SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
That's the whole problem.
Renew aopa or not to renew?
- Thread starter sefro
- Start date
That's the whole problem.
HeyEng
Well-Known Member
I agree...AOPA is a pretty good deal. I am not a huge fan of lobbying organizations, but the resources available to us GA guys are outstanding and 35 bucks a year is pretty cheap in my book.
As for the bolded quote, don't you know that this industry is about "getting yours" and "pulling up ladders"? I'm sure it's in "Flying the Line", right? Not intended to be flamebait, just how I see it.
OldTownPilot
Well-Known Member
So since it was so easy for you to learn to fly, you want it to be so difficult for the rest of us?
:banghead:
Nihon_Ni
Well-Known Member
It's funny how some people see opportunity for everyone as a problem for themselves.
BajtheJino
I'm looking at you.
:yeahthat:
Maybe those people should just buy their jobs.
Maybe those people should just buy their jobs.
Mariano
Well-Known Member
Let me ask you something: How did you get the ratings that allowed you to be a professional pilot?
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
Oh boy. . .*straps on*
One member posts about Unions, Non-Unions. . .and it's right on down hill all the way to PFT/PFJ.
I'm amazed.
The thread was going oh so well.
But let's be honest. Majority of the members here are airline pilots, who, are also union members. It's a paradigm shift. Nothing wrong with it.
I loved AOPA and the services they provided me as a GA pilot. But, now, my professional self worth and ability to enjoy a profession that should be stable and not glorified for 18 year old kids to get $100,000 loans to learn to fly is a bit more important to me. Hence, I personally do not support the ridiculous marketing gimmick that is AOPA's Flight Training Magazine, or their ambition attempts to paint with a broad wide brush concerning the airlines, and 121 pilots.
Much like how you GA supporters out there don't really like it when an airline pilot paints all of you guys with a broad brush stroke.
Such is life, and such a double standard will continue.
Until you yourself reach the paradigm shift. Where putting food on the table and making a living is just a bit more important than flashy marketing advertisements for ATP, or some other huge pilot mill, or their little "Career Pilot" section now flashing around in the last 1/5 of Flight Training Magazine.
Each serves a purpose.
But not all of us have to agree, or even like the purpose that each serves. Deal with it. It's called growing up. I know it's difficult for the kids that have mommy and daddy paying cash, or even those who are silly enough to take out a huge ass loan for this "dream," but once again. . .at some point in your life you wake up to reality.
All references to you are in the general sense, and is not specific to any one member or person
One member posts about Unions, Non-Unions. . .and it's right on down hill all the way to PFT/PFJ.
I'm amazed.
The thread was going oh so well.
But let's be honest. Majority of the members here are airline pilots, who, are also union members. It's a paradigm shift. Nothing wrong with it.
I loved AOPA and the services they provided me as a GA pilot. But, now, my professional self worth and ability to enjoy a profession that should be stable and not glorified for 18 year old kids to get $100,000 loans to learn to fly is a bit more important to me. Hence, I personally do not support the ridiculous marketing gimmick that is AOPA's Flight Training Magazine, or their ambition attempts to paint with a broad wide brush concerning the airlines, and 121 pilots.
Much like how you GA supporters out there don't really like it when an airline pilot paints all of you guys with a broad brush stroke.
Such is life, and such a double standard will continue.
Until you yourself reach the paradigm shift. Where putting food on the table and making a living is just a bit more important than flashy marketing advertisements for ATP, or some other huge pilot mill, or their little "Career Pilot" section now flashing around in the last 1/5 of Flight Training Magazine.
Each serves a purpose.
But not all of us have to agree, or even like the purpose that each serves. Deal with it. It's called growing up. I know it's difficult for the kids that have mommy and daddy paying cash, or even those who are silly enough to take out a huge ass loan for this "dream," but once again. . .at some point in your life you wake up to reality.
All references to you are in the general sense, and is not specific to any one member or person
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I don't care whether it's easy for someone to get a PVT, but yes, I do want it to be much more difficult for someone to become a professional pilot. I think it's absurd how easy we make it in this country, and it's a big part of why this profession is being dragged down.
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
Six months? They've been sending it to me for 7 years! It goes straight to the shredder.
Nihon_Ni
Well-Known Member
Okay, I'll bite...
I have the May 2008 edition with me today: it's 92 pages in length. I counted up the Career Pilot section -- exactly 4 pages. Now math was never my strong suit, but...not quite 1/5 of the mag. More like 6%.
I do agree that they normally paint a rosy picture of low time pilots getting hired at regional airlines and "living their dream" kind of stories in the “success story” column, but is that really so terrible? One half of one page devoted to a low-time pilot who is on the path to professional flying. The main career pilot section story in May was about a CFI who elected to exit the typical career path because of the intangibles that being a CFI-A offered. Maybe not exactly fair and balanced, but it isn't exactly myopic either.
I understand your point of naive kids being sold a bill of goods. Does that mean that AOPA should refuse career pilot schools & colleges from advertising in their magazines? This site also does business with such companies. Maybe a better way would be for concerned airline pilots to advertise jetcareers in the back of FTM.
I believe there is no better source of aviation information for student pilots than FTM. The magazine has a history of useful articles that teach basic flight maneuvers and topics (and are all free on their archive) as well as subjects like safety, commentary, and current events. If you want to throw out the baby with the bathwater because of 6% of the pages in the magazine, then go ahead. <O
</O
I have the May 2008 edition with me today: it's 92 pages in length. I counted up the Career Pilot section -- exactly 4 pages. Now math was never my strong suit, but...not quite 1/5 of the mag. More like 6%.
I do agree that they normally paint a rosy picture of low time pilots getting hired at regional airlines and "living their dream" kind of stories in the “success story” column, but is that really so terrible? One half of one page devoted to a low-time pilot who is on the path to professional flying. The main career pilot section story in May was about a CFI who elected to exit the typical career path because of the intangibles that being a CFI-A offered. Maybe not exactly fair and balanced, but it isn't exactly myopic either.
I understand your point of naive kids being sold a bill of goods. Does that mean that AOPA should refuse career pilot schools & colleges from advertising in their magazines? This site also does business with such companies. Maybe a better way would be for concerned airline pilots to advertise jetcareers in the back of FTM.
I believe there is no better source of aviation information for student pilots than FTM. The magazine has a history of useful articles that teach basic flight maneuvers and topics (and are all free on their archive) as well as subjects like safety, commentary, and current events. If you want to throw out the baby with the bathwater because of 6% of the pages in the magazine, then go ahead. <O
</O
slushie
F2TH C56X C500
Nihon_Ni
Well-Known Member
Just wondering...how much harder should it have been on you to become a professional pilot? How much more difficult of a journey would have made your life better right now? What, specifically, do you think should change to keep the profession from being dragged down?
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I would like to see a system similar to the JAA system (minus some of the more ridiculous elements like memorizing morse code). The idea that someone can buy a Gleim book and study for 24 hours and then ace an ATP written is ridiculous.
Mariano
Well-Known Member
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I figured it was a rhetorical question since the answer is obvious: I got my certs and ratings just like everyone else in this country. Doesn't mean I have to agree with the system.
Yes, I'm going to "go there" again.
Now, to the OP:
I didn't renew (years ago). They called a month later asking me to renew and I asked what they were doing about user fees. My father in law has gotten me in to speak personally with our congressmen, which personally I thought was better than writing. Anyway, so I asked what AOPA was doing and the conversation went something like this:
"...well we're spreading the word for our members to write to their congressmen.
Right, but what is AOPA doing?
We want you to write your congressmen.
Okay, but what is AOPA doing?
AOPA is trying to get our members to write their congressmen.
... thanks but no thanks *click*"
I didn't need my $35 to go into the gas tank on Boyer's CJ.
-mini
...how about not letting people buy their jobs. Make someone earn it rather than take the short cut. It would be much more difficult for some to be able to get in if it wasn't just as easy as spending mommy or daddy's money on a t-prop job.
Now, to the OP:
I didn't renew (years ago). They called a month later asking me to renew and I asked what they were doing about user fees. My father in law has gotten me in to speak personally with our congressmen, which personally I thought was better than writing. Anyway, so I asked what AOPA was doing and the conversation went something like this:
"...well we're spreading the word for our members to write to their congressmen.
Right, but what is AOPA doing?
We want you to write your congressmen.
Okay, but what is AOPA doing?
AOPA is trying to get our members to write their congressmen.
... thanks but no thanks *click*"
I didn't need my $35 to go into the gas tank on Boyer's CJ.
-mini
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
]
You're right. . .glad you did the work. So fine, it's 3/50th of the magazine. Fine fine.
Nevertheless, throw in the never ending advertising on every other page, along with their whole "Promotions/Advertising" section in the tail end of the magazine, I'm sure we could see that number ratchet on up towards 20% of the magazine.
But my point stands. They inflate the dreams, and ignore the reality. Which, isn't only an issue with AOPA, it's an issue with web forums and Kit Darby.
Go figure.
Mariano
Well-Known Member
It wasn't rhetorical and the answer it's not obvious. You could be ex-military like other members here.
So do you think that the current system is a "problem" because it's too "easy" or economically too "affordable"
