AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2015 - 63

TOP NATIONAL ADVOCACY ISSUES FOR 2015
* Third class medical reform
* Lowering the cost of ADS-B Out
* FAA reauthorization

their lawmakers and asked them to sign on as co-sponsors-and
more than 30 elected officials in the House and Senate did just that.
Lowering the cost of ADS-B Out compliance is another top
priority. We don't want to see general aviation pilots shut out of
airspace, so we need pathways to equip for ADS-B Out ahead of the
2020 mandate. We're working closely with the FAA, other aviation groups, and avionics manufacturers to come up with solutions
that make sense, and we're seeing real progress. Already this year,
some technical issues have been addressed and we've seen new
products that could cut the cost to equip in half.

contributions cover the cost of these
valuable programs.
Your donations in 2014 supported
our Airport Support Network volunteers, along with AOPA's regional
managers (the faces of AOPA across the
country). Both groups worked tirelessly
with state and local leaders, aviation
communities, and AOPA members to
promote the value of general aviation.
In 2014, the AOPA Foundation
provided support to launch our new
regional fly-ins and the return of the
AOPA Homecoming Fly-In. Because
of generous donors, pilots and aviation
enthusiasts were able to come together
at local airports for fly-in days filled with
community building, safety training and
education, and camaraderie.
The high cost of flying has been

And let's not forget FAA reauthorization. The agency's longterm funding package runs out at the end of September, and
Congress is already taking a hard look at how to structure, and
pay for, FAA activities. We've already testified before the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and taken part in a
House Aviation Subcommittee roundtable on the subject of FAA
reauthorization, and we will continue to be very active on this
issue. The FAA needs a stable source of funding so it can complete
long-term projects such as NextGen modernization and research
into alternatives to leaded avgas. And we want that money to continue coming from excise taxes, not from user fees. But we also
want to see the FAA use its resources wisely, increasing its own
efficiency and focusing on the projects that really matter to the
safety and effectiveness of our aviation system.
It's easy to talk about federal advocacy priorities because they
affect all of us. But advocacy in the states is also critically important to the way we fly, and it's a big area of emphasis for 2015 and
beyond. This year we're tracking 530 legislative measures in all 50

a major factor in the decline of GA in
America. To bring a reliable, attractive,
cost-effective aircraft option to market, AOPA launched a program to test
the remanufacturing of Cessna 150s and
152s at very affordable prices for flying
clubs and flight schools, all in an effort
to make flying accessible to the next
generation of pilots. This program was
supported in 2014 by an anonymous
donation to the AOPA Foundation.
The AOPA Foundation also has
underwritten the popular AOPA AV8RS
program for teens ages 13 through 18.
Donations helped us raise awareness
of aviation and aerospace through education, engagement, and support-and
provided resources to develop a new
generation of pilots, aviation industry
leaders, and AOPA members.

As we move into 2015, our mission
remains highly focused as we look to
help develop aviation STEM programs
(watch for more information on this
initiative soon). In addition, the board
of the AOPA Foundation has approved
ongoing funding for the Air Safety
Institute, the You Can Fly program, the
introduction of "Reimagined Aircraft,"
regional fly-ins, and AOPA AV8RS youth
program.
Membership dues alone can't provide the support necessary to carry out
the programs that tackle the difficult
issues that GA continues to face. In fact,
we couldn't do it without the support of
our members who have made the AOPA
Foundation their charity of choice. AOPA
EMAIL james.minow@aopa.org
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 63

http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2015