AOPA.. Here we go again..

[nauga]

If you call yourself a pilot for flying a drone I will take your lunch money and hoist you up a flagpole by your underoos

Nauga,
who calls himself 'operator' but the company says 'pilot'

 

[GLMS_NC]

AOPA sees the GA well running dry in the not-too-distant future. They are looking for ways to bring in members and funding so they can both justify and fund the bureaucracy and the really good jobs at the top of a DC based lobbying or advocacy business. Delivering results is either secondary or not even in the picture.

I've asked before. What's the most recent "win" by AOPA on something that mattered?

ADSB... No
Medical Reform... No
STC's for Experimental Avionics... No (That's EAA's)
Santa Monica... No
Meigs... No

You nailed it. At the local EAA mtg yesterday when the topic being discussed was BasicMed, someone from the audience asked the presenter where was APOA when the final bill that passed was written? The conversation quickly went to slamming AOPA (mentioning most of what you listed above) and it was ugly.

I can see why AOPA went after drone pilots. From what I saw yesterday lots of unhappy campers with AOPA and the recent wins they were not leaders of. These happened because of other groups.

Speaking of EAA, 55 people in attendance yesterday morning. From one local chapter. What does AOPA do - 4 regional flyins. Out of touch...

 

[DavidWhite]

Nauga,
who calls himself 'operator' but the company says 'pilot'

You have certainly earned the title of pilot - you're just in - between airplanes right now

 

[hotprops]

Help me come up with a name for my new magazine and fake lobby in Washington to aid drone operators .i can get rich on this i know, all i have to do is model it after the new aopa.

 

[nauga]

Help me come up with a name...

Drone operators, pilots, and engineers society.

Nauga,
one of the DOPES

 

[JohnAJohnson]

Good move by AOPA. I think we'd prefer [possibly millions of] drone operators in the tent, ****ing out.

 

[MichiPilot]

I have a destroyed drone, but I've painted it yellow and 'refurbished it'. It's for sale at $100,000.

 

[Anthony]

Hey, I have no problem with AOPA including drone operators as long as it doesn't conflict with GA, but let's be honest, they are remote operators of a device. They are not General Aviation pilots. I still don't think the NRA analogy applies, but that is probably not a subject for this forum.

 

[FastEddieB]

I just got a renewal notice from AOPA and for the first time am trying to justify what I'm really getting for my $69.

I'm also an EAA member and that one I'll keep for sure.

 

[GLMS_NC]

Way to go NBAA. Have the balls and go after the FAA. Kudos.

Aopa - only when someone else starts do you jump in. Great leadership and way to lookout for GA.

http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/going-direct-faa-enemy/#.WMCfBbU8KEd

This is another example why my company supports NBAA, and I support EAA.

 

[NoHeat]

I just got a renewal notice from AOPA and for the first time am trying to justify what I'm really getting for my $69.

I'm also an EAA member and that one I'll keep for sure.

Lots of us are facing exactly that question.

For me it was a few weeks ago. I renewed, and my justification was to continue my AOPA legal protection plan. Otherwise I would drop it because I don't see $69 of value in it.

 

[mscard88]

I just got a renewal notice from AOPA and for the first time am trying to justify what I'm really getting for my $69.

I'm also an EAA member and that one I'll keep for sure.

After decades I didn't renew a few months back. Still get emails and snail mail "begging" me back, with offers of a "free" cheap ass bag or a hat.

 

[FastEddieB]

I was on auto-renew, and could not find a way online to cancel that.

In their favor, an online request to do so was handled quickly via an email confirming it had been cancelled.

I think it would be a no-brainer at $35 or $40, let's say. $65 is just a bit much for the return I get.

YMMV.

 

[Half Fast]

I think it would be a no-brainer at $35 or $40, let's say. $65 is just a bit much for the return I get.

YMMV.

This is true.

OTOH...

I went to 3 aviation expos in the past year, and my membership card got me a $5 discount for me and my guest. Not much, but $30 total savings, which puts the net in line you figures. I don't know how much I'm saving on renter's insurance, but that's another factor.

 

[FastEddieB]

Good point.

But my EAA membership can also provide some discounts.

Just gonna try going without AOPA for awhile and see if my quality of life suffers!

 

[mscard88]

I think it would be a no-brainer at $35 or $40, let's say. $65 is just a bit much for the return I get.

YMMV.

Agree, may have stayed at $35.

 

[denverpilot]

If the addition of drones doesn't dilute their mission and their focus on existing issues... oh wait... they don't have that. So, I guess it doesn't matter does it.