Birth an AOPA Member

[Prop Trash]

All GA pilots should be AOPA members. All airline pilots should be ALPA members (or other recognized labor union). Being a member of both would be great, but since the benefits overlap so much, AOPA dues seem like a waste of money to me.

 

[LearLove]

I'm both a 10+ year AOPA and EAA member. Although I'm not familiar with the Grand Canyon situation being an east coast guy I agree with Avbug in both his views on EAA and AOPA. However, both the EAA and AOPA are the best out there (looking at what we have to work with) for the reasons Bobbysamd stated and more. Either way both do a much better job than ALPA in their respective areas.

 

[LearLove]

Prop Trash are you nuts? ALPA $ucks donkey balls.

 

[uavchaser]

ya the AOPA car insurance thing is a total joke. I insure my airplane through them and they are supposed to give some sort of discount. I couldn't even qualify for the car insurance but my airplane with an $80k hull value is nooooo problem.

 

[BoxFlyr]

I agree with Avbug on this one. I do believe that AOPA does some good, but I'm not sure how well it is managed. I got tired of getting renewal notices starting 6mos before my membership expired and the constant solicitations for my money to help fight aviation causes. I wrote Mr. Boyer a letter telling him that he would have alot more money to fight his causes with if he would just send out ONE renewal notice a month before expiration. Mr. Boyer sent me a full page letter saying that many members felt the same as I did, and I would be put on a list that would only get one renewal letter.(More wasted money!) The next year it was the same as usual, about 6mos. before my membership expiration, the renewal notices would start. I DID NOT RENEW! I'm still getting notices wanting me to reactivate my membership, and that's been FOUR YEARS AGO! Boxflyr

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I agree, I left AOPA due to the 4000 F'n pieces of junk mail in my box daily. That was just a little TOO much for me!!

 

[Joseph II]

Me 2

My membership expires at the end of July and I am going to let it expire.

A few reasons:

I would rather spend $40 on renting an airplane.

I only called the AOPA phone number asking them a question once and they didn't know the answer.

I am sick of the renewal notices.

The magazine... I subscribe to Flying and AOPA and I think discovered what pilot magazines are really about... First they write about an airplane that you probably won't ever fly because you are too poor. Then you get an important person writing about 9/11 and it's detrimental affects. Throw in some, "Regionals are hiring right now!!! Come to our school to get in on the hiring!". Finally... they rotate the stories through every year.. Winter Ice, Spring T-storms, Summer BIG T-Storms, Fall wind and ice, throw in a few X-wind and density altitude stories, stories about flying VFR into the clouds, and finish with tips on Garmin GPS navigation tips. Repeat same stories with new graphics next year.

Maybe I'm just tired of post 9/11 small airplane this, terrorist that... I don't know.