Flight Training - September 2011 - 4

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

By Craig Fuller

AOPA SERVICES
THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION is general aviation's advocate and the largest, most influential aviation association in the world.

AN EASIER WAY TO OWNERSHIP
EXCITEMENT IS CONTAGIOUS
thought about buying an aircraft for a long time before I made that first purchase. Like most people, I spent a lot of time considering the pros and cons before I made the investment. I asked myself a lot of questions. What kind of airplane should I buy? How would I use it? How often would I be able to fly? And, also like
most people, I worried whether or not I would be able to afford not only the airplane but also the tiedown fee, maintenance, insurance, and other costs that come with ownership. At the same time, I knew I wanted the freedom that comes with owning an airplane—the freedom to travel when and where I wanted. I loved the idea of being able to fly on my schedule, whether ownership by helping them find partners whose interests and needs match their own. It uses a secure database management system to help pilots find just the right airplane and partners. When you register, you can post a comprehensive personal profile that includes key factors for compatibility, such as the type of aircraft desired, budget, nearby airports to serve as a base, flying experi-

INTERESTED IN LEARNING TO FLY? Visit AOPA’s engaging website for people who want to know more about what’s involved in learning to fly—and what it’s like. www.LetsGoFlying.com RESOURCES FOR STUDENT PILOTS Ask an AOPA CFI | ft.aopa.org/ask Flight Training article archive | ft.aopa.org/archive Aviation library | ft.aopa.org/library Supplemental training information | ft.aopa.org/student Virtual flight bag, including online weather and airport directory | ft.aopa.org/flightbag PILOT INFORMATION CENTER Members can receive answers to flight training and other aviation questions, and join or renew by telephone, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday | 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) Via the Internet | ft.aopa.org/ask AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE ONLINE SAFETY CENTER Dedicated to providing general aviation pilot education and safety programs online. Via the Internet | www.airsafetyinstitute.org Call | 800-638-3101 AOPA MEMBER PRODUCTS AOPA Aircraft Financing Program | 800-62-PLANE AOPA Aircraft Insurance Program | 800-622-AOPA Non-owned aircraft and CFI policies available AOPA Credit Card Program | 800-523-7666 AOPA Legal Services Plan | 800-USA-AOPA AOPA Foundation | 800-955-9115 Other products | 800-USA-AOPA ONLINE GUIDE TO AOPA MEMBER SERVICES To join or renew, or for information about AOPA membership, e-mail inforequest@aopa.org or Visit the website | www.aopa.org/join NEW ADDRESS? Send your new address and membership number to AOPA, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701 Fax | 301-695-2375 Via the Internet | www.aopa.org/coa-form.html

WHETHER YOU WANT TO FIND ONE, TWO, OR MORE PARTNERS TO BUY AN AIRPLANE, OR YOU WANT TO SHARE OWNERSHIP IN AN AIRPLANE YOU ALREADY HAVE, YOU CAN USE THE SYSTEM TO FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
I wanted to go for the afternoon or the weekend, or even longer. Too often, my go/no-go decision had more to do with the availability of rental airplanes than it did with the weather. In the end, I took a leap of faith and bought my first airplane. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Owning an airplane really opened new worlds for me. Still, I wish the AOPA Aircraft Partnership Program had been around back then. By having just one partner, I would have cut my ownership costs in half. I had thought about co-ownership, but the right combination of partner and aircraft just didn’t surface. Had this program been available, it could have removed some of the uncertainty and made that first foray into ownership a much simpler decision. The AOPA Aircraft Partnership Program is actually a brand-new way for AOPA members to share the cost of ence, and more. Pilots who are looking for a partnership can then search for and connect with others who have matching interests. Whether you want to find one, two, or more partners to buy an airplane, or you want to share ownership in an airplane you already have, you can use the system to find the right people. You can even choose to receive email alerts when someone who meets your compatibility requirements joins the program. We’ve already got about 10,000 registered users at the website (www.aopa.org/ aircraftpartnership) and the number is growing fast. I hope you’ll consider joining them and taking that first step toward affordable aircraft ownership. Owning an airplane is the very best way to get the most from your pilot certificate, and it can change your life.
Email AOPA President Craig Fuller at craig@aopa. org.

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

http://www.LetsGoFlying.com http://ft.aopa.org/ask http://ft.aopa.org/archive http://ft.aopa.org/library http://ft.aopa.org/student http://ft.aopa.org/flightbag http://ft.aopa.org/ask http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org http://www.aopa.org/aircraftpartnership http://www.aopa.org/aircraftpartnership http://www.aopa.org/join http://www.aopa.org/coa-form.html http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - September 2011

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