AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - June 2020 - 6

PRESIDENT'S POSITION

An industry rallying
together

BY MARK BAKER
President and CEO

General aviation responds to the pandemic

Normally an avid
general aviation
traveler,
MARK BAKER

is hunkered down
at home, with
occasional solo
flights in his Piper
Super Cub.

6 | AOPA PILOT June 2020

THE LAST TIME I CLEARED TSA, breezed past a sea of travelers, and patiently waited for my airline flight to board
from Gate A34, I didn't expect it to be the last time for a
while. But in a matter of weeks, the aviation industry has
been turned upside down, and today, walking through an
international airport is more reminiscent of a ghost town.
The year 2020 has proven to be a chaotic and challenging time for us in the age of COVID-19. Many
businesses and industries across the country have collapsed or are a shell of what they were-a far cry from
the booming economy we were experiencing just
months ago. It's hard to argue that any industry has been
hit harder than the travel and tourism sector-especially
commercial airlines that have been forced to ground
aircraft; reduce flight frequency; and, in more extreme
cases, furlough much of their workforce.
In the past month alone, we have seen some unprecedented developments. Some of the nation's busiest air
traffic control towers temporarily switched to CTAF
frequencies, many flying clubs and flight schools have
suspended operations, and nearly all aviation events and
airshows have been postponed or canceled.
The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
remain largely unknown. As a CEO, I never would have
expected a staff of more than 200 AOPA employees to
all be sheltering in place and working remotely to keep
the machine running-very successfully, I might add.
However, there is a lot of good coming out of this crisis.
In times of turmoil, GA comes together, and the generosity of the aviation industry never ceases to amaze me.
Many aerospace companies have stepped up assistance efforts through humanitarian flights, transporting
medical resources, and even getting involved in the production aspect. Piper Aircraft was one of the first to start
aiding in COVID-19 efforts with the production of personal protective equipment such as face shields in its
Vero Beach, Florida, factory. The aircraft manufacturer
has since produced thousands of shields for hospitals
and has donated more than 1,000 N95 masks.
Cirrus Aircraft, Textron Aviation, Appareo, and
Duncan Aviation also have shifted gears from aircraft production, avionics, and aircraft mods to healthcare. Textron
began manufacturing medical face shields and is planning to make cloth masks and fabric coverings for medical
professionals. Appareo is working to manufacture nearly

2,000 emergency ventilators in the state of North Dakota.
Upholsterers at Duncan Aviation switched from crafting
beautiful aircraft interiors to stitching face masks. And in
Michigan, pilots are volunteering their aircraft and time
to deliver much-needed medical resources to front-line
professionals-just a few examples of GA's contributions
in the face of a national emergency.
AOPA and its partner organizations have
been working with Congress, the FAA, and stakeholders to highlight the value and benefits of GA
flying, especially during this trying time. According to
a PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP study, GA contributes
1.2 million jobs and $247 billion in economic activity to
the U.S. economy, making it a vital part of our transportation infrastructure and public good.
Many of our members have been affected by
COVID-19 and its impact on pilot certification, proficiency requirements, knowledge test expirations, and
insurance complications, leading AOPA and industry organizations to go to battle. We have called on the
FAA to implement a special federal aviation regulation
to address expiring certifications, currency, and training requirements (see "Action: GA is Vital to Economy,"
p. 12). There's been frustration with the slow pace, however I'm happy to see progress being made.
Of course, much about this pandemic and its effect on
our economy remains unknown, and we are left with a
wait-and-see scenario. In the meantime, AOPA is working to keep our members informed and offers distractions
to the 24-hour COVID-19 news cycle. We've recently
launched a new YouTube video series called "Pilot
Lounge" where we discuss all things aviation from inside
a virtual hangar. And we continue to put out new content
every day to keep members informed and engaged as we
navigate through this trying time. Others are doing the
same-Sporty's Pilot Shop, for example, conducted a virtual fly-in to help keep pilots in the aviation spirit.
As we enter another month of this global pandemic,
it's clear that our daily lives have changed drastically,
and none of us know when we will be back to normal,
although that day will come. If there's one good thing
to take out of this crisis, it's that we can't take anything
for granted-family, friends, or flying.
AOPA
EMAIL mark@aopa.org

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - June 2020

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