While Darren Pleasance moves to an advisory role, the day-to-day operations will by led by Chief Financial Officer Jill Baker and Senior Vice President of Membership Strategy and Growth Katie Pribyl.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Fight to Recover Stinson Seized by Tribe Continues
A Minnesota pilot is fighting to get his airplane back after the Red Lake Nation seized it following an emergency landing. While he’s handling the fight on his own, he’s asking for help for an even bigger fight: Protecting the National Airspace System.
Pilots Called to Action To Lobby Against ADS-B Misuse
The AOPA is calling on general aviation pilots to contact their senators and representatives in Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA), legislation that would address growing concerns over the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, including its use by some airports to charge fees to pilots.
Flight Training Award Winners Named
The awards are based on feedback received from thousands of student pilots, newly certificated pilots, and pilots completing flight reviews or pursuing advanced certificates or ratings.
It Doesn’t Have To Be All or Nothing
Supporters lobbying to keep Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport open tell city officials that there’s room to find middle ground, noting that portions of the airport property could be redeveloped without closing the airport.
Lobbying to save KBKL begins
Officials from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) met with the offices of Ohio Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted Dec. 18, 2025, to express opposition to the proposed closure of Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL).
AOPA, GAMA make list of top lobbyists
In its annual list of Top Lobbyists in 2025, The Hill included Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy Jim Coon and Paul Feldman, Vice President of Government Affairs for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
AOPA Asks Feds For Help Retrieving GA Airplane Seized By Tribe
The aircraft, a Stinson 108, was confiscated by the Red Lake Nation, which “has refused to permit its retrieval by the owner,” citing a 1978 tribal resolution that claims jurisdiction over airspace up to 20,000 feet, and bans overflights of “any airplanes.”
GA accidents down, flight hours up
Key takeaways from the latest report from the Air Safety Institute show that in 2023 there were 1,097 general aviation accidents in the United States, including 186 that were fatal. The overall accident rate fell to 3.86 per 100,000 flight hours, down from 4.3 in 2022, and the fatal accident rate declined to 0.65 from 0.68 the year before.