Professional Aviation Groups

As an aviation professional, I believe it is very important to belong to professional organizations within the industry. The possibilities are endless as far as helpful resources that an association can provide anyone in the aviation or any other industry from job openings to legal assistance. As an airline pilot, I will most definitely belong to two organizations, the first being Air Line Pilots Association, International or, ALPA. This is a must for any airline pilot because of the powerful advocacy for pilots around the globe. Another group to be a member of is Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association or, AOPA. This organization is essential to any pilot, from a student pilot all the way up to an airline captain, this group has many resources to aid all airmen with pilot groups in every major airline.

The Air Line Pilots Association is a great organization that’s mission statement reads as follows:

“The mission of the Air Line Pilots Association is to promote and champion all aspects of aviation safety throughout all segments of the aviation community; to represent, in both specific and general respects, the collective interests of all pilots in commercial aviation; to assist in collective bargaining activities on behalf of all pilots represented by the Association; to promote the health and welfare of the members of the Association before all governmental agencies; to be a strong, forceful advocate of the airline piloting profession, through all forms of media, and with the public at large; and to be the ultimate guardian and defender of the rights and privileges of the professional pilots who are members of the Association.”

This is a very strong statement that covers many aspects including safety, interests of all commercial pilots, assisting in collective bargaining and foremost to be the defender of the rights of all their members. This group functions as a representative for all commercial pilots across the industry, not only airline pilots. They also provide resources to gain more knowledge as an aspiring pilot researching career options. I believe it is extremely important for an airline pilot to be a part of this association because of the assistance they provide to pilots under matters of salary, benefits and working conditions. By joining, one would make the group that much more influential when ALPA represents pilots views to the government when regarding legislation.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is definitely a group in which every pilot should be part of, from resources in flight training to legal help when an airman breaks a regulation, AOPA is there to help. Their mission statement list is listed here:

“We protect your freedom to fly by…

·                     advocating on behalf of our members,

·                     educating pilots, nonpilots, and policy makers alike,

·                     supporting activities that ensure the long-term health of General Aviation,

·                     fighting to keep General Aviation accessible to all, and

·                     securing sufficient resources to ensure our success. ("Mission and History of AOPA," n.d.)”

AOPA has been around since the late 1930s in order to protect the freedom to fly while also promoting safety and affordability. Their presence in the aviation community  has been prominent throughout the 20^th century from lobbying for more airports to the Civil Aeronautics Authority in the 1940s to fighting against user fees in the 2000s. As a whole, AOPA fights for the rights of all pilots in the United States and looks out for their interests as a group, but they also provide services to individual members. As an example, they provide pilots with legal services when they are caught by the FAA. They also have the AOPA foundation which has a goal of raising $58 million to promote initiatives to increase student pilot enrollments. I believe it is important for any pilot in the US to support AOPA by becoming a member because of all the great benefits that come with it, but most important is the contribution one would make to a great cause in order to further aviation’s reach in the community.

ALPA Board of Directors. (1992, October). Mission Statement. Air Line Pilots Association. Retrieved from http://www.alpa.org/Home/WhoWeAre/MissionStatement/tabid/2237/Default.aspx

Mission and History of AOPA. (n.d.). Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.aopa.org/About-AOPA/Governance/Mission-and-History-of-AOPA.aspx