The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and SiriusXM have reached a new agreement that will support AOPA Air Safety Institute programs and feature SiriusXM Aviation services in the AOPA You Can Fly Ambassador Program that educates and engages pilots with the aim to build a stronger, more vibrant pilot community.
“AOPA is thrilled to be collaborating with SiriusXM,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Marketing Jiri Marousek. “We believe their detailed in-flight weather information will enhance pilot safety and situational awareness whether the pilot is on the ramp pre-flight, at 1,500 feet, or FL450.”
AOPA is the world’s largest aviation community representing more than 320,000 active members, including more than two-thirds of all private pilots in the United States.
SiriusXM offers pilots and their passengers aviation weather and information services. Delivered to the cockpit by satellite, SiriusXM weather has no altitude or line of sight restrictions and is available throughout the continental United States, as well as many parts of Canada.
SiriusXM Aviation weather and audio is available on select Garmin receivers and displays, on the Garmin Pilot app, and on the ForeFlight app.
Pilots subscribing to SiriusXM Aviation services can also add SiriusXM’s audio entertainment channels at a discounted rate, giving them access to commercial free music, live sports, news, talk, comedy and more while flying.
“We are very pleased to work with AOPA — an organization that is clearly respected by pilots nationwide — and support their important efforts to help pilots fly safely and make informed decisions,” said Dave Wasby, Vice President, Aviation, Marine, and Music for Business for SiriusXM. “This agreement will help more pilots learn about the value of our aviation services, which provide the best graphical weather information available from wheels up to wheels down.”
AOPA members will benefit from SiriusXM’s support of AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI) seminars, which qualify as the ground portion of the FAA WINGS program, association officials noted. ASI conducts roughly 200 free live safety seminars across the country each year, which cover topics such as aeronautical decision making, GPS operations, fuel management, IFR operations, takeoffs and landings, navigation charts and weather. Pilots who attend these presentations are taught by an experienced group of instructors how to avoid the most common types of accidents.
SiriusXM will also showcase its satellite weather service in the aircraft flown by AOPA’s You Can Fly Ambassadors. Ambassadors visit airports nationwide to meet with flight schools and flying clubs and host seminars, bringing AOPA’s resources directly to the pilot community with the aim of making flying more accessible, affordable, and enjoyable, AOPA officials explain.