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5 Ways to Celebrate National Aviation Day

The Women of AOPA Offer Advice to
Future Female Pilots

In Honor of Women of Aviation Week
March 6-12, 2017

 

We reached out to our wonderful members, and incredible staff, to see what advice they would offer future female pilots in celebration of the week.

5 Ways To Celebrate National Aviation Day
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Aviation, to me, means freedom. Here at home in the U.S., it is the freedom to be a hundred miles away in an hour, to visit someone three states away and still be home by dinner, and, just for a while, to soar above the petty pace of the day-to-day. Elsewhere in the world, it is freedom from days of slogging along jungle paths, freedom from axle-eating potholes and roadside checkpoints, and freedom from hunger and medical deprivation; out there, the miracle of flight is often part of a greater miracle wrought by those who undertake it in service of another. The freedom of flight, however, is dependent upon the freedom to fly, and for that reason I’m grateful to organizations like the AOPA that work to ensure that the privilege of flight remains within reach of as many people as possible.
Brian Alton
AOPA Member for 15 Years
Brian Alton
AOPA Member for 15 Years

How does your weather look to go flying today?

It is a lifestyle that gives me the freedom to come and go as I want! My wife of 50 years is the best co-pilot anyone could ask for; it's family time in the cockpit! Our Mooney is hangered at 2R4 Milton FL and is always ready to fly when we are. It's a quick trip to visit the grandchildren or a weekend getaway to the Bahamas! There are no crowds, road blocks, or long security lines at 7,000ft!
Terry Ogle
AOPA Member for 33 Years
Terry Ogle
AOPA Member for 33 Years
Aviation is my life. These days, I have what might be the best flying job ever - I fly skydivers in a big, fun, turboprop aircraft, and people throw themselves out the back with big smiles (and occasional screams for the first timers). I also went back to my first love - flight instructing. Everyone should do something important with some of their time. I consider teaching people to fly to be one of the most important jobs in the world. Let's face it - nothing is cooler than flying!
Captain Sandra Williams
AOPA Member for 28 Years
Captain Sandra Williams
AOPA Member for 28 Years

October 1 & 2

National Aviation Day represents one our largest personal achievements. It is the struggle of blood, sweat, and tears we share with a small population of wind chasers. It is a multi-generational hobby and profession, all with common goals. I always know that I'll meet a friendly face at any airport I explore. I wouldn't trade my last 20 years for anything.
Vernon Van Cleve
AOPA Member for 19 years
Vernon Van Cleve
AOPA Member for 19 years
Aviation to me is Sound of Freedom. Anytime I hear an aircraft, any type and big or small, I intuitively hear a 'thank you' going by. I serve in the military full-time and I attained my private pilot's license a few months ago at the age of 34. I was sheltered from aviation most of my life and always told myself 'that's for other people' or 'I wish I could do that.' I never looked into training, costs or anything! Curiosity got the better of me a few years ago and realized I could have done this 10 years sooner had I known back then. Still to this day, even with a license to fly, I'll sit along the road and watch the planes do their training at our local airport. Now that I have a daughter, she too goes with me and gets just as excited as I do by a Cessna 150 or turbine jet taking off. The verbal "thank-you's" are appreciated from those who shake my hand BUT the biggest thanks I can get is to see those not taking for granted the freedom's we have. Whether I see families at a park enjoying a picnic or seeing an event un-fold downtown and people enjoying themselves, that's the 'thanks' I desire and appreciate most.' For those who fly and fight to keep GA alive, thank-you!!!
Darin Rus
AOPA Member for 5 years
Darin Rus
AOPA Member for 5 years
Aviation to me is an escape from the everyday worries. It's an escape from the busy life, a chance to leave the surface of the earth and explore new things, see new places, and meet new people. Aviation to me is not only a way of transportation, but also a way to meet new friends and share common interest, to meet other people that stare skywards when they hear the sound of a jetliner. Aviation to me is my life.
Kris Whaley
AOPA Member for 1 year
Kris Whaley
AOPA Member for 1 year
Aviation for our citizenry means freedom. Freedom to exercise the dreams which were founded on our soil. Freedom to perpetuate general aviation...the people's ability to dream of and achieve new heights. I renewed my flying passion which lay fallow for 30 years while raising a family. This renewal was the direct result of AOPA's fly-in, when I attended the Rusty Pilots seminar. I am now current and working toward my Instrument Ticket. Flying is becoming a newly rekindled passion, as I step down from a 42-year career as a trial lawyer, and seek the next act.
Ros Stovall
AOPA Member for 1 year
Ros Stovall
AOPA Member for 1 year

How are you celebrating National Aviation Day?