AOPA will never get another dime from me

[Screaming_Emu]

I wont send any money to AOPA because they have spent more money by mailing stuff to my house, calling me, etc begging for money than I had given them in the first place. Its kinda like somebody begging for gas money so they can drive 300 miles away to fill up their tank.

 

[WacoFan]

Yes, but the AOPA is (IMO) far more safety oriented. I was actually offered the opportunity to interview in Fredrick for a position as an Air Safety Research Manager with AOPA. I think they're safety programs are worth the price of admission.

Sorry, just not a big fan of EAA's attitude of "if you have a garage, that qualifies you to be an aircraft engineer". I cringe every time I see guys taking Young Eagles participants up in their home builts.

Wow...that doesn't seem to be the EAA's mission at all. Every significant advancement between WWI and WWII occured with airplanes that were primarily homebuilt...you know, the kind of advancements that were incorporated into the airplanes used in WWII to win. These advancements primarily centered around racing airplanes, but also extended to heavily modified certificated airplanes that today would fall under "homebuilt" or at least require serious STC's (thinking of planes like the Winnie Mae here). Also, if you look at airplanes available for purchase vs. available for kits/homebuilding, I believe you would find innovations and performance that couldn't be found in manufactured aircraft. Also, Cirrus and Cessna/Columbia (or whatever is it called now) started out life as homebuilt companies - Cirrus with that weird pusher machine and Columbia with Lancair. I would defy you to find an airplane as capable, for the money, as the new Bearhawk.

 

[Minuteman]

Re: Seggy doesn't like Roger Cohen

Can we change the thread title?

Like that "I'll never fly Colgan again" thread from the other day? It seems like the title does not match the message.

 

[Boris Badenov]

I'm agnostic on the question of what Cohen being a d-bag has to do with the legitimacy of AOPA. I will observe that I've found AOPA to be an organization that caters to business aircraft/"large GA" owners whilst holding a very small fig-leaf of giving away a few 172s to maintain its "cred". YMMV, etc.

PS. Having a garage and a set of plans DOES authorize you to be an aircraft engineer/builder on a specific homebuilt aircraft. Long live fun, ambition, and the EAA!

 

[Firebird2XC]

I'm not always a big fan of AOPA either.

But still...

While they do offer a variety of services that are quite useful, at times I question their excess.. and their persistence in begging for my money is rather annoying.

It's still a good place to turn if you have an issue. I had their legal protection when I was a renter/student in small airplanes. Seemed like a good umbrella at the time.

As far as Roger Cohen's association, one might note that he was previously affiliated with AOPA, but now he's off on his own as 'President' of the 'Regional Airline Association'.

Personally, it sounds like he got some insight into the biz, then went off on his own tangent to line his own pockets.

That seems to be a shortcoming of the individual, not the organization.

AOPA has, incidentally, lobbied long and hard against things such as GA user fees and small airport closures. They fought tooth and nail for responsibility when Chicago's Mayor Daly bulldozed Meigs Field in the middle of the night.

They have their shortcomings, but their drive and fervor in serving the GA community is still far too valuable to be summarily dismissed.

 

[WacoFan]

I'm agnostic on the question of what Cohen being a d-bag has to do with the legitimacy of AOPA. I will observe that I've found AOPA to be an organization that caters to business aircraft/"large GA" owners whilst holding a very small fig-leaf of giving away a few 172s to maintain its "cred". YMMV, etc.

PS. Having a garage and a set of plans DOES authorize you to be an aircraft engineer/builder on a specific homebuilt aircraft. Long live fun, ambition, and the EAA!

:yeahthat:

God forbid that American's maintain their ability to actually design and create something tangible. The ability to design, create and test an airplane in your own garage is a slice of Americana that needs to be celebrated. We need more risk takers and innovators (in tangible things, not arcane financial things). Sprint 100 is a perfect example of this here.

 

[Boris Badenov]

:yeahthat:

God forbid that American's maintain their ability to actually design and create something tangible. The ability to design, create and test an airplane in your own garage is a slice of Americana that needs to be celebrated. We need more risk takers and innovators (in tangible things, not arcane financial things). Sprint 100 is a perfect example of this here.

Agreed on all points. I salute the guys with a set of plans, a set of tools, and a burning drive to commit aviation. One day I'll figure out how to draw a straight line without a graphing calculator and I'll be one of them (ineptly, I'm sure, but one of them nonetheless). And yes, this attitude is exactly what (in my view) is at the heart of being American and goes to questions of what we've become vs. what we were. Innovation and "can-do" attitude in making useful things is not the same as "innovation" in swindling.

 

[Seggy]

Bigger things to throw your energy at right now, aren't there?

Actually the RAA is taking up a lot of my energy right now with stuff they are advising my company to do.

It's pretty obvious he is an ALPA talking head/puppet. This is a petty, asinine attack that really has no merit whatsoever. I am sure ALPA has never hired a dbag....

Talking to someone who has been involved with ALPA work a long time (before I was born) he explained to me their vetting process. Yes some MIGHT get through the cracks, but all in all they have an extremely good track record of getting the right people who have the moral background for the jobs they hold.

LOL. Is that why they have a magazine dedicated to flight training?

Dedicated???? HAHAHA, don't they have advertisements in their for Gulfstream? Sorry, but an organization that doesn't have the moral character to say no to advertising dollars is not one I want to be a part of.

Have you ever seen the ASF?

I will give them that.

Suppose someone in the past worked for a non-union carrier. Since that time they have done a tremendous amount of work in brining a union in and done one hell of a job that the pilot group should be proud of. When the time comes for that person to leave said airline, should the next place not hire them because they once went to work for a non-union carrier?

If it is that person's first airline job, one will argue that the person didn't know any better. Where Roger Cohen is in his career is he is a hired gun.

I'm am getting what Seggy is saying to a certain degree. Unlike Velocipede, he is not calling anyone a FLAP, nor is he saying that as a little airplane pilot you shouldn't join an organization that will protect your rights...he is simply saying that he thinks AOPA blows, he finds Cohen distasteful, and that he recommends EAA as a worthy organization that will work for non-pro pilots as an alternative to ALPA. That is all I read into this post, and his post certainly didn't rise to the level of those who want all FLAP's grounded.

Waco, that sums it up perfectly. I was tired last night from working all day on stuff the RAA is trying to do. Thank you for making my point clear!

Nothing about this thread surprises me.

You know your prior company is part of the RAA?

 

[surreal1221]

You know your prior company is part of the RAA?

*Gasp!* No!!!

 

[MFT1Air]

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by WacoFan
I'm am getting what Seggy is saying to a certain degree. Unlike Velocipede, he is not calling anyone a FLAP, nor is he saying that as a little airplane pilot you shouldn't join an organization that will protect your rights...he is simply saying that he thinks AOPA blows, he finds Cohen distasteful, and that he recommends EAA as a worthy organization that will work for non-pro pilots as an alternative to ALPA. That is all I read into this post, and his post certainly didn't rise to the level of those who want all FLAP's grounded.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Originally posted by Seggy

Waco, that sums it up perfectly. I was tired last night from working all day on stuff the RAA is trying to do. Thank you for making my point clear!

Thought so. . .

 

[WacoFan]

To carry Seggy's thoughts, and my additions further...

I am a member of AOPA and probably will remain one. I do agree that EAA provides significant value and is more in-line with my thinking and my interests. That said, EAA (like any large organization) always has their share of beauracracy.

If you are looking for a group, and a newsletter, that REALLY represents grass-roots flying and freedom for GA in general, take a look at the following link. Oh yeah...it also costs nothing to get their newsletter, which is emailed whenever the guy writes one. Free to join, fun to read, and they have a fly-in I really want to attend.

To subscribe to the newsletter, click where it says "Subscribe to NORDO News". http://www.leebottom.com/

 

[Boris Badenov]

Awesome. Lee Bottom (what, somewhere up around Hanover, IN, right?) is where I got my tailwheel. Hop skip and a jump from the Ville, and a step back to the good ole days. I wish them well.

 

[Polar742]

I told Jim already, but I hired Richie at CHQ. Never saw him after until I saw the article in my AOPA mag.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

Yes some MIGHT get through the cracks, but all in all they have an extremely good track record of getting the right people who have the moral background for the jobs they hold.

I believe this is probably the same for the AOPA.

Dedicated???? HAHAHA, don't they have advertisements in their for Gulfstream? Sorry, but an organization that doesn't have the moral character to say no to advertising dollars is not one I want to be a part of.

Have you actually picked it up and read an article? I doubt it. Pretty much every article has some useful info in it.

 

[Velocipede]

Any airline pilot who supports AOPA is just saying his hobby is more important than his job. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it just seems their priorities are misplaced.

 

[WacoFan]

Any airline pilot who supports AOPA is just saying his hobby is more important than his job. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it just seems their priorities are misplaced.

Just since the user fee deal, or has this long been a sore point for you?

What do you think of the EAA?

 

[Velocipede]

No, I was an AOPA member once. It took awhile but I realized the GA agenda is not congruent with the Airline Pilot agenda.

I'm just not a fan of unrestricted GA.

 

[dahhcon]

I wont send any money to AOPA because they have spent more money by mailing stuff to my house, calling me, etc begging for money than I had given them in the first place. Its kinda like somebody begging for gas money so they can drive 300 miles away to fill up their tank.

:yeahthat:
I get something from them in the mail close to every week. Its a waste of paper and money

 

[MQAAord]

Do they have an opt-out policy about communications? I've never asked, but some organizations allow members to opt-out of receiving written, emailed or phoned communications.

 

[darrenf]

Do they have an opt-out policy about communications? I've never asked, but some organizations allow members to opt-out of receiving written, emailed or phoned communications.

All I get is my AOPA magazine and my renewal notice. That and an occasional letter asking me to contact my congressman to make sure the Airlines are punished for clogging the ATC system.