AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022 - 6

PRESIDENT 'S POSITION
The spirit of giving
Investing in the future of our community
BY MARK BAKER / President and CEO
AOPA Foundation Legacy Society member
IF YOU HAVE TRAVELED around this great country like I have, you
know that Americans are a giving bunch. We give of our time, we
open our homes, and we give from the wallet. In fact, the United
States was named the world's most generous country over the past
decade by the Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index.
I'm not surprised about that, and am also not amazed that
National Philanthropy Day and Giving Tuesday are becoming staples
in November, a month already known for benevolence.
Yet nowhere have I found a more caring community than
general aviation. Whether it's Angel Flights, rescuing people and
property from natural disasters, transporting people and supplies
to fight the battle against COVID, or flying rescue pets to their new
homes, the GA community always steps up in a big way (see " From
Rescued to Rescuer " p. 28 and " Christmas in the Nation, " p. 58).
We also love to give back to aviation-this passion that has
given so much to all of us. As pilots, I see it as our responsibility
to make sure that GA is strong for those who come after us, so we
can keep this remarkable thing going.
I can't think of a better way to support general aviation than to
support the AOPA Foundation. The Foundation funds important
AOPA programs-You Can Fly and the AOPA Air Safety Institute-
that your membership dollars do not cover. These programs are
critical for getting more pilots into the skies and keeping them
there safely. A more vibrant general aviation community and
industry is what we're all striving for.
A centerpiece of You Can Fly is our High School Aviation
STEM Curriculum, whose focus is helping to ensure that aviation
has a bright future by providing bright futures for students.
We now have more than 12,000 students enrolled in more than
400 classrooms across the country. We're starting to see real dividends
as these students go on to higher education, the military, or
solid jobs in the industry (see " Briefing: True North Star, " p. 30).
I am most proud that 40 percent of the students in our curriculum
come from minority backgrounds, and more than 20 percent
are female. I continue to stress that we need more inclusion in aviation-it
needs to be a true reflection of society in order to thrive.
Many of you have also interfaced with You Can Fly through our
Flight Training, Flying Clubs, and Rusty Pilots initiatives. We've
designed all of these to make learning to fly more efficient, and
continuing to fly more approachable.
6
AOPA PILOT / December 2022
While we just saw the safest year yet for general aviation, we
can't rest on our laurels. We all need to keep our eye on the ball.
To that point, the AOPA Air Safety Institute continues to offer a
wealth of content that pilots find educational and engaging-and
even live-saving. More than 12 million times over the past year,
pilots and aircraft owners downloaded ASI videos, guides, and
other materials to keep them sharp.
We continue to hear great feedback about ASI's Early Analysis
series. The videos answer our members' requests for ways to
learn from unfortunate events. In recent videos, ASI Senior Vice
President Richard McSpadden provided some initial understanding
from the training accidents in Santa Monica, California, and
Newport News, Virginia. Of course, the videos are not meant to
replace any official investigation, just to give pilots some insight
that they can apply to their own flying.
To support these programs, and to help keep GA vibrant, the
AOPA Foundation provides a variety of giving opportunities to
ensure that all aviators can protect our shared passion for flying.
You can visit our website (foundation.aopa.org/ways-to-give) to
see the range of ways to give that fit your life. Donations made
in support of the You Can Fly program before December 31 are
eligible for a dollar-for-dollar match, effectively doubling the
impact of your donation. Some, including me, choose to take
their support to the next level by including a gift to the AOPA
Foundation in their estate plans, such as their will or trust.
Becoming a member of the AOPA Foundation Legacy Society
(aopa.org/legacy) provides a great opportunity to help build a
stronger, safer pilot community.
You should know that we take our responsibility as stewards
of your generosity very seriously. The AOPA Foundation has a
four-star designation from Charity Navigator for our ethical and
efficient use of donations.
As we gather with family and friends over this holiday season,
and continue to think about how to support things we hold dear,
please consider how much general aviation has enriched your life.
A donation to the AOPA Foundation
is a wonderful way to uphold our
collective responsibility to keep
this wonderful passion vibrant.
Happy holidays! mark@aopa.org
AOPA President MARK
BAKER has been flying
for more than 40 years,
using airplanes for fun,
commuting, and business.
http://foundation.aopa.org/ways-to-give http://www.aopa.org/legacy
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2022

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