Should I renew AOPA membership?

[Flying h4x0r]

How many of you guys are AOPA members? Is there anything about it you find useful?

My membership expires this month, and I'm thinking of letting it expire without renewing. The only useful service were the TFR alert emails, but I haven't really looked into any of their services (insurance, legal, medical, etc.) Do you guys find these other services useful or are they a rip off?

I'm really getting annoyed by their spam through email and regular mail. Makes them seem so desperate and gives me the feeling that the whole thing is a scam.

 

[Jim Logajan]

How many of you guys are AOPA members?

I'm a member of AOPA, EAA, and SSA. Compared to other aviation related expenses being a member of all three is peanuts.

Is there anything about it you find useful?

Magazine is so-so. I'm in it for their lobbying. No one here who has complained of their lobbying efforts has proposed reasonable alternatives.

For example: right now there is a debate in D.C. about charging a $100 per flight fee on "corporate jets." At first blush that wouldn't seem to affect most of us so why should we care? But ever wonder what it will lead to? And what kind of new paper-work we might have to deal with in order to avoid our flights from getting tagged with that fee should it or something like it appear?

If you know where else your pennies would keep the bureaucratic monsters at bay, send them there. And let us know where that is so we can do the same.

 

[Jim Logajan]

I may have missed it but, unfortunately Wayne, I don't think AOPA responds to any issues brought to their attention on their forum. Many people have brought up issues like this one and the only response I've seen is crickets.



$1.00 is too much IF they're pi$$ing it away.

Looks like they need $32 of that $40 to cover the cost of the magazine. Ads and other income are needed to pay for "advocacy" and such. Their financials don't give any indication of effectiveness one way or another, but is the first place one should start:

http://www.aopa.org/info/governance/2010_AOPA_Audited_Financials.pdf

 

[Jim Logajan]

The problem, to me, is not them failing to note what they've done, its taking credit for other people's work.

That would indeed be an odd thing: failing to take credit for what you've accomplished on one hand and taking credit for the work of others on the other hand.

Do you have specific examples in mind?

I can see and understand anger when AOPA fails or screws up in a battle over an issue of personal interest, and I can understand annoyance at being constantly solicited for money, but I'm personally too lazy to get angry or expend hatred toward such entities. Good to see others have more energy than me! :wink2:

In the grand scope of human affairs, I categorize the AOPA in with the good-guys. Priority-wise I'm willing to send them $40 a year for their magazine, Vref, safety activities, and such services - while making sure that I donate more toward charities helping the less fortunate.