Playing the cards we’re dealt - by Mark Baker

Unusual Attitudes… Playing the cards we’re dealt

by Mark Baker

AOPA President and CEO AOPA’s You Can Fly program received the prestigious STEM.org accreditation. AOPA also has been hard at work fighting for commonsense legislation, saving our nation’s airports, and making flying less burdensome and cost restrictive. After rallying support from members, and allies in Congress, our team in Washington, D.C., has fought back against the FAA’s

At some point, we’ve all been told misguided interpretation of flight training, that requires to step outside of our comfort operators of certain categories of aircraft to obtain a letter zones -- it’s what breeds of deviation authority to conduct flight training. Progress success, growth, and happiness. That is being made to overturn the FAA decision, thanks to an step turned into a leap after a global amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act. If all pandemic disrupted our lives and threw goes to plan, flight training can resume as normal and pilots our comfort zones into some unusual won’t need to undergo any more unnecessary and burdensome attitudes. paperwork.

COVID-19 has forced us all to We’re also always on the front lines when it comes to embrace the challenges and play the Mark Baker threats to our GA airports. Most recently, we secured a huge cards we’ve been dealt. At AOPA, that win for pilots and aviation businesses at Dillingham Airfield has meant making changes to the way we conduct business in Hawaii after it faced an impending closure threat. AOPA and the way we engage with members. It also meant grieving helped build a multi-front grassroots campaign that garnered and overcoming loss within our own family. But it doesn’t support among lawmakers and was joined by more than 450 mean we have lost focus on our mission. individuals, earning local media coverage of the issue. Thanks

As I reflect on the accomplishments and experiences of to the team effort, Dillingham will remain open for at least the past 12 months, I see a chance to use those lessons to the next three years. AOPA will continue to educate officials continue forging ahead. We may be heading into year 83 of on the economic benefits of keeping Dillingham, and all GA protecting the freedom to fly, but we still carry a learning airports, open for the long term. mindset – proud but never satisfied. We are always looking for Additionally, we continue to encourage and push for new ways to exceed our members’ expectations and do what’s online transparency of FBO prices and fees. More than 300 best for the GA community. aviation organizations have joined us in support of the Know 2021 forced us to look at things through a new lens. We Before You Go program, an industry voluntary program that took some leaps – we redesigned our tried-and-true AOPA encourages fee and pricing transparency for pilots. We’ve Pilot, expanded our social media presence, and held events made considerable progress, and applaud such major FBO like we never had before. chains as Atlantic Aviation and others, which have made their

While recovery has been slow for commercial aviation, pricing transparent. Unfortunately, the lion’s share of larger GA continues to thrive. Pilots are consuming safety videos, FBOs still do not post all their prices and fees online. We participating in seminars, and improving their flying skills in obviously have more work to do, and we will continue our record numbers. And 2021 is on track to be the safest year efforts, especially with the remaining larger FBOs. Not only is ever in GA. Now that’s something to celebrate. this the right thing to do for FBOs, but pricing transparency

We also continued to expand on our founders’ principles will help pilots with their preflight planning, promote in ensuring the long-term health and viability of GA, by competition, and provide good customer service. One way or continuing to build the pilot community and protecting the the other, we will get there. interests of all our members. Thanks to generous donations to Going into 2022, we still have many issues to tackle, such the AOPA Foundation, our You Can Fly program is stronger as the continued search for a fleetwide, drop-in unleaded than ever. fuel solution. But it’s hard not to appreciate the wins that

We’ve created programs to support flying clubs, encourage were made this past year – professionally and personally. best practices in flight training, get lapsed pilots back in the Life is unpredictable, so we should take time to celebrate the air, and help high schoolers learn about careers in aviation. positives. For me, that means appreciating every time I get In fact, our High School Aviation STEM curriculum is now to be in an airplane. So, I’ll leave you with this: Cherish the in more than 300 schools in 44 states across the country, freedom to fly and play the cards you’re dealt. Blue skies and engaging more than 10,000 students. Because of its success, happy holidays! q