Is AOPA that hard up?

Because it uses USPS you can legally and easily stop the unwanted mail. Spam phone calls thanking me for being such a good VISA member, on the other hand....

At least the calls from Pakistan about security problems with my Windows system have stopped for a while.

I run Unix....
 
Must say though, all aviation orgs must be a tad concerned about the virus and their known membership demographics.

LOL

I wonder how much chaos one could cause by sending back the postage paid form with...

“I died of Covid and then licked this envelope.”

... to their mail processor.

Almost bored enough to do it. :)
 
denverpilot said:
I wonder how much chaos one could cause by sending back the postage paid form with...

“I died of Covid and then licked this envelope.”

... to their mail processor.

Almost bored enough to do it. :)
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Back when I could do it, I used to tape the Return Postage Paid on solicitations to a brick and drop it in the mail.

Stopped a lot of stuff until they stop paying the postage.

Cheers
 
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timwinters said:
I have received two, maybe three, email that scream "renew early, get $10 off and a free ball cap."

I'm due in January or February.

No thanks.

Things that make you go "hmmmmmmmmmmmm."
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If you let it expire about 30 days later they'll offer you a flashlight and $10 off
 
X3 Skier said:
Back when I could do it, I used to tape the Return Postage Paid on solicitations to a brick and drop it in the mail.

Stopped a lot of stuff until they stop paying the postage.

Cheers
Click to expand...


You're too kind. A true SOB would put some white talcum powder into the return envelope and mail it back.
 
would be great if instead of offering gimmicks like free hats and whatnot they could actually show some tangible value they provide the ga community

Instead of "join now and get a $59, err, free hat"
Try "join now and help us improve access to general aviation"

"advocacy" is a very broad blanket term.. looking through their site one could be forgiven to assume aopa is more about banquet dinners and taking credit for things already in place while lodging a phantom war against FBOs

It seems AOPA is lost somewhere between what Avweb, EAA, and Flying Mag are, instead of just focusing on what they claim their mission to be

Their two biggest talking points appear to be:
-hating FBOs
-BasicMed, which, as far as I'm aware was a collaborative effort amongst several aviation groups and communities.. and with an average age of 64 and a high-end age of 99 basicmed doesn't really appear to have brought new fresh blood into the ga community
 
I just hope MOSAIC doesn't end up being another disappointing nothingburger like part 23 re-write ended up being. Their inputs on the [part 21/MOSAIC] matter seem milly-mouthed at best. We need some meaningful reform this decade, otherwise this hobby is full stop toast on the gentrification front for post-boomer participants. Speaking candidly, directly, and sincerely to the access and affordability chasm in this hobby is complete kryptonite to these alphabet soups, which is why I'm apathetic to their poor-mouthing.
 
I had EAA's lifetime membership request sitting on the table the other day. The request was so underwhelming. "Send us $1300. Free <ugly> jacket. You get special access at Airventure and don't have to pay dues ever again."

It came across as a value sell. On that basis, it is a rotten value. They really, really, need to re-focus the message to "Here's the neat thing we're funding with Lifetime Memberships." A noble cause has to be a better justification than a cheap jacket.
 
NHWannabe said:
If you let it expire about 30 days later they'll offer you a flashlight and $10 off
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I've received a number of nice things that way. I've gotten a flight bag, travel blanket, flashlight, and an abundance of caps. But last year they promised a cap and it wasn't received. I'll remind them this year to send my free hat along with another flashlight ... then I'll send my renewal in ... if they trust me to do that. :rolleyes:
 
What really irritates me is that some how my account is on auto renewal. And I can’t change it without calling them. I know for certain I did not make the auto renewal choice since I don’t make that choice for anything other than my spouse and given these times, that might become a year to year thing with her. Fortunately for me, the credit card they have on file was compromised and replaced sometime in the past year. So, I keep getting notices that they can’t process the payment, which by the way they started on May 5 and my membership ends at the end of the month. Last year, I didn’t renew until July and for the very first time, got a hat. BFD!
 
Jumpmaster said:
Last year, I didn’t renew until July and for the very first time, got a hat.
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But ... but ... but ... don't forget the fine publication you get that sits on the back of the commode for those times you forget to take the iPad with you. :D
 
AOPA, NRA, and the AMA (both Academy of Model Aeronautics and the American Medical Association). Respond to one email, or join them once....and all four of those silly lobbying groups are stuck to your shoe like a dog t*rd.
 
I joined because I like the magazine. Being from Canada, I may not be as in tune with some of the things people are mentioning here. I did read once about them possibly taking more credit for things than was perhaps justified.

Overall, I like the airplane sweepstakes thing, their political influence that they claim, safety videos, etc. I am also an EAA member and love their magazine also.

I have heard about their Citationjet. Maybe it could be replaced with something smaller.

I do like all of these organizations and like to support them. Do they compliment each other or are they rivals in some way.
 
lol..they "sold" the jet from what I've heard. Now, Mark Baker owns everything and your dues just go to pay him directly...no registration tied to AOPA, but check the financial reports and you'll see greatly increased payments to Mr. Baker for "his" aircraft.


woxof said:
I joined because I like the magazine. Being from Canada, I may not be as in tune with some of the things people are mentioning here. I did read once about them possibly taking more credit for things than was perhaps justified.

Overall, I like the airplane sweepstakes thing, their political influence that they claim, safety videos, etc. I am also an EAA member and love their magazine also.

I have heard about their Citationjet. Maybe it could be replaced with something smaller.

I do like all of these organizations and like to support them. Do they compliment each other or are they rivals in some way.
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timwinters said:
I Is AOPA that hard up?
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Nope. I just checked the most recent tax return (2018) at Guidestar.org and the stash is up to $92 million. There's enough money sloshing around that Baker could collect both his $1.5M salary and $177K for renting his own airplane to the organization. AOPA paid its treasurer $3.65M listed as "aircraft purchase." Arms-length transaction, I'm sure. Then there is $25M or so sloshing around between AOPA and "AOPA Holdings Corporation." Another bunch of arms-length activity, I'm sure, but nothing is disclosed about this "Holdings Corporation."

I dropped my membership in disgust years ago but watching their tax returns has become a bit of a spectator sport.
 
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I ditched AOPA years ago after seeing those salaries. Their exec team is well compensated and those payments to Boyer and Fuller... nope. They have enough and don’t need mine. Foundation, investments, lease-backs.... one tangled weave.

Here is one of the old articles on this topic.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=568942b1-3b6b-4e35-9549-f23580a4e205

We keep bashing the organization and Tom Haines will be here posting all the great things taking place...blah, blah, blah.
 
I've been an AOPA member for 27 years, but my membership just lapsed and I'm likely not renewing. They've been sitting on that cash hoard for decades and have never attempted to invest it in any form of real push to grow the GA ranks, and whatever wins we've had on the regulatory front have been too little, too late. The fat cat salaries could be justified if they were actually producing anything for it, but they haven't been.
 
Just got my bill (below) for EAA membership--half the price of AOPA and twice the value. I've been a member of AOPA for 34 years and my renewal is up this month and I'm bailing.

"PLU
spacer.gif
Description
spacer.gif
Qty.
spacer.gif
Price
2000000200000
spacer.gif
EAA Individual Membership
spacer.gif
1
spacer.gif
$40.00
2000002900000
spacer.gif
Sport Aviation Magazine
spacer.gif
1
spacer.gif
$0.00
TOTAL
spacer.gif
$40.00"
 
EAA actually cares about aviation instead of spending all their energy trying to get users, and pat itself on the back for initiatives that other people started or that would have happened regardless
 
Tantalum said:
EAA actually cares about aviation instead of spending all their energy trying to get users, and pat itself on the back for initiatives that other people started or that would have happened regardless
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And so far EAA hasn't deliberately lied directly to me to obtain a donation. AOPA has.
 
timwinters said:
I have received two, maybe three, email that scream "renew early, get $10 off and a free ball cap."

I'm due in January or February.

No thanks.

Things that make you go "hmmmmmmmmmmmm."
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Just answering the question posed in the subject line, I would like to enter into evidence Exhibit A: The AOPA Wine Club. :rofl:

Tantalum said:
EAA actually cares about aviation instead of spending all their energy trying to get users, and pat itself on the back for initiatives that other people started or that would have happened regardless
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This. I'm still an AOPA member, but somewhat reluctantly. EAA, after they had to cancel their cash cow show? I did a three-year renewal for my whole family.
 
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