This Year's AOPA Summit Will Be Last

[NotarPilot]

This is really sad news.  I was really looking forward to seeing the Parade of Planes in Palm Springs next year.  Makes me reconsider renewing my AOPA membership next year.  Plus they never sent me my free hat!

 

AOPA has announced the surprising decision to suspend its annual Aviation Summits and instead hold a number of smaller grassroots events at general aviation airports, reaching members "where they fly."

 

Incoming AOPA president and CEO Mark Baker announced the change, saying it no longer makes sense for the association to invest in one large event. This year's Summit in Fort Worth, Texas, scheduled for October 10 to 12, will be the last as AOPA prepares to hold more intimate gatherings at airports around the country starting next year.

 

"One of my biggest priorities is to meet members in venues that truly spark their passion," Baker said. "I want our members to make a personal connection with AOPA, and that is best achieved by meeting them where they fly."

 

The history of AOPA's annual get together goes back many decades, first as Plantation Party, then as AOPA Expo and more recently under the Aviation Summit name. The 2014 Summit was scheduled to be held next fall in Palm Springs, California.

 

Baker said the changes give the association an opening "to visit general aviation airports and engage pilots in a much bigger way that is also more affordable and accessible for members."  This decision, he said, "is about going out to where our members are, maximizing the number of pilots that we reach on an annual basis. And it will also give me a real opportunity to spend quality time with members and seek their honest feedback in a more comfortable and relaxed setting."

Read more at http://www.flyingmag.com/news/years-aopa-summit-will-be-last#fiptXLtjbdHxtwzT.99 

 

[N33GG]

You and I will surely agree and disagree with things AOPA does or does not do. However, there is one fact that will forever keep my membership; AOPA is the only real firewall between GA and government opposition. In this department, they are the only game in town.

Let AOPA know how you feel, but please don't abandon them. We need all the members we can get.

[Jeff_S]

I went to the AOPA event when it was first held in Hartford CT in 2007.  That was my first big long cross-country flight and major aviation event and I had a good time, learned a lot.  But having subsequently gone to OSH and SnF I realized where the AOPA event really fit in compared to the other big extravaganzas.  The real value of it was in the education seminars they held, and modern technology has allowed them to come up with many new and improved ways of holding these seminars without having people fly in for them. Also, being a vendor who exhibits at trade shows (not aviation related, but they are all the same) I can see where most of the vendors are pretty exhausted after OSH and wouldn't get as much bang for the buck by also doing the AOPA event.

 

I am hoping that this frees up their budget to do more local oriented activities, which should actually help them better reach their base of members. And given the increased pressure that governmental agencies are putting on GA, hopefully this will also help them keep up defenses in that regard as well.

[TWinter]

I called once looking for an insurance quote..I'm still waiting for them to call me back. This was when I first got my plane, over two years ago now. I still renewed my membership this year because they do work hard for our rights as pilots, but I think they lack in many areas. When I renewed my membership this year I got a very generic renewal reciept in the mail. No real thanks, no information about whats new with AOPA..an no hat like promised with my renewal (like I really need another cap) LOL, but what I really was looking forward to was a new AOPA sticker for the back of my truck, I don't ask for much No such luck. On the same though I also sent my MAPA renewal in and did not get new replacement stickers either. Maybe they buy from the same supplier. Now, on the other hand EAA sent me a very nice renewal package and new stickers

 

Most recently, last month I called AOPA to get a book value for a refinance of my Mooney. The rep tried to find the 73 M20E in the bluebook/blackbook and said he could not find the 73 or 74 M20E Mooney, but did see a M20J or Statesman series...urgh, after ten minutes of him searching we worked from there using the wrong model. I needed this just as a "formality" for the bank, so whatever I could get from him to show value would have to do. He was going to email me the "make do" quote of value following our phonecall..never did get the email. 

 

After not hearing back from AOPA or getting the email I decided to call my insurance agent. My insurance broker was able to locate the 73 M20E in the aircraft value books and got the correct quote easily finding the correct year, model etc including the add-ons within about 10 minutes of our phone conversation. I never did hear back or get the email from AOPA. 

 

Not trying to bash them...Just think they really lack in some areas and might be missing some potential revenue by not following up on opportunites. The good they do by representing GA is worth my dues, but as far as personal attention, financial/insurance services or any increase in future dues I may have a problem with. 

[Marauder]

The quality of the services they historically performed has gone downhill. My two interactions with them in the past year of membership were the worst examples of how to show you don't care about the quality of the services you sell. This past April my renewal came up and I missed it. They had just sent me an email with a "one more chance" renewal notice, so I went to the link only to find it didn't work! When I went to the main website I found my account deactivated and when I sent them an email to express my frustration about it and the broken link, I got a human written response 2 weeks later providing me a temporary password but no apology. So, I sent an email back and apologized that after being a member for 23 years I was not renewing. The ironic part is that they hired a guy last year to improve the membership. Nice improvement.

[NotarPilot]

Well I certainly appreciated the education seminars at the Palm Springs Summit last year.  Yes, there are alternate means to learn such as webinars but nothing takes the place of attending in person for a guy like me.

 

As for AOPA, I don't know if they just haven't put up a fight on this subject but I really think it's BS that Disneyland gets two permanent TFRs that are in effect for 24 hours a day regardless if the park is open or not.  They've been in effect over 10 years, how is that "temporary?"  This is a terrible example of corporate influence on Washington as no other theme park gets this benefit, nor show they.  It doesn't affect me much but it bothers me that these two TFRs basically go unquestioned by the public.

[1964-M20E]

Well I certainly appreciated the education seminars at the Palm Springs Summit last year.  Yes, there are alternate means to learn such as webinars but nothing takes the place of attending in person for a guy like me.

 

As for AOPA, I don't know if they just haven't put up a fight on this subject but I really think it's BS that Disneyland gets two permanent TFRs that are in effect for 24 hours a day regardless if the park is open or not.  They've been in effect over 10 years, how is that "temporary?"  This is a terrible example of corporate influence on Washington as no other theme park gets this benefit, nor show they.  It doesn't affect me much but it bothers me that these two TFRs basically go unquestioned by the public.

Several years ago I went on a balloon flight in Orlando and made the same comment to the balloon pilot.

[Rhumbline]

Perhaps a perilous difference (to the AOPA) lies in the attention afforded the prospective member as opposed to that of one already on the hook.  Prior to purchasing an airplane earlier this year I shopped around for insurance and found the AOPA quite accessible and responsive even though I made it very clear from the get-go that I was not an AOPA member.  I was very pleased that they were able to broker insurance with comparable or better coverage and rates than others with less cumbersome conditions; ie a 5 hour & ten landing checkout with an instructor.  Though I was undeniably rusty, I found this requirement rather unpalatable as I am well certificated, measure experience in many thousands of hours, had Mooney time and the only other Mooney checkout I needed took only about an hour with three or four landings to demonstrate competency.  Relief from that requirement alone probably saved me nearly as much as the policy cost and, for that and other reasons, I shortly thereafter joined the AOPA though it was not a condition of purchasing a policy through them.

 

I cannot speak beyond that as I have not contacted them since and have not had a need for any of their other services.  The magazine has been informative as I've been away from GA for a long while.  I did receive the sticker which I can't use so if any of you wanted one but didn't receive it then let me know and I'll drop it in the mail.  My own opinion is that I'd rather have a maximum of any dues or donations put to use stifling bureaucracy and keep the frills, junk mail and other expenses to a minimum.  Clearly, however, an appreciative sticker or hat and, most essentially, response to donors will go a long way to maintaining a supportive base.       

[NotarPilot]

Question is, how many people actually think AOPA is responsive to members/donors?

[Rhumbline]

Question is, how many people actually think AOPA is responsive to members/donors?

 

I know not but that is precisely my point.  Unless the AOPA knows, it is to their detriment to entirely ignore the matter.  There will always be those in any organization, association or whatever who will be satisfied, dissatisfied and indifferent but it is obvious that a little will go a long way toward keeping some satisfied.  As an example, I donate generously every year to a maritime historical society and in return receive a quarterly magazine, lapel pin, decal, a card which gets me cheap or free access to most maritime exhibits and museums and, of course, the all important letter proving to the IRS that I made a deductible donation.  Last year I only received the all important letter and the magazine.  Admittedly, I was inclined to pout a bit even though I've never worn the lapel pin and have several, don't use the decals and always pay anyway at museums 'cause they need the dough though it is likely that others will remember the lack of freebies when deciding whether or how much to donate this year.  There is, however, no excuse for not accepting or promptly returning calls or answering correspondence - that's simply bad business. 

 

This thread was precipitated by the AOPA's announcement that they are suspending a large annual event in favor of smaller, more localized events.  Speaking for myself alone, I would be more likely to attend a smaller event closer to home but, my opinion again, the AOPA should consider the preferences of the majority of its members.  From my own observation of the state of aviation (GA in particular) now compared to my memory of what it was 30 years ago, I can imagine that the AOPA among others are dancing on the head of a pin and may be grasping at straws as they try to vitalize what seems to be an increasingly necrotic industry.  To that end, I imagine that there will be a number formulas experimented with and some may well be trampled in an effort to stretch dollars and attract new membership.