AOPA and CAP

[stratoflyer]

AOPA and CAP go together like a horse and...and...more like a Cessna and a Garmin 430--both do well independently, but together, they can make magic!

Check this out:

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080811cap.html

I hope the General pursues a more active relationship with AOPA.

[flyguy06]

Very Nice article. We need to foster more relationships like this on the Wing/State level

[awnuts]

No doubt, CAP can use the money.  But AOPA has sold every GA pilot down the river with the AFSS transferred to Lockheed.  Instead of offering up useful suggestions to automate, the services went to the low bidder, hiring people with less than 2 weeks training to give wx briefs.  Think about it.  Ask a question and they cannot  answer it.  If it isn't in the script, it doesn't exist.  Expect to be paying for that service with a fee by 2011.  And it will start to be mandatory so LMT can make money at it.  By the way, the savings have dwindled from 2.2 billion to less than............550 million.  And we are in year 3 of a 10 year contract. 

Take AOPA's money, but hang on to your shirt.

[stratoflyer]

Have you talked to these folks face to face? Man, this guys work hard. If you don't get an answer right away, ask to speak to another briefer or a supervisor. That's in the unlikely event that the guy who doesn't know isn't trying to find out already for you. I've asked tons of out of the blue questions and they are happy to accommodate.

As far as the numbers, that may be a different story.

And I started this discussion with the suggestion that CAP and AOPA working together could do a lot to help each other.

[awnuts]

No doubt CAP could use the help.  My viewpoint is as a former AOPA member (1990-2006).  AOPA went from an ally of GA pilots to a political organization serving an ideology that is counter to open skies and less regulation for aviation.

[Eclipse]

No doubt CAP could use the help.  My viewpoint is as a former AOPA member (1990-2006).  AOPA went from an ally of GA pilots to a political organization serving an ideology that is counter to open skies and less regulation for aviation.

So?  They are a national aviation organization looking to support CAP, and a lot of CAP members are AOPA members and I'm sure not all share your opinion.

The way this works is that you accept their support, shake their hand, and leave comments about their political positions to discussions, out of uniform, in their forums (both figuratively and literally).

One of the most frustrating parts of CAP is the hard-fast reality that the Aviation community is "small" (i.e. everybody knows everybody else), outspoken, and many are so set in their ways and opinions (I ride a motorcycle, so I understand the siege mentality regarding something people consider an important personal freedom) that they are willing to sacrifice the larger picture in CAP to air unrelated grievances.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to deal with situations where a unit is walking into the airport's office with "hat in hand", only to get an earful about "Lt. Col. So-and-So who thinks he owns this place...", despite the fact that the LTC was not operating in a CAP role.

[stratoflyer]

You know what? At least we live in a country were GA has the opportunity to thrive. At least we got an organization that supports safety stuff like the ASF. We are part of a small group of people (only 600,000 of us) so I'd say we can be pushed around. But we also can push back in a positive way. SO let's discuss how we can make things better.

[heliodoc]

AOPA seeling GA down the river??  Possibly.

Take a look at the current Admin in the Beltway... you'll get your answer there.  Now, there is a group of 535 +1 that has sold GA AND a numerous things down the river

Politicians robbing state aeronautics funds etc etc etc

Maybe AOPA has done some  BUT..................

[awnuts]

I'll take issue with GA thriving.  Pilot certificates are down from over 700k in 1992 to 590k at the end of 2007.  It is kind of like real estate, once the first time home buyers started decreasing, the real estate bubble began to unravel.  Same will hold true with GA.  There already is a higher ratio of planes to pilots since the 1970s.  It was 2.47 pilots per plane. Now it is 3.83.  This is an indication that GA is a contracting business in the US.  As the infrastructure is diminishing, the community in general will have less available places to purchase fuel and have maintainance done.  It is a downward spiral that right now is slowly accelerating. 

I apologize for drifting off topic, but AOPA has not benefited GA in the last decade.  The CAP should forge relationships for external funding, but at the state and local level more (IMHO) could be accomplished.  As far as members of AOPA not sharing my view.  I think the aviation community will be surprised when the annual report comes out of how many people have left AOPA because they do share my views.  That is way Phil "gotta have my citationjet" Boyer retired.  The numbers will be down more than 15% yoy.

[RiverAux]

$5,000 is nice, though not a significant amount for NHQ.  Maybe all has been forgiven for the Drop In fiasco which had AOPA super mad at CAP. 

[cnitas]

What was the 'drop in fiasco'?

[SarDragon]

Happenings back in 1998

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/1998/98-3-001.html?PF

and

http://www.avweb.com/news/atis/184424-1.html

and

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/1998/capop.html

[stratoflyer]

I never said GA was thriving....just that it could. Like I said, AOPA as is is better than nothing. Everything becomes political as some point. I'm just saying CAP could be doing a lot more to live up to it's aerospace mission and promote American Air Supremacy, which in my eyes, includes having the best GA in the world. Sure there's work to be done, and AOPA has done some, and failed to do some more. I'm asking what CAP can do with AOPA.

I was hoping for a little less negative reporting on stuff and more innovative creative thinking on how to improve things. Kids b**ch and moan, men do something about it.

[stratoflyer]

Let me clarify here real quick before someone jumps on my case:

I am not calling anyone a kid or by extension immature or anything like that. All I'm saying is kids complain and whine but are incapable of fixing their situation (most, anyway). I'm saying we are a group of intelligent individuals with a multitude of talents, and I'm looking for ideas.

If something is broke, why not fix it?