my training, but this is not where the story will end. With the added responsibility comes an additional layer of safety as well as a new world to explore. This new ‘license to learn’ should present plenty of opportunities for additional education. I’m looking forward to getting out there, gaining more real-world experience, and developing my skills. While it’s true that, on Sunday, the responsibility was all mine, I could not have gotten here without the dedication and expert tutelage of my flight instructors Meredith Holladay and Joel Weaner, as well as all the help from Craig Tower and the Jacksonville Tracon.” —Bill Stuhl
Soaring success
Glider training is a family affair
Name: Greg Badum
Age: 58
Event: Glider solo
Where: Crystal Airport (46CN), Llano, California
“I am a private pilot and my son and I have been taking soaring lessons at Crystal Airport (46CN) at Southern California Soaring Academy. My son, Tim, is hoping to solo a glider on his fourteenth birthday on March 20, 2017. I just soloed this past weekend, it was a great experience! My instructor, Dale Masters, was great. All the folks at SCSA have been extremely friendly. It has been an amazing experience to learn to fly gliders with my son!” —Greg Badum
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