We're listening

Over the course of a year, we receive more than 100,000 questions or comments on topics that touch every facet of general aviation: FAA medical certification, membership questions, advocacy initiatives, flight training, AOPA sweepstakes, unleaded fuel, scholarships, MOSAIC changes to sport pilot and light sport regulations, flight instructor refresher courses (eFIRC), events, airport information, aircraft ownership, BasicMed, FBO fees, and hundreds of additional matters. We take seriously our obligation to respond to every member inquiry to the best of our ability.

AOPA does something else with this information that I eagerly anticipate. Every morning at 6 a.m. Eastern time, AOPA emails its employees “The Daily Report.” This report displays 10 to 15 deidentified, non-confidential questions and comments from members, often accompanied by how AOPA responded to each question or comment. We recently helped a member learn the status of their FAA medical special issuance. They emailed, “Hi, and thank you so much for your help so far. You and the AOPA have proved a million times more useful than any of the AMEs I have spoken with.”

This daily ritual is a learning opportunity for employees, but more importantly it’s an opportunity for the entire association to gauge member sentiment. After all, what’s important to you is important to us. We pass your suggestions about how we can be a more effective organization to those who can implement change—all the way to AOPA President Darren Pleasance, if necessary.

For example, you’ve made it clear to us that you want free member access to an aircraft valuation tool—and we’ve been listening. It took us some time to find the best solution, but we’re thrilled to announce the availability of Windsock, an aircraft valuation tool designed specifically for general aviation, at no cost as a new member benefit.

Windsock uses real-world market data to provide insights into how much an aircraft may be worth, offering an unbiased and transparent approach to aircraft valuation. AOPA members receive 12 free Windsock valuation reports each year, with unused valuation reports resetting on a rolling 12-month cycle. You can learn more by visting aopa.org/windsockreports.

We also see a steady stream of comments in “The Daily Report” about AOPA Pilot magazine. Most of the comments are very complimentary, and on behalf of the magazine staff we thank you. AOPA Pilot is the world’s highest circulation magazine covering general aviation (sent exclusively to AOPA members), and we aim to bring you inspiring and informative content while being careful stewards of your membership dues. We always strive for 100-percent accuracy and put each article through a rigorous review process to ensure you can have total confidence that it is trustworthy. But sometimes we make a mistake—and you let us know by sending an email to [email protected].

We receive plenty of emails—and letters—with questions or memories prompted by recent articles, and we fit as many of these as possible into the “Letters” section of the magazine.

We also receive a lot of responses when we solicit your opinion. For the past two years, you’ve submitted candidates for “Why I Love My Airplane” (we call the section “WILMA”), and we enjoy showcasing the aircraft that have made general aviation so meaningful to you. Often, your caption is less about the airplane itself and more about how it was acquired or who you fly with. A sense of community is important in general aviation.

When we asked recently in the magazine and on our social media channels which paint scheme you would choose for the AOPA Sweepstakes Aviat Husky, we received a huge number of responses—some very passionate. Answers are still rolling in, but as of now, you all favor option one by a narrow margin over option two. That’s a helpful data point.

And although we don’t frequently solicit magazine articles, we often receive, and appreciate, article submissions and suggestions for article topics. While we have a great staff of writers and regular contributors to AOPA Pilot, we also like to include the insight and experience of our members in the magazine. “Never Again” and “Musings” articles, in particular, are always needed. Visit aopa.org/writerguidelines to learn more about writing an article.

Please continue to let us know how we can help you with your aviation journey. We love hearing from you!

[email protected]