AOPA, EAA, neither, and why?

Bill

Bill

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Back before the medical issue, I belonged to AOPA, but let it lapse while I was not flying. Now that I'm back in the air, what are people's opinions on AOPA and EAA these days? Is either worth joining? One better than the other? Other GA advocacy groups that are worthy of consideration?
 
Bill Jennings said:
Back before the medical issue, I belonged to AOPA, but let it lapse while I was not flying. Now that I'm back in the air, what are people's opinions on AOPA and EAA these days? Is either worth joining? One better than the other? Other GA advocacy groups that are worthy of consideration?
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AOPA :incazzato:
EAA :thumbsup:
:yesnod:
 
Irritated by AOPA, but still a member, as I like some of their stuff. Get the very distinct feeling they are top heavy. EAA definitely both national and local chapter.
 
I can't stand membership dues so I joined AOPA - Lifetime Member many years ago and haven't regretted it. As far as EAA, I am considering joining just haven't pulled the trigger.
 
Well, I got po'd at AOPA a few years ago, wrote them why I was po'd, and stayed away for a couple of years. Recently "reupped" as I felt I needed their training material to pass along to students now that I'm back in the CFI game. Member of EAA too, and get Flying magazine.
 
I’m a member of both. I’m also a member of Seaplane Pilots Association (SPA). Lifetime EAA. Annual AOPA. Annual SPA. I enjoy their magazines and appreciate their advocacy.
 
I like them both. I enjoy the AOPA magazine, two years now they have the best insurance rates for my plane, I like the idea about their regional fly-ins (although haven't been able to attend yet), I am a fan of their Air Safety Institute, etc. It's worth it to me. I feel they both support GA and we need all of that we can get.
 
As much as everyone craps on AOPA they were an unbelievably good resource for me while I was plane buying, I only renewed my membership when I was close to purchasing. Now that I have renewed it there's a lot of good content as well as good resources for flying.

EAA is also excellent.
 
I've been a member of both since the mid-sixties (AOPA #282896, EAA #115792) and think both organizations do a good job protecting the interests of general aviation pilots; pushing hard on BasicMed medical reform and resisting ATC privatization are a couple of recent examples that come to mind.
 
I am a member of both AOPA and EAA. I like getting the magazines and appreciate that they both have a voice with the FAA and politicians to hopefully look out for our best interest in general aviation. I have to admit that I really do get tired of the constant barage of e-mail and snail mail from AOPA constantly asking for more donations and trying to sell their insurance and other services. I do like the AOPA Live TV program they produce each week. AOPA is also a great resource for flying information for international flying requirements and etc. I think EAA is probably more in tune to the 'little' guys in aviation though.
 
Neither are perfect, and they both probably have executives getting rich on my dime, but they are the best we have at protecting general aviation’s interests.

For that reason alone AOPA is worth the money.
 
Never been a member of AOPA, mostly due to their junk mail marketing and lack of hard core lobbying for GA, I just don't see enough of a return on investment.

Been a member of EAA, meh, let it lapse

Only thing I'm a member of now is seaplane pilots association, and professional pilot which I get for free.
 
I re-upped with AOPA. Insurance discount should cover the cost of membership, maybe more. Besides, I missed the Red Board! :rolleyes:

Seriously thinking about joining EAA. I may go the E/AB route when I retire.
 
EAA: Pro - Airventure, chapters. Con - Useless staff, irrelevant in the grand scheme of lobbying
AOPA: Pro - Free hat. Con - No real support for true GA -- the org is blinded by Mark Baker's wealth and extensive experience as a 'rich GA' guy.

All in all -- neither would know a small, declining, GA airport if a hangar door fell on them. Chasing after signature for FBO fees is idiotic...how many weekend warriors are actually using signature or buy $100,000 junk 150s?
 
I am a member of both.

EAA mainly for participating in the Young Eagles rallies.

AOPA for their You Can Fly initiative, Aviation Safety resources, and a few other resources I find useful.
 
Both. Good magazines. Also EAA Young Eagles, workshops and Air Venture. AOPA for training and safety stuff.

Cheers
 
Member of both,no major complaints.
 
Member of AOPA, have been since I started my Private training back in '08.
Pros: lots of great info for low-timers and such. Obviously the articles get recycled from time-to-time, but it's no different than a message board
Cons: likely tons of wasted membership dollars on those at the top of the organization, especially when little can be done to "see" the fruits of their labor

I have considered EAA, but I'll probably hold off until I am actually flying more often or considering the purchase of an experimental aircraft.
 
I like them both - publications are good, and they do pretty good work. AOPA catches a lot of grief, maybe some deserved, but they (and EAA) did work on BasicMed, which was common sense waiting to happen. Neither is very expensive, and I'd probably pay more for the magazines at a news stand over the course of a year.
 
I have a strong affinity for EAA. They have been the leaders on many of the improvements over the years for the light GA segment. Everything from Light Sport to creating STC's for off-the-shelf new generation hardware in legacy airframes. Basic Med too, although that didn't live up to my hopes.

AOPA? I'm perpetually grumpy with them. Their list of delivered items is pitiful. They needed to lie down on the proverbial railroad tracks before rolling over on ADS-B. They didn't. In fact, they were seemingly in favor of this large expense and intrusion into our privacy. Beyond that, they have a huge war chest that (IMO) is basically a reserve to pay executive salaries for 20 years after the last paying member resigns. I'm still a member, but only because I've been too lazy to call and cancel.
 
BOTH!

When GA is killed off, I won't have been in the group of whiners who couldn't see the forest for the trees.
And I hope my tiny contribution to these groups helps them extend the life of GA just a few more years.
 
If I were to join AOPA again, what level to people recommend? I would be mainly doing it for the legal services to set up a partnership on a plane.
 
I'm an AOPA member. I enjoy getting the magazine. As a non-owner, that is about the only reason why I am in it right now.
 
MichiPilot said:
EAA: Pro - Airventure, chapters. Con - Useless staff, irrelevant in the grand scheme of lobbying
AOPA: Pro - Free hat. Con - No real support for true GA -- the org is blinded by Mark Baker's wealth and extensive experience as a 'rich GA' guy.

All in all -- neither would know a small, declining, GA airport if a hangar door fell on them. Chasing after signature for FBO fees is idiotic...how many weekend warriors are actually using signature or buy $100,000 junk 150s?
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Agreed. I like looking at shiny, ultra-expensive planes/cars/boats that I’ll never afford as much as the next guy. But it’s my opinion that the life or death of GA rests on <100k airplanes that have affordable (relatively) mx/upgrade options, not hotrod turboprops, business jets and 750k piston singles (with the possible exception of Cirrus).
 
ejensen said:
I belong to both. Mainly because we need voices for GA. And someone to watch negative legislation or plans
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Problem is, that’s all they do is watch. Watch the legislation sail through. LOL.

Okay maybe that’s unfair, but their track record since Boyer left isn’t good.

And then the Craig disaster. “Washington insider...” coming to save the world... yeah that worked out real well.

And they still need to dump the O out of their name. They do very little for owners.

Their insurance relationships are decent if you don’t realize there’s only about three underwriters in total... but once you find out who it is, you get the exact same deal if you call them as a member or some guy off the street.

I can’t think of a single useful thing I’ve received from AOPA that helped me as an owner. Type clubs completely kick their butt up and down the block in that regard.
 
I'm in AOPA and have no complaints. Joined because we all need to support groups that are out there at least attempting to protect us GA guys.

As a bonus the magazine is pretty good, the free hat is nice and the website is good. I also do like their videos where they simulate events surrounding crashes( the name of the series is escaping me.) Those videos are well done and I learn a lot from them.
 
EAA - For AirVenture, Young Eagles, and the magazine. I like the magazine for being a little more oriented towards affordable aircraft. Also, read the Flown West column and mentally salute the men and women aviators who have passed on.

AOPA - For magazine (planes are a little too high-end though. That's why I stopped reading Flying). For Rusty Pilot and other seminars. Their original flyins in Frederick are what finally got me into aviation.
 
EAA — For the people, for AirVenture. Oriented to guys like me who aren’t doing this for a living, but it certainly has brought opportunities for me to meet guys who’ve done it for a living and done it forever. I wouldn’t have a lot of those opportunities otherwise.

AOPA — Services and training opportunities. It’s definitely a machine. In this day and age an organization’s voice is always louder than an individual’s.

And of course, the AOPA hat is a valuable tool. I’m pretty sure it helps me fly in trim :rolleyes:
 
MichiPilot said:
Chasing after signature for FBO fees is idiotic...how many weekend warriors are actually using signature or buy $100,000 junk 150s?
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Quite a few are stung by Signature and its cohorts. Have you looked at FBOs at even small airports in Florida for instance? Signature is everywhere, bringing their fees to sleepy out of the way airports. Public enemy #1 on AOPA's list is Key West, certainly a $100 hamburger destination if there ever was one.
This is an important fight. I am thankful AOPA has taken up the cause of excessive FBO fees.
Jon
 
Do you appreciate the Light Sport category? How about BasicMed? Without EAA and AOPA we wouldn't have either. Or a lot of other flying liberties we all take for granted.

AOPA's PPS medical services were a great resource for me when I needed them. For $99 a year that was one of the best investments I've ever made.
 
Member of both. AOPA was of great assistance when purchasing my 1st aircraft back in 2016. I get a discount with my insurance provider for being an EAA member.
 
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