On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 00:47:13 GMT "James Blakely" wrote:

Is it just me, or is it that AOPA is starting to ignore the Spam-can pilot?
I've been a member for about 5 years now and each year, the airplane they
give away becomes more impractical. They claim the Waco is worth $200k but
it is a day VFR only aircraft. How useful is that? Now, next year, they
are giving away a twin. What percentage of pilots have a ME ticket? How
many could get insurance?


The past few give-a-ways seem to have been more fun for the writers and
pilots then for the winners. AOPA actually had an article about the past
winners and the planes. They followed some of the planes' paper trail.
Very few planes are still in the hands of the winners.


It is not just the airplanes either. I used to think that the AOPApilot
magazine was one of the best. Now, almost half of it is dedicated to
turbine operations. I do not see a turbine in my future at all.

Half sounds like an exageration is it really that high?


It really seems to me like AOPA is moving away from the weekend pilot and
moving toward the semi-professional pilot. It seems to me that they are
just supporting part 91 operations just because that is where most
professional pilots get their start.


I disagree.



So, what do you think?



Send them your comments and suggestions for what you'd like to see in
their mag.

I like that magazine, but like all flying rags it's obviously a stretch for
them to write interesting stuff month in and month out. In general I like
the AOPA mag.


R. Hubbell