President's position: Accolades for advocacy

“Your freedom to fly” isn’t just the tagline etched on AOPA baseball caps, bumper stickers, and merchandise that you’ll find at fly-ins and airshows. The mantra means something different to each of our members, but overall it signifies our commitment to building and maintaining a strong pilot community for generations to come.

Like most of you, I am a pilot, and have been since 1977. And I have been an AOPA member since 1987. Back then I never imagined that I would be in a position to direct the largest aviation association in the world, but some 30 years later, here I am.

As I take on another year as president and CEO, I believe our mission is just as important today as it was in 1939. Together, as pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation enthusiasts, we are one AOPA community—eager to share our favorite activity and all that it has to offer. And while an AOPA membership gets you access to everything from aircraft financing and legal services to safety and training programs and award-winning media, our advocacy arm has always remained the heartbeat of this organization.

Our government affairs staff in Washington, D.C., protects many of the flying freedoms we enjoy. In fact, thanks to the efforts of this department, AOPA has been named a top 50 lobbying trade association for the past five years by D.C.-based publication The Hill. This is significant given that there are thousands of trade associations in Washington, and it is a testament to our outstanding and experienced team in the nation’s capital. Our government affairs team, which also includes seven regional managers across the country, ensures that GA is represented and involved at the federal, state, and local levels.

In 2019, major accomplishments included Mexico’s recognition of BasicMed, joining the Bahamas in international acceptance. Our team also is on the front lines in support of our nation’s airports and with our friends in Congress. AOPA was able to secure millions of dollars in funding to reimburse nongateway airports affected by presidential temporary flight restrictions. Our advocacy also led to the implementation of new integrated airman certification standards, deployment of safety-enhancing technologies, funding for airports, and implementation of efficiencies in the cross-border travel experience. Additionally, the deadline to equip with ADS-B Out is upon us, and I’m pleased that thousands of aircraft owners were able to take advantage of the FAA rebates we advocated for. While these are just a few of our past accomplishments, it’s time that we look to the future.

Forecasts for 2020 show a full plate of new and ongoing advocacy initiatives. Being an election year, chances are many congressional leaders will be busy on the campaign trail, but it’s our goal to continue building the House and Senate GA Caucuses, which currently boast 272 members. The House GA Caucus is one of the largest caucuses in the House of Representatives and expanding this bipartisan group is imperative to educating, developing, and maintaining champions of GA in Congress.

A few months ago, I testified before Congress on the challenges and opportunities facing aviation, including the need for a sustainable aviation workforce to fill jobs as pilots, controllers, and technicians. A provision included in the 2018 FAA reauthorization law, and of which I am very proud, included grant programs aimed at assisting in the development of aviation STEM curricula as well as recruiting and training the next generation of aerospace workers and pilots. AOPA and others have made it a priority to ensure a proposal to establish the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation (NCAA) gets traction and support in the days and months ahead.

Spearheaded by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and others, and as an independent, nonprofit center, the NCAA would help foster programs that create a diverse and skilled aviation workforce, leverage knowledge and sharing of new and emerging flight training methods, and conduct safety and economic data analysis. This center would help grow, develop, and promote aviation and bring together the much-needed collaboration of general, business, commercial, and military aviation. There are so many programs seeking to move aviation forward, but coordination is desperately needed. I also sat down with FAA Administrator Steve Dickson and encouraged him to support this crucial endeavor. You will be hearing more about this proposal and I know that together we can make the NCAA a reality.

As we begin a new year, I encourage you to keep safety as your top priority and to make your voice heard to elected officials on behalf of general aviation. Get involved at your local airports. Share concerns with AOPA, and we’ll make sure you get the most out of your membership and flying experiences. As a community of pilots, we have a common goal of leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of aviators. Let’s work together so that the freedom to fly never has an expiration date.AOPA

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