Is AOPA Legal a good thing to invest it?

[tmccaghren17]

Currently a CFI with students and plans for hopefully an airline position within two year? What are the benefits for the price?

 

[Old Dominion Flyer]

The benefit for me was legal advice at a reduced cost. Something that would've normally cost $210 cost $30 with AOPA legal.

 

[Hacker15e]

Balance that with the fact that it costs $100/year.

I have it, even though I'm not a full time civilian pro pilot (flying on the side of my USAF career, and expecting to go 121 or corporate within 2 years when I retire from the AF). At that cost, to me, it is a pretty cheap professional service to have just in case.

 

[ghoster]

I have been a practicing attorney for almost 30 yrs and am an AOPA regional attorney in Texas. My normal hourly rate for non-AOPA members is $175.00 per hour and I discount my rate down to that for those pilots. You do the math.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I know an aviation attorney who purchases it himself. I think it's a really good value.

 

[Dphoenix]

I have been a practicing attorney for almost 30 yrs and am an AOPA regional attorney in Texas. My normal hourly rate for non-AOPA members is $175.00 per hour and I discount my rate down to that for those pilots. You do the math.

I can afford about 5 minutes of legal advice, then, I'm set!

 

[Wolfy]

For an active CFI, I think it's a steal. You have no union, there is no one else in the world that will stand up to the FAA for you except at hundreds of dollars an hour. So worth it for that one time you need it.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Lemme see. How much did you pay to get certificated again?

Yup, get it.

 

[MikeD]

I sent in a "recommend a friend" for all things AOPA for @ATN_Pilot ...

 

[EIR]

Yes, it is well worth it.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I sent in a "recommend a friend" for all things AOPA for @ATN_Pilot ...

I hate you more than words can express.

 

[Cessnaflyer]

If you are on your own then it is great.

 

[Bumblebee]

I have been a practicing attorney for almost 30 yrs and am an AOPA regional attorney in Texas. My normal hourly rate for non-AOPA members is $175.00 per hour and I discount my rate down to that for those pilots. You do the math.

down to what?
175ph down to ???ph for AOPA legal?

 

[Inverted]

It's only worth it if you need it.

 

[skypilot6]

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it...

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

I know an aviation attorney who purchases it himself. I think it's a really good value.

I resemble that remark.

I am a subscriber to the plan and a plan attorney.

 

[ghoster]

down to what?
175ph down to ???ph for AOPA legal?

I probably wasn't clear. If you are in AOPA legal, you don't pay anything. If you aren't in AOPA legal, you pay $175.00 per hour, which is a lower rate than I normally charge for my time for other legal matters.
Hope that cleared it up.

 

[chrisreedrules]

I just use a regular ole aviation attorney and I'm not an aopa member. She is awesome though and a great lawyer.

 

[Bumblebee]

I probably wasn't clear. If you are in AOPA legal, you don't pay anything. If you aren't in AOPA legal, you pay $175.00 per hour, which is a lower rate than I normally charge for my time for other legal matters.
Hope that cleared it up.

thank you

 

[FlyDutchman]

Some "Aviation Attorneys" will give you a discount since they are pilots as well but it's not their main expertise. Most I looked into without the legal and no discount were in the $400 to more than $600 an hour range.

AOPA legal gives you free AOPA consultation, a free 30 min consultation with one of their plan attorneys and if I recall correctly, they pay for 80% of the hourly rate of any of the plan attorneys you want.

I'm not a huge fan of AOPA. If I had to choose it would be the EAA all the way, but I'm off and on renewing my EAA membership year after year, yet I always get AOPA with the legal protection plan.

If you have nothing else to help keep your certificates should something happen, it is most definitely worth it. Unless of course, you put a lot of money in a savings account to pay a lawyer if needed.