"Rocky" Theme Blares As AOPA Expo Comes to a Close
Phil Boyer, AOPA president opened the last of the three-day Expo
by leading a parade of AOPA senior management onto the stage to the
theme song from the movie "Rocky." The room was 80% full, pretty
good for the last day of this clearly successful aviation
gathering.
Boyer said attendance through the second day was more than 9,000
people. Expressing pleasure at that participation level, Boyer
described the 225 person AOPA staff which serves more than 400,000
members. "AOPA represents two-thirds of all the licensed pilots in
this county," Boyer reported, "and that is an important asset when
talking with congress and regulators." Boyer said that AOPA is not
expecting very much more growth, so he encouraged early renewals of
existing members to keep the association strong.
Boyer introduced a new AOPA video that explained the Wide-Area
Augmentation System (WAAS) and how it works. Video of actual
approaches illustrated a direct comparison between traditional ILS
and WASS approaches. Boyer said the video is to encourage pilots to
purchase the on-board equipment necessary to use WAAS. He
emphasized that, "We have got to encourage FAA to put approaches,
not at places where we already have approaches, but where we need
them [big applause]. "The greatest fear, as the Administrator said
on Wednesday, is that no one will equip with this system." Boyer
reminded the audience that FAA had promised to work on new
approaches only if we [pilots] would look at upgrading the suite of
avionics to include a WAAS receiver.
Andy Cebula, Senior Vice
President, Government and Technical Affairs, was the first senior
staff member to speak. Cebula provided the audience with an
overview of the advocacy work for his 32 person staff in AOPA
Headquarters and the Washington Office. Covered in his division are
direct interactions with FAA, Transportation Security
Administration, and Secret Service. They are also advocacy voices
for advanced technology, and regional affairs (airports and state
legislatures). He thanked the AOPA Airport Watch volunteers and
AOPA Regional Representatives who, collectively, are the "eyes and
ears of AOPA at the local and regional levels."
Then, AOPA's executive vice president-Communications, Jeffery
Myers, described how reorganization within AOPA has consolidated
all of the communications areas under one management. This is to
better coordinate the individual areas, such as pilot Magazine and
AOPA website, so that members can more easily find what they want
using the method they prefer. According to Myers, another advantage
to improved communication coordination is the ability to more
effectively discover and disseminate information in all areas of
interest to AOPA members.
Karen Gebhart, Executive vice president of Products and
Services, presented AOPA marketing programs and how they help
members. She gave examples of new AOPA member services and their
value to pilots. For example the new American Express AOPA credit
card and the "turbo-medical" on the AOPA web site. Turbo medical is
an on-line form that guides you through a medical application and
automatically flags answers that are a problem to FAA. Gebhart
responsibilities also include Aviation Services (staff members who
answer calls and mail), and the Medical Department. Boyer added
that her division is also responsible for the convention,
itself.
AOPA Air Safety
Foundation (AOPA/ASF) is headed by Bruce Landsberg, Executive
Director. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation purpose is to, "help
pilots fly easier and safer." He projected a chart of diminished
aviation accidents showing that the 2004 Jan-to-date accident rate
is down 12 percent [audience applause]. "Our plate is as full as it
has ever been," he says. The annual Noll Report dictates the next
year of activity based on accident causes and trends. According to
Landsberg, the AOPA ASF web site (renamed "On Line Safety Center")
will have new concepts to provide more information and easier
access. He demonstrated new web features, on-line courses on the
large stage-side monitors, and affirmed the commitment to continue
and improve live seminars. Landsberg reported that a new program
named Weather Wise is ready to go and they plan upcoming on-line
weather courses.
Harvey Cohen, Senior Vice President, AOPA Air Safety Foundation,
starts by saying, "Lock the doors." He describes the AOPA Air
Safety Foundation fund raising events and how important donations
are to the continuing work of ASF. Cohen said that AOPA ASF is the
"world's largest tax-deductible foundation for aviation safety and
has existed for 55 years." "How much have you donated?" he asks of
all…
Boyer concluded the session by thanking members for making this
year a banner AOPA Expo and for providing the memberships that
allow AOPA to serve all of general aviation.