One of my cooler life experiences was being picked up by a friend after landing at the airport in El Salvador. Instead of driving to the airport, he flew there. We hopped in his plane and took a tour of the country at a few thousand feet. Then we landed at another airport and drove to his house (it was almost as long a drive as it would have been from the original airport). While most of think of people who “have a plane” as billionaires with private jets, the reality is that a lot of normal people have and fly plaines. That’s why the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has hundreds of thousands of members. It’s a Frederick, MD based non-profit that “is the largest, most influential general aviation association in the world.” The organization acts as a “beacon for those who cherish the freedom to fly.”

Pilot Your Future

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association was founded in 1939 to keep “general aviation safe, fun, and affordable.” The organization does this in a number of ways. Advocacy is definitely one of the major focus areas, but they also offer education and events that support General Aviation. Just browsing AOPA’s website will give you a much better sense of why and how they support the freedom to fly. If you want to support that cause, head over to AOPA’s Careers page. Their current openings include Accounting Technician, Pilot Community and Development Coordinator, and Member Services and Airport Directory Representative.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• AOPA.org
• Jobs at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• About the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s History
• Management at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association News

What’s the smallest plane that you’ve flown on?

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