AOPA vs. EAA

AdamZ

AdamZ

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Adam Zucker
No! The title thread dosen't reference a rumble between the two groups. I'm just curious what the main differences are between the groups. I am a member of AOPA but not EAA. I think at one time EAA was for experimental aircraft but this may not be true any longer. I also thing EAA has local chapters but I'm not really sure what its all about. Some one enlighten me.

:blueplane:
 
Your best bet is to visit the EAA Web site (www.eaa.org) and get the latest information about the organization directly. You can learn all about EAA's various divisions, membership benefits, etc.
 
EAA still still emphasizes experimental aircraft, but they have many of the same member services as AOPA. Some are better than AOPAs, such as the AME advocate program. There are a number of EAA members who are AMEs who volunteer their time to help other EAA members with airmen medical related questions.

Like AOPA, EAA is also involved with lobbying and fighting against anti-GA regulation. I think it's been a driving force behind the Sport Pilot License.

I've been a member of AOPA for 15 years, and I just joined EAA a few months ago. We pilots can use all the help we can get in keeping the privileges we now enjoy, so I think its $40.00 (per year) well spent.
 
Another advantage of EAA is local chapters, getting involved with Young Eagle rallies and other fun things, and making connections. Funny that someone I met in person from AOPA web-board got me into the local EAA stuff too!

Look up a local chapter and get invited as a guest to their next meeting to check them out.

Terry
 
There are a number of divisions within EAA. My guess is these were independent groups until they found an affiliation with EAA would be cheaper for them and better for their members. One of the groups is Warbirds. They produce an excellent monthly magazine; another is NAFI (National Association of Flight Instructors). Like previously mentioned, they provide a number of similar benefits.
I've been a member of AOPA for about 12 years and EAA about 10. Both produce great monthly magazines with EAA bending towards (though not exclusively) experimentals. EAA also produces/sponsors OSHKOSH. It is certainly one of the best airshows and aviation gatherings in the world for you and I.
 
Wow, how much detail do you want?

What it boils down to in my opinion is that AOPA is a more effective lobbying tool, while EAA is more of an aviation community. AOPA is the head, EAA is the heart and hands. The local chapters vary quite a bit. Some are very active, with lots of stuff going on and many members. Others are essentially moribund. It just depends on where you live.

There are two areas where EAA's lobbying has far outdone AOPA, and that is in getting the autogas STCs through and in the creation of the Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rules. Both of those were EAA's babies from the get-go. But AOPA is in Washington (sort of) and focuses much more on the political end, and is generally more effective as a lobbying group. EAA has a DC staffer, but one guy can't do it all.

Then there are the EAA divisions: vintage, aerobatics, warbirds, flight instruction, sport pilot, ultralight. If you're building an airplane, or thinking about it, EAA has a wealth of support to offer. If you're not -- and I think most members are not -- there is a camaraderie aspect that simply doesn't exist at AOPA. AOPA has a much better web site. I'll leave it up to others to debate the relative merits of the publications. :redface:

I don't look at AOPA/EAA as an either/or. They do different things well. It just depends on how important each of them is to you.
 
I'm the president of one of our local chapters (well, "acting president" - my second term ran out last year and I can't get anyone to take over!) We're basically the pilot group on the airport. I think we might actually have one builder, but that's it. We meet every month, have cookouts, and fly Young Eagles on the second Saturday of every month, which is our main purposes for existing.
 
silver-eagle said:
There are a number of divisions within EAA.
Click to expand...

I'm a member of Vintage aircraft assiocation/EAA.
 
Steve said:
One main difference I've found between AOPA and EAA is that EAA offers many more opportunities for its members to get directly involved in aviation related activities.

Another is EAA membership is open to any one interested in aviation, whereas AOPA, at least back when I joined, was exclusive to certificated pilots. So EAA potentially has the potential to outpace AOPA in that regard.
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Click to expand...

The pilot requirement wasn't true when I joined AOPA about 10 years ago. I stopped by the AOPA tent at Oshkosh and asked if I had to be a pilot. No. I signed up. I called AOPA for advice on taking lessons and getting the medical 2-3 years later.

Note that the AOPA membership and renewal applications ask if you're a pilot and owner now.

I had been an EAA member for over 10 years at that point. I went to Oshkosh a year or two after hearing Bob Collins talk about it with Paul Poberezny. (I actually heard the first call that Paul made to Bob Collins on the air when Bob said he'd never go up in one of those things. ) :p

I got the feeling that EAA became the "Recreational Flying Association" when they had to seek out a bigger market as the homebuilders part was becoming too small of a market. A lot of homebuilders were and remain very bitter about that. There was very little about homebuilding in Sport Pilot for a long time at that point.

EAA also made a change for a while where you had to be a member to get to the flight line at Oshkosh, and I think later to get in at all. They had many complaints about rowdy and disrespectful visitors when the crowds had grown to millions. The thinking was that members are more responsible. BUT, since they didn't' want to pass on the revenue they made it so EVERYBODY got a 3 month membership with admission. :dunno: In spite of that, since they changed the rules the attendance at Oshkosh dropped dramatically. I guess the word got out to great unwashed that dere were rules and ya had to join now.

I think EAA and AOPA are friendly competitors because they do overlap in missions to an extent. Phil Boyer mentions visiting "that convention of the group way up north in Wisconsin" at his Town Hall meeting.

I agree that we should all be a member of both. I think the $35/year for AOPA has always been a bargain.
 
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Been a member of both EAA & AOPA for many years. The EAA chapter meetings can tell you a lot about how aircraft are built, just listening to the builders/flyers talk, whether it's a model you might fly sometime or something very different.

Of course everybody's all a buzzing about the new kid on the block, LSA, but there's alway loads about building in the magazine. Got to have 'em both, plus the Seaplane Pilots Association of course !

AdamZ said:
No! The title thread dosen't reference a rumble between the two groups. I'm just curious what the main differences are between the groups. I am a member of AOPA but not EAA. I think at one time EAA was for experimental aircraft but this may not be true any longer. I also thing EAA has local chapters but I'm not really sure what its all about. Some one enlighten me.

:blueplane:
Click to expand...
 
AOPA is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. While it is true that anyone who puts up the $39 can be a member, the rules are that you must be a owner or pilot to be a voting member. That includes student pilots. Not sure what we vote on though.

Jon
 
Adam i belong to both and have since i got my ticket,both are great org. and if you plan on flying Young Eagles you need to belong to EAA,(ins. reasons) if you need anymore info Email or call me 717-554-8247 Dave Gaiski (shipoke)
 
I belong to both. The reason I do is to support their advocacy for
General Aviation. I think they each have a slightly different segment
they advocate for. I get a kick out of how they often both take
credit on their websites for something the govt does that's favorable
to GA.

I first joined AOPA back in the late 70s. I joined EAA about 4 or 5 yrs
ago, and a part of that is the thought that I'd move into the
experimental/LSA arena and away from normal certificated aircraft.
Anybody wanna buy a Warrior?
 
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