Two organizations that I intend on belonging to later on
down the road are the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Air
Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The
mission of the AOPA is to protect pilot’s rights to fly and they do so by “educating
pilots, non-pilots, and policy makers alike, supporting activities that ensures
the long-term health of General Aviation, fighting to keep General Aviation
accessible to all, and securing sufficient resources to ensure our success”
(AOPA, n.d.). The AOPA is a huge supporter for general aviation pilots, and
they are an organization that helps keep the general aviation pilots involved
with their passion of flying. The AOPA
delivers various values to its members which include teamwork, initiative,
service, integrity, and excellence. They play a huge role in providing a common
goal for all pilots to strive for excellence and safety.
Another organization worthy of joining, since I am looking
at flying for the airlines in the near future, would be the ALPA. The ALPA
supports over 52,000 pilots and over 30 airline companies. This is a great
organization to get involved with because they actively support and provide
quality guidance to their members. The mission of the Air Line Pilots
Association is to promote all aspects of aviation safety throughout all of the segments
of the aviation industry as well as represent the interest of all airline
pilots. In their mission statement they state that “ALPA represents pilots’
views to decision-makers, including Congress and federal agencies, and ALPA
pilot groups have negotiated hundreds of contracts with airlines” (ALPA, n.d.).
It is great to see an organization that works hard to represent a group of
pilots and provide assistance in negotiating specific aviation related
movements.
The AOPA and ALPA are two organizations that I am very
interested in joining once I am engaged into my aviation career. They will both
benefit me substantially, along with all of the other pilots associated with
them. The biggest selling point is that both of these organizations cooperate
with the congress to levy issues in the aviation industry and strive to provide
positive outcomes and better regulations for pilot safety. These organizations
look out for the pilots best interest, and they both work to help all pilots achieve
the same common goal. As a professional, I want to be a part of an organization
that will help me further advance in my abilities to conduct my flights in a
safe manner. Both the AOPA and ALPA strive to help pilots maintain a
professional attitude and give guidance to pilots seeking further development
of their skills.
References:
ADVANCING
AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY SINCE 1931. (n.d.). Retrieved April 02, 2016, from
http://www.alpa.org/en/about-alpa/what-we-do
Mission
and History of AOPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 02, 2016, from http://www.aopa.org/About-AOPA/Governance/Mission-and-History-of-AOPA
Your position on how these organizations lobby congress is spot on. It is vital to have people who are knowledgeable in the industry on the hill making regulations. In aviation, safety is a critical topic. Having individuals who understand what the industry challenges are, and how to provide the safest environment is a must. These knowledgeable individuals are provided by these organizations, without which, the members of Congress would be out of touch with the needs of the aviation industry.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, the problem with most industries is that laws and regulations are written by personnel that have no idea of what it takes or understand how the operation works. We need to have advocates and organizations to voice our concerns for our better interest. Theses organizations are great and I plan on being part of them as well.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, these two organizations strongly support all aspects of the aviation industry. It is crucial that we have organizations that will fight to keep or profession running with fair regulations. Regulations should not be set by outside sources who know nothing about the industry of aviation, and that is why the lobbying of these groups is vital.
ReplyDeleteJon if you're interested in AOPA they have a student/one-time member signup for $35 which is a lot more do-able than their average $60 annual due, something to check out. I agree though, both of these organizations will fight for pilot rights and that's an organization proud to be apart of.
ReplyDelete