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10 AOPA advocacy wins for 2024
AOPA advocates in the halls of Congress and across the nation to keep general aviation accessible to all. Here’s a look back at what we accomplished in 2024.
Photo by Chris Rose.
- An FAA bill with a historic GA title: The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which Congress passed and the president signed into law, includes the first-ever GA title and authorizes an increase in funding for GA airports, expands BasicMed, ensures the availability of 100LL during a transition to an unleaded fuel, addresses the need to modernize FAA systems, and much more. AOPA was instrumental in the development of the GA title, which included many priorities that will have a positive impact on pilots and aircraft owners.
- GA on the national stage: AOPA led and organized the National Celebration of General Aviation D.C. Flyover to commemorate GA’s contributions to the United States with a parade of aircraft over the National Mall. This special event, which coincided with AOPA’s eighty-fifth anniversary, took place in some of Washington, D.C.’s most restricted airspace, something that had never been done with GA aircraft. The AOPA event had the support of Congress and participation of 10 government agencies.
- Protections for airports under threat: AOPA works to protect our airport ecosystem in every state across the country. For example, AOPA worked with Hawaii Department of Transportation, the state legislature, the U.S. Army, and the FAA to facilitate a long-term lease agreement to keep the Kawaihāpai Airfield, formerly known as Dillingham Airfield, open for use. In Boulder, Colorado, AOPA joined forces with local airport advocacy groups to counter two 2024 ballot initiatives seeking closure of Boulder Municipal Airport. Closure proponents withdrew their ballot initiatives. And AOPA worked with local members and the Manchester Municipal Airport Airport Support Network volunteer in Iowa to successfully counter a city council proposal to close the airport. The city council and mayor agreed to abandon the closure effort and pursue additional FAA grants for an overdue runway rehabilitation project.
- Airport landing fees: Unfortunately, landing fees at airports are becoming problematic for pilots. AOPA is on the front lines and continues to advocate for pilots and work with airport communities to find alternative revenue sources. AOPA successfully advocated against the establishment of landing fees at Cottonwood Airport (with the Arizona Pilots Association) and at DeLand Municipal Airport-Sidney H. Taylor Field in Florida with a local grassroots effort.
- Signature Aviation expands Bravo program for piston operators: Signature Aviation's announcement of reduced handling fees for piston operators is a result of AOPA’s constant and persistent advocacy against egregious FBO pricing. Single-engine piston aircraft operators will now pay no more than a $30 handling fee at most Signature locations, which is waived with the purchase of 10 gallons of 100LL fuel. Twin-engine piston operators will pay a $60 handling fee, waived with a 30-gallon purchase. For many aircraft, this represents as much as a 50-percent reduction from previous rates. Signature will also invest in additional 100LL self-service fueling locations, which offer fuel at an average of $1 per gallon less than full-service pricing. Piston operators will also not be charged any special event fees.
- Safe, smart transition to an unleaded fuel: While the GA industry works toward a transition to unleaded avgas by 2030, aircraft still rely on leaded avgas at least until an unleaded alternative is available at airports across the country. In Colorado, opposition from AOPA and others successfully removed legislative language banning leaded avgas. GA supporters in Washington state defeated a bill that would have imposed myriad unfunded mandates on the state aviation division to address lead in fuels. AOPA co-led the effort with the Washington State Aviation Alliance by urging legislators to partner with the aviation community toward the common goal of removing lead from avgas in a safe, smart manner. And in California, AOPA led an aviation industry coalition to drastically amend California legislation seeking to ban the sale of 100LL at airports beginning in 2026. New language now aligns any fuel sale prohibition to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
- Designated pilot examiners: A shortage of DPEs has made it difficult for pilots to find examiners and schedule checkrides. Professional persistence from AOPA has resulted in the FAA surpassing 1,000 active DPEs. The FAA now reports there are 1,035 active DPEs, an increase of 77 in two years. AOPA also advocated for the FAA to establish a DPE national oversight office to ensure consistent policy and oversight, selection, training, determination of need, activity level, and performance.
- Aircraft registration fees: In Iowa, AOPA successfully led efforts to oppose a 50-percent increase in aircraft registration fees. AOPA also led a coalition in California to defeat legislation seeking to enact an aircraft registration fee program to fund climate and emission reductions programs.
- License plates supporting future pilots: As a way to promote GA, AOPA sponsored legislation creating a Florida specialty license plate to support aviation scholarships. Proceeds of the sales of the plate will be managed by the Aerospace Center for Excellence.
- The need for better notams: A long-overdue notam task force was established in January 2024, with AOPA co-chairing one of the five subgroups. The task force developed more than 40 recommendations, and its final report will go to Congress in January. In parallel, the implementation of a completely new FAA notam service is expected in late 2025.
AOPA Government Affairs staff
AOPA’s Government Affairs staff is passionate about aviation and the freedom to fly. The team works tirelessly on the local, state, and national levels to protect and defend the rights of pilots.
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