Help me become at GA Advocate

[jdwatson]

I'm starting a thread here for my own education. I'm tired of sitting around worrying about the future of GA. I've been in love with aviation my whole, but late in life I got my chance to particpate in my dreams. I've worked too hard and too long to become a part of GA. I'm asking, what can *I* do ?

So baptize me in 100LL and let's get going !

How do we become a force ? I think the last thing we want to do is sound like a bunch of rich spoiled brats, I don't fit in that category. I don't want to preach to the choir either. I want to know the the tough questions and have answers for them.

I can't sit by and watch anymore, either I get involved or I'm out.

 

[Skip Miller]

I'm starting a thread here for my own education. I'm tired of sitting around worrying about the future of GA. I've been in love with aviation my whole, but late in life I got my chance to particpate in my dreams. I've worked too hard and too long to become a part of GA. I'm asking, what can *I* do ?

So baptize me in 100LL and let's get going !

The critical need for GA is to get more people involved. The prime age to get them involved is pre-teen in my opinion. Get involved with the Boy Scouts and offer to teach the Aviation Merit Badge. I am not sure what other organizations have the equivalent of the merit badge, but please check out the girl scouts, too. Women in aviation = good, just like men.

Then take them up flying! You will probably have to do this personally, not as part of the BSA Merit Badge. The BSA is (in my experience) hung up on liability issues. When you offer to take a kid flying, drag his/her father/mother along too.... and you hit two audiences with one flight. Make the flight fun, not just around the pattern. Go after that hamburger somewhere.

As far as talking to adults about their pre-conceived silly notions of GA, it is probably a lost cause. Sorry to be pessimistic, but they have their opinions about those dangerous little things we fly and one voice - from a pilot no less, who has a vested interest - isn't going to have much impact.

-Skip

 

[Brian Austin]

I take someone new up on almost every local flight now. I've got a heck of a waiting list going. It's usually an eyeopener for the new passenger. I let them touch everything, participate in the radio calls if they'd like, help with navigation, and fly the plane. I try to make it more of an experience than a ride.

Something that I did last year and will do again this year is a "open invitation" put out to everyone at work. I'll put up a flyer at the office (with my boss's permission) saying I'll be at the local airport from 9:00am to 3:00pm on an upcoming Saturday. Anyone who wants a ride, meet me at the Hangar Cafe/local restaurant. Sign ups are encouraged but not required. Bring your family if you'd like to share the experience. It was a decent turnout last year and, based on the way everyone was talking, will be bigger this year. The folks that didn't come out last year were kicking themselves the next Monday due to the excited talk from the ones that did go.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Watch the newspaper(s) and when they run a locally produced article that involves airplanes, airports, airport noise, or anything else that could remotely affect GA, contact the reporter(s) and offer to take 'em for a ride. Let 'em fly. Demonstrate that the airplane doesn't fall to the ground if the engine quits. Show them sectionals and IFR charts to show there are some rules of the road. Go to both towered and non towered airports and explain how/why procedures are different. In the current environment, explain flight restrictions and make a point of the limited speed/payload available in most GA airplanes (WITHOUT making whining noises).

I have gotten tremendous bang for the buck out of this approach by encouraging the reporter to call (my cell any time) for clarification of any issues relating to GA. Typically they leave excited by the experience and brag about their "adventure" back in the newsroom.

Grassroots is great, but making allies among those who buy ink by the tanker is rather more efficient.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

I'm starting a thread here for my own education. I'm tired of sitting around worrying about the future of GA. I've been in love with aviation my whole, but late in life I got my chance to particpate in my dreams. I've worked too hard and too long to become a part of GA. I'm asking, what can *I* do ?

So baptize me in 100LL and let's get going !

How do we become a force ? I think the last thing we want to do is sound like a bunch of rich spoiled brats, I don't fit in that category. I don't want to preach to the choir either. I want to know the the tough questions and have answers for them.

I can't sit by and watch anymore, either I get involved or I'm out.

Don't knock yourself out trying to convert the masses but have fun instead and fly the people of any age that actually show initiative.

Talk with the others. Most people don't have all the things that are needed to successfully be a pilot at any level and most never will. That's one of the numerous, limiting demands that contributes to flying being so cool and also keeps us in a vulnerable minority.

 

[Diana]

I have gotten tremendous bang for the buck out of this approach by encouraging the reporter to call (my cell any time) for clarification of any issues relating to GA. Typically they leave excited by the experience and brag about their "adventure" back in the newsroom.

Grassroots is great, but making allies among those who buy ink by the tanker is rather more efficient.

Along those lines..........


Several years ago I contacted a local weatherman/morning show TV personality, Andy, and offered to take him flying. He took me up on the offer and Tom and I ended up on TV on his morning show promoting aviation and the Young Eagles program.

We took Andy and two cameramen in our Skyhawk and Cherokee 140. They got some great video shots of both airplanes flying, including showing Andy flying the airplane, put it to music and aired it on the morning news. Andy ended up taking ground school from Tom. I took him flying after that a few times and we both enjoyed it. He fell in love with flying. I hope he continued to pursue it after moving away. He used to call and drop by the farm when coming home for a visit, but haven’t heard from him in awhile.

So, you might want to consider something like that.

 

[jdwatson]

Thanks everyone for their great ideas and comments