AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011 - 55

State of the Association
our website (www.aopa.org/membership/theme) where you can
get more ideas and find out about opportunities in your area. I
hope you’ll join us. Regardless of how you participate, I know we
can count on you to continue to act in support of GA.
Leveraging your membership. Last year saw AOPA’s first
membership dues increase in nearly two
decades, a modest increase of $6. Do you
wonder how your dues can keep this diverse
organization operating? The fact of the matter
is that they don’t; your membership
actually is worth much more.
Even with the downturn in advertising
revenue experienced in 2010, reflective of
cost-cutting measures taken by businesses
across the general aviation industry, advertising
revenue generated by AOPA’s diverse
media portfolio still makes a significant
contribution of more than 17 percent to the
association’s operating budget.
AOPA continues to diversify into new
media, in order to address changing membership
behavior and demand—and to meet
those members where they are with respect
to technology. Work in 2010 led to the launch
early this year of Enhanced Digital Editions
of AOPA Pilot and Flight Training magazines.
These digital publications, which can be read on personal
computers and many portable electronic devices, integrate the
magazines’ world-class content with videos, slideshows, audio,
and other rich media. Members can add a digital subscription or
choose to receive one in place of their print publication.
Printed magazines certainly are not going away. Our media
team continues to enhance AOPA Pilot and Flight Training. In
fact, the newly redesigned Flight Training won several magazine
awards this year. Our online video channel, AOPA Live, came into
its own last year, streaming hours of live programming during
AOPA Aviation Summit, EAA AirVenture, and now Sun ’n Fun.
AOPA Live racked up some 1 million plays in 180 countries during
2010 and traffic in 2011 is on track to easily surpass that number.
Other media products that offer compelling editorial content,
and contribute advertising revenues, include AOPA Online, AOPA
ePilot, Aviation eBrief, and AOPA Airports.
Your membership dues also are leveraged by revenue that is
Total General Aviation
Airplane Shipments
generated by AOPA’s financial programs, which include a credit
card, aircraft financing, and
insurance offerings; aircraft
insurance policies sold by the
AOPA Insurance Agency; and
affinity programs with rental
car companies and other travel
service providers.
AOPA’s Member Products
= 500 Aircraft
group launched several new
products during 2010, including
LifeLock, Lifeline Screenings,
the Lifestyles Collection, and
a new life insurance program.
In addition, two new email
newsletters were launched to
inform members about benefit
information, special offers, and
other program news.
All of these products help us
stretch your member dues by
more than three times. In other
words, without this additional revenue, your membership dues
would need to more than triple in order to allow us to continue
all of the work that we do on your behalf.
Our success in Washington,D.C.; with the states; and right
down to your local airport depends on your support through your
action and engagement, your renewed membership, and your
support of our additional products and services. With your participation,
we can maintain a healthy membership of more than
400,000 and continue to play a pivotal role in assuring a strong
future for general aviation.
Craig L. Fuller
AOPA President and CEO
AOPA PILOT • 55 • MAY 2011
Source: GAMA
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2,998
2,667
2,686
2,961
3,590
4,053
4,270
3,967
2,274
2,015
http://www.aopa.org/membership/theme
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011
