AOPA - To renew or not?

[aviatoreb]

Seriously, if the only thing that happens is I am paying my measly dues to some high priced lobbyiests to fend of user fees, then that is already worth it.  If I am paying $59/year and all I get is some lobby to try and stop the 3rd class medical and I get nothing else, then already I would be in.  I don't care how much the CEO makes if the 3rd class medical is over turned.  The safety foundation, that's extra and worth its weight in gold every time I fly and think of something that I read there and that too is worth $59/year all by itself.  This is like one of those Ginsu knife commercials: "How much would you pay for it now."  "But wait!  Hold on!  There's more!"  Part 23 rewrite.  Part 23 as it is today is just stupid.  I want someone to be my advocate to fix it.  If I were Bill Gates, maybe I would hire my own team to do the lobby against that stupidness.  But I am not, so I chip my $59 into a community fund, and we pay the AOPA to be our voice.  I do believe they are doing a fine job TRYING - whether or not they eventually succeed.  I think they will succeed but there is no guarantee. "But wait!  Hold on!  There's more!"  I do take the legal service, and I would join AOPA for that alone, since it is insurance and worth the price of admission.

I used to like the website - but they ruined it a few weeks ago!  It is too confusing to use - but its ok, I stopped reading it now and you can still have my $59.

I have never gotten the AOPA hat for free - but actually - before I said I don't want one, but I sort of am starting to want one.  How does one get that hat for free?

(P.S.  I also belong to EAA for similar but not identical reasons.)

(P.P.S. As I said in my note about teachers in my home town.  An organization must pay a rate for a CEO that is in the ballpark of a quality hire.  You will not get a CEO of the AOPA that will work for $60/year, or $120/year and be a quality hire.  It is just not available as an option today.  My guess is Mark Baker could make more money doing something else and I am happy he is doing this since he feels like an excellent fit.)

[GeorgePerry]

3 hours ago, Marauder said:

Having met George a few times and sharing a meal with him, I think the challenge he is dealing with is damage control. AOPA's prior leadership did a lot of damage to the credibility of the AOPA. Most of it due to the published salaries, the approach to managing their membership (overzealous fund raising) and the lack of visible progress on initiatives that mean a lot to the membership (medical reform, Part 23 reform, etc.).

I renewed this year because of George. As for the future? Chuck Noland said it best "Now I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?" Maybe medical reform?

BTW -- I don't know what the normal salary ranges are for NFP organizations, but at one time in my career I manage a business for corporate America 3 times the size of AOPA and I made no where near Baker's salary.

 

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/aopa-live

This weeks video is a good example that highlights the work that AOPA is doing.  No one else in GA could get Third Class Medical reform attached to 3 separate bills in the Senate and build a GA caucus to over 280 congressmen and senators.  No one else had a meeting with the chairman of the House T&I committee yesterday to talk about ways we can move this forward.  My point is that even though the perception might be there's a lack for progress, things are happening and if it weren't for AOPA, nothing would happen b/c no one else is even at the table.  We want this just as much as the rest of general aviation and are just as frustrated at the slow pace of change.  We can only move as fast as government allows.

[201er]

6 minutes ago, GeorgePerry said:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/aopa-live

This weeks video is a good example that highlights the work that AOPA is doing.

How ironic

[aviatoreb]

20 minutes ago, 201er said:

How ironic

Yeah - indeed!  I don't like the new website even when it doesn't give me crash messages.

[GeorgePerry]

Mine works fine...You guys must be using internet browsers from the 1990's.  Try firefox or google chrome and it should work.  I agree the new website has lots of room for improvement.  Glad I don't work in IT.

[201er]

1 hour ago, GeorgePerry said:

Mine works fine...You guys must be using internet browsers from the 1990's.  Try firefox or google chrome and it should work.  I agree the new website has lots of room for improvement.  Glad I don't work in IT.

Newest version of Firefox, Windows 10. Everything up to date. Everything else works. Just another example of how AOPA doesn't listen to it's membership. I don't think anyone is pleased with the new site except the people who made money making it.

[Danb]

Harsh, mine works fine on my iphone and ipad.

[PTK]

Mine works fine too. On PC and iOS.

[GeorgePerry]

49 minutes ago, 201er said:

Newest version of Firefox, Windows 10. Everything up to date. Everything else works. Just another example of how AOPA doesn't listen to it's membership. I don't think anyone is pleased with the new site except the people who made money making it.

Ok...that's uncalled for and a bit unfair given the disucssion.  I'm here and I'm listening.  First thing tomorrow I plan to let IT know about the issues.  If you'd like to send me a PM with your contact info I'll have customer service give you a call so we can figure out what's not working right and why.

[gsxrpilot]

Yeah, it works fine on my Mac in either Safari or Chrome.

[Jeff_S]

Two things. First, George, an admirable attempt to explain and defend the value of AOPA and list the accomplishments. I'm not sure that it will affect many...either pilots agree with the mission or they don't. But if you persuaded perhaps one or two people to re-up, then that will help cover that exorbitant salary I'm sure you're pulling in. ()

Second, there is a principle known as Godwin's Law that states "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1".  However, that never seems to happen on MooneySpace. So rather, I postulate a new dictum, Spacers' Law, which states: 

"As a MooneySpace discussion grows longer, the probability of someone including pictures of fat or ugly people approaches 1."

[Bob_Belville]

12 hours ago, GeorgePerry said:

Ok...that's uncalled for and a bit unfair given the discussion.  I'm here and I'm listening.  First thing tomorrow I plan to let IT know about the issues.  If you'd like to send me a PM with your contact info I'll have customer service give you a call so we can figure out what's not working right and why.

PC laptop, W10, Firefox. AOPA site works fine.

I've used AOPA flight planning, CSC DUATS, FltPlan.com and www.1800wxbrief.com. I could live with any of them but the new AOPA flightplanner seems to be the fastest and friendliest. 

Frankly, I am amazed that all these great resources make flight planning so easy and for free! I have not talked to a briefer in 25 years. We live in marvelous times and my glass is way full. This past weekend I flew a 50+ year old Mooney KMRN-M40-KGGG-KERV and back, almost 2000 nm. 2 approaches with ceiling below 400' and 2 takeoffs into similar ceilings Easy peasy thanks to modern technology.  

Hang in there George! ISTM AOPA is the organization most closely aligned to my flying interests and I'm very glad it is fighting the good fight in Washington.

[Marauder]

1 hour ago, Jeff_S said:

So rather, I postulate a new dictum, Spacers' Law, which states: 

"As a MooneySpace discussion grows longer, the probability of someone including pictures of fat or ugly people approaches 1."

You got that right! And this thread is headed for a fat fest.