As a pilot there are many organizations that will be beneficial
to my career. These organizations will range from the diverse to the focused.
Some of these organizations will help me with networking and career building
while others will act as an advocate on my or my company’s behalf. As it stands
now I believe that there are 2 main organizations that will help me in my
career. The first organization is Airplane Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA)
and the second organization is National business Aviation Association (NBAA).
AOPA is an organization that advocates on behalf of the general
aviation community. Their focus is to keep flying accessible to the general
public. They achieve this goal by educating policy makers on how policies are beneficial
to general aviation pilots, aircraft manufactures and businesses. One of the
main focuses of AOPA over the last couple of years is the 3rd class
medical reform. AOPA has had a legislative affairs team in Washington every
year speaking on behalf of the general aviation community in order to help our
government better understand the facts and benefits of the medical reform (Tennyson,
2015). They also provide education to pilots and non-pilots. This education is
focused on safety and helping pilots interact with the FAA. While this
organization is not primarily business oriented; they will help me early on in
my carrier as a CFI. As a CFI I will be training the current and future pilots
of general aviation. These pilots along with myself will benefit from the many
tools that AOPA provides.
As I further my career and become a corporate pilot the NBAA
will provide me with the most benefit. Their mission statement is “To foster an
environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around
the world.”(NBAA, N.D.). In many ways, they do this in the same way AOPA achieves
their goal. They promote policies that are beneficial to business aviation.
They also provide resources to those businesses who are seeking to obtain or
already have an aviation department. For example, with the help of the NBAA,
the FAA extended the 7897G exemption. This exemption “permits operators of
piston aircraft, small airplanes and helicopters to use certain cost-sharing
options contained within Part 91 Subpart F of the Federal Aviation Regulations”
(Trautvetter, 2015). The NBAA also “helps business aviation professionals
ascend in their careers through valuable professional development
opportunities, including cutting-edge seminars, certification and professional
development programs, and peer-to-peer networking” (NBAA, N.D.).
As you can see these organization will help provide the tools
that I can use to further my career in aviation. They are constantly updating
their education programs and are on the cutting edge of their focused section
of the industry. By maintaining a membership and keeping up-to-date on their
information and current projects I will be prepared to take on challenges
within my career as well as staying informed within the aviation community.
Mission and History of
AOPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.aopa.org/About-AOPA/Governance/Mission-and-History-of-AOPA
Tennyson, E. (2015,
March 25). Baker meets with key legislators on GA issues. Retrieved April 14,
2015, from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/March/25/Baker-meets-with-key-legislators-on-GA-issues
Trautvetter, C. (2015,
March 30). NBAA Small Aircraft Exemption Extended Another Year. Retrieved April
14, 2015, from https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-03-30/nbaa-small-aircraft-exemption-extended-another-year
