AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - November 2013 - 4

PRESIDENT’S POSITION

Priorities

MARK BAKER
AOPA President and CEO

What’s job number one?
IN THE FEW WEEKS I’ve been on the job at AOPA, the
number-one thing members ask me is what I’m going
to do first. On some level, the answer is “everything.”
We will keep advocating for you in Washington,
D.C., and in the states. We’ll keep sharing great flying
stories in AOPA Pilot and Flight Training magazines.
We’ll keep you informed online and in our electronic
newsletters. And we’ll continue to offer and improve
our pilot-focused services from insurance to flight
planning.
I’ve said before that AOPA’s core mission of protecting our freedom to fly will always come first. But
there are lots of ways to fulfill that mission, and there
are a few areas that I believe deserve special emphasis right now.

We can’t allow people who know nothing about
general aviation to make decisions about what to
cut and what to keep.

AOPA PRESIDENT

Mark Baker learned
to fly in his early
twenties and has
logged more than
7,500 flight hours
in many types of
aircraft.

Sequestration is swinging around again with its
mandatory and sometimes ridiculous cost-cutting
measures. We can’t allow people who know nothing
about GA to make decisions about what to cut and
what to keep. We realize that cost cutting is inevitable, so let’s be proactive and make those cuts wisely.
We’re working with other general aviation organizations to take a hard look at FAA spending and find ways
to cut costs and save money that won’t impact safety or
reduce system access. I’m confident we can find ways to
save hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
That’s why we’re asking the FAA to look at our
ideas and propose some of its own. Although we may
sometimes disagree, one thing we all can be sure of
is that it’s better for people who use and understand
the system to have a say in what must stay and what
can go.
The AOPA-EAA joint medical petition is another top
agenda item for me. More than a year has passed since
we asked the FAA to consider expanding the “driver’s
license medical” standard to more pilots. We’ve shown
how the plan could work, we’re prepared to offer the
necessary pilot training, and we have evidence that it
won’t hurt safety. So why won’t the FAA take action?
The agency itself has said that our medical petition is
“not a priority.” But we can’t afford to wait another year

4 | AOPA PILOT November 2013

for an answer—or, worse, let the idea die a slow death
through sheer inaction. We will insist on a response
from the FAA and we won’t let the issue drop—even if
the first answer is “no.”
Another key issue for me is improving access to
airports. Changing the way we relate to airports—and
making it easier for others to enjoy them—will change
our relationship with our neighbors and communities
for the better.
To get the ball rolling, we’ll take a look at airports
that are doing it right and those that could use some
help. Then we’ll work with airport operators and managers to find ways to be better neighbors, so we can build
strong relationships with nonpilots and welcome those
with an interest in aviation.
Simple things such as inviting the neighbors over
to look around, offering picnic tables or barbecues, and
providing green space where people can watch airplanes
take off and land can help transform the role of airports
within their communities. We want people who live or
work near airports to see them as assets—not only for
the economic and business benefits they bring, but also
for the open space and family entertainment they can
provide. When you take your picnic to the airport, not
only does it become more like a public park than a public nuisance, it also gives family members of all ages the
chance to fall in love with flying.
And finally, I want to get out and talk with more
of you. That’s why we’re moving away from holding
an annual convention (“Membership News & Notes,”
page 100) and toward hosting more grassroots events at
airports around the country.
I want to meet you where you fly. I want to see and
hear your concerns and the aviation issues that affect
you. And I want to do it in a relaxed, casual atmosphere
that gives us a chance to interact. Make sure we’ve got
your email address on file so we can send an invitation
when we’re in your area. I hope you’ll come out, spend
some time with us, meet with me and other members
of our leadership team, participate in a seminar, and
share your thoughts for protecting and growing general aviation.
Ultimately, AOPA is your association, and I’m counting on your involvement to make sure we’re meeting
your flying needs.
AOPA
EMAIL mark@aopa.org

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - November 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - November 2013