EAA? AOPA? MAPA?

[panther1400]

Do you guys join one or all and what are the benifits for the cost?

[mooneygirl]

I am a member of all three. Plus I get the $39 AOPA legal coverage each year.  For me MAPA is very important as they are our professional association and have such a legacy and collective memory about our brand.  I am really looking forward to going to Kerrville for the MAPA Homecoming this year too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07sezQHxSaY

[DonMuncy]

AOPA and MAPA. Worth it for the magazines alone. The rest is gravy. I have never messed with EAA. May be a mistake on my part.

Don

[Ned Gravel]

Quote: panther1400

Do you guys join one or all and what are the benifits for the cost?

[DaV8or]

I'm with all three. MAPA for all things Mooney, EAA for their support of experimental aircraft and historic restorations Oshkosh and their resent actions on capitol hill, and AOPA, because well, they're the biggest in Wasington and try to represent us all.

[HopePilot]

All three.  Put off joining EAA until I needed tickets for Oshkosh.  I get the most use out of AOPA, but I like MAPA Log.

[jelswick]

All three here as well.  I get the least from EAA, but it's required to be able to camp at Oshkosh and I do like supporting what they do with Young Eagles (I participate in those rides each year), aircraft restoration and their general support to GA as a whole. 

[Jeff_S]

I also belong to all three for the same general reasons, but I'll add an additional thought. In the last year or so month, EAA has seriously upgraded the editorial and publishing quality of Sport Aviation magazine and I think it is now hands-down the best flying publication I get. The diversity of articles is excellent and I always find some things on both flying theory/practice and aircraft maintenance that I can use. It's even given me just the slightest hint of an urge to build one myself...but that usually passes when I see people talk about the thousands of hours they've spent building one. I'd rather be flying at this point.

[Parker_Woodruff]

I've been with AOPA since I started flying. Now that I'm a Mooney owner again, I need to re-up my membership with MAPA.

[PTK]

AOPA is the only game in town. They are there in DC where we need our voices heard.

[Hank]

I'm in AOPA because I fly. Joined as a student pilot, and keep on renewing. They work a lot with the FAA and the Federal Government, and with state governments as needed.

I joined MAPA when I bought my Mooney. There is just too much valuable information there, it's a great resource. I check their Forums daily to keep up with what is going on, and to research any problems I experience.

Just joined EAA last Friday, but not for Oshkosh [although I hope to go next year]. Membership is required to fly Young Eagles, and we are hosting a large event at our airport next month. Taking people on their first flight is always fun, it's got to be even better with kids! It's a great way to introduce children to aviation, and their parents to the local airport and utility of "small" planes. We really are not deathtraps waiting to fall out of the sky and into their living rooms . . . I've worked at our annual Airport Day, but without the 500-hour FAA requirement, I have not been able to fly. I'm really looking forward to next month! May hit 500 by our community even next summer if the winter weather isn't too horrible.

[John Pleisse]

I have all three. I would also add MOA, inmho, is worthless.

[Mooney65E]

Quote: jelswick

All three here as well.  I get the least from EAA, but it's required to be able to camp at Oshkosh and I do like supporting what they do with Young Eagles (I participate in those rides each year), aircraft restoration and their general support to GA as a whole. 

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: Mooney65E

I heard EAA may expand their young eagles program to not only fly kids , but parents as well. Great program for keeping G.A. alive.

 

 

[Bennett]

I belong to all three. AOPA for their political clout and the good work with the AOPA Safety Foundation.  MAPA, because I remember the good old days of the MAPA fly-ins, and Homecoming in Kerrville every year. EAA is a mixed bag with me.  I go to Oshkosh, and I like their new magazine format.  On the othet hand, I have stopped participating in the EAA Young Eagles program.  They advertise that they provide $1,000,000 coverage for any pilot who is flying Young Eagles in a formal YE event, but I have been unable to obtain a copy of the policy or certificate of insurance that outlines the actual coverage. I have spoken to their Risk Manager, and a representative of their nominal carrier without sucess - in fact they flat out refused to provide ANY wording of the purported coverage.  And I am not the only one who has been stonewalled.  I know attorneys who have tried unsuccessfully to obtain copies of this policy on behalf of their clients. An airplane I had a financial interest in several years ago crashed during a sanctioned Young Eagle event, injuring the pilot and passengers, and destroying the aircraft.  I can't discuss much more as litigation is still underway, but I can tell you that attempting to work with the EAA risk manager, and claims personnel has been unpleasant and unrewarding (understatement).  The insurance provided to YE participant pilots should be available in full text, but it is not, and so I urge caution.

[markeg1964]

I'm a member of all three.  I probably perfer the EAA mag over the other two but enjoy reading all three mags cover to cover most months.  I agree that the mags are worth the membership fees.  I also really like the AOPA flight planner.

 

[DrBill]

I'm with AOPA and MAPA.  I join EAA when I go to Sun N Fun or Oshkosh. AOPA for the lobby and magazine, MAPA for the MAG and their blogs but I feel their "service" is not as good as the Beech Aero Club I joined as a Beech Owner and BAC is all volunteer.

I'd like to see more Southeast area "events" .. Hope to go to KEDE for their fly-in.

Bill  Mint HIll, NC 

 

[mooneygirl]

Bill, if you aren't a member of the Mooney Ambassadors you might check it out. Here is what we do: 

Here is the write up for the Edenton Ambassador Event: Wings Over Edenton, NC KEDE will happen again this year (weather permitting), on Saturday, September 24, 9-4ish, with wonderful old airplanes, old cars, old pilots, food, aerial demos. Plan to join us, and show off your Mooney! Better yet, plan to spend the weekend, and explore our lovely little historic waterfront town. Admission, parking, on-field camping, are all free. Hope to see some Mooneys here- mine's lonely. Point Person: Mimi Reiheld

 

We are all volunteer, have a heck of a lot of fun, and inspire the love of flight.

[rbridges]

I don't think anyone has mentioned possible insurance discounts for AOPA.  Personally, I did all three.  I figure you can afford to subscribe if you can afford to fly, and they all support GA in one way or another.  The publications are also good to read.  I especially enjoy the MAPA articles.

[Dale]

I also belong to all three.  I have belonged to AOPA since I began to fly and find the magazine, seminars, webinars and political voice in Washington to be invaluable.  I am also a big fan of the AOPA website and their flight planning tools which I use quite often.  MAPA simply offers loads of Mooney oriented information that is just to valuable, like this website, to pass up.  Additionally, MAPA offers information that is simply difficult to find in other places about Mooneys.  It is a valuable organization for Mooney Aircraft.  I belong to EAA for the general aviation information, interesting articles and ads about home built aircraft and items on Sun n Fun and Oshkosh.