AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2023 - 14

AOPA ACTION
VIEW FROM CAPI TOL HILL /
Testing our mettle
Getting through the complex
legislative process
BY JIM COON / Senior Vice President,
Government Affairs and Advocacy
AOPA Foundation Legacy Society member
AL FRED, LORD TENNYSON'S The Charge of the Light Brigade is
a classic, and one of my favorite poems. Its meaning is steeped
in honor and sacrifice worthy of those 600 soldiers who rode
into battle against great and overwhelming odds. And while combat
and the legislative process are not even close to being in the
same category, both require passion, perseverance, persistence,
preparation, planning, execution, and the ability to adjust when
necessary. The massive aviation bill that is up for renewal this
year, commonly referred to as the FAA reauthorization, will test
all these attributes.
The value your AOPA membership brings is a result of these
attributes. An organization that provides aviation legal services to
pilots when needed; advice on navigating the FAA's medical processes;
an information center with a team in Frederick, Maryland,
that will answer all your aviation-related questions; aircraft financing
products; safety training and education; a STEM aviation
curriculum for high school students; scholarships to help advance
aviation education; programs to get rusty pilots back in the air;
resources to help pilots across the country establish flying clubs
to reduce costs and create a sense of community; an airport directory
to help you in your preflight planning; world-class magazines;
one of the top advocacy teams in the country fighting every single
day for you and for general aviation; and much more. That has
value if you love aviation.
I have mentioned this in previous columns, but what we have
today-the freedom to fly-didn't just happen. Many before us, many
today, and many to come, young and old, have fought and will have
to fight for this freedom. It is what makes AOPA what it is, an organization
helping to influence the success of a community with a desire
and passion for flying and one that realizes hard work still pays off.
AOPA and our members are not complacent. When something
needs to be addressed, we address it. We don't take credit for the
work of other organizations; we wear out shoe leather; we work
with policy makers and decision makers at the local, state, federal,
and international levels to tackle the issues that sometimes seem,
well, misplaced. Is it easy? Do we win every battle? Of course not,
but it's well worth it at the end of the day. We do this advocacy
work on behalf of our members with leadership at the top, with
facts, and with professional persistence. It's how we moved third
14
AOPA PILOT / April 2023
class medical reform. It's how we stopped the airline takeover of
our ATC system. It's how we win battles every day.
The needs of general aviation have never been more important
than they are in 2023. And our commitment to making sure your
voice is heard has never been more focused. Getting through the
complex and massive reauthorization process takes countless
hours working with members of Congress on both sides of the
aisle. We are already engaging in several areas.
Have you been shocked at the number and amount of fees
many chain FBOs charge because of a lack of competition? If so,
get on board. How can one justify access to a public-use airport
wherein pilots are then required to pay a private business even
when they don't need or want the services provided? There is no
reason why pilots should not have access to public transient ramp
space where a reasonable tiedown fee can be administered. If you
agree, get on board. Are you on a hangar waiting list? Has your airport
decided to demolish your T-hangar and build something else,
leaving you and your aircraft in the wind, rain, sun, and snow? Has
there been a lack of investment in your local airport? If so, join us.
We often talk about the need to address the pilot shortage, but
we face challenges today with getting students signed off with their
checkride. By making designated pilot examiners more available
and accessible to the pilot community, we'll alleviate the backlog
and get more deserving pilots into the skies. If you agree, let's ride!
As Tennyson's poem suggests, many of the soldiers rode into the
valley not knowing their ultimate fate, but did so for a cause they
believed in. Similarly, as we advocate for general aviation, we honor
the charge of those who fought before us by continuing their efforts.
AOPA President Mark Baker will be reaching out to you soon to join
our collective effort to engage in and support the pursuit of promoting
and protecting not only our
freedom to fly but for fairness
and common sense, so that
current and future aviators
and enthusiasts will experience
all that general aviation
and AOPA has to offer. It's an
honor to fight alongside you.
jim.coon@aopa.org
JIM COON joined AOPA in
2014. He spent 25 years on
Capitol Hill in several senior
staff positions, including
staff director for the U.S.
House of Representatives
Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure.
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - April 2023

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