by Mark Baker
AOPA President and CEO
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020 issue
The last time I cleared TSA, breezed past a sea of travelers, and patiently waited for my airline flight to board from Gate A34, I didn’t expect it to be the last time for a while. But in a matter of weeks, the aviation industry has been turned upside down, and today, walking through an international airport is more reminiscent of a ghost town.
The year 2020 has proven to be a chaotic and challenging time for us in the age of COVID-19. Many businesses and industries across the country have collapsed or are a shell of what they were—a far cry from the booming economy we were experiencing just months ago. It’s hard to argue that any industry has been hit harder than the travel and tourism sector—especially commercial airlines that have been forced to ground aircraft; reduce flight frequency; and, in more extreme cases, furlough much of their workforce.
In the past month alone, we have seen some unprecedented developments. Some of the nation’s busiest air traffic control towers temporarily switched to CTAF frequencies, many flying clubs and flight schools have suspended operations, and nearly all aviation events and airshows have been postponed or canceled.
The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain largely unknown. As a CEO, I never would have expected a staff of more than 200 AOPA employees to all be sheltering in place and working remotely to keep the machine running—very successfully, I might add. However, there is a lot of good coming out of this crisis. In times of turmoil, GA comes together, and the generosity of the aviation industry never ceases to amaze me.
Many aerospace companies have stepped up assistance efforts through humanitarian flights, transporting medical resources, and even getting involved in the production aspect. Piper Aircraft was one of the first to start aiding in COVID-19 efforts with the production of personal protective equipment, such as face shields at its Vero Beach, Florida, factory. The aircraft manufacturer has since produced thousands of shields for hospitals and has donated more than 1,000 N-95 masks.
Cirrus Aircraft, Textron Aviation, Appareo, and Duncan Aviation also have shifted gears from aircraft production, avionics, and aircraft mods to healthcare. Textron began manufacturing medical face shields and is planning to make cloth masks and fabric coverings for medical professionals. Appareo is working to manufacture nearly 2,000 emergency ventilators at its facilities in North Dakota. Upholsterers at Duncan Aviation switched from crafting beautiful aircraft interiors to stitching face masks. And in Michigan, pilots are volunteering their aircraft and time to deliver much-needed medical resources to front-line professionals—just a few examples of GA’s contributions in the face of a national emergency.
AOPA and its partner organizations have been working with Congress, the FAA, and stakeholders to highlight the value and benefits of GA flying, especially during this trying time. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP study, GA contributes 1.2 million jobs and $247 billion in economic activity to the U.S. economy, making it a vital part of our transportation infrastructure and public good.
Many of our members have been affected by COVID-19 and its impact on pilot certification, proficiency requirements, knowledge test expirations, and insurance complications, leading AOPA and industry organizations to go to battle. We have called on the FAA to implement a special federal aviation regulation to address expiring certifications, currency, and training requirements. There’s been frustration with the slow pace, however I’m happy to see progress being made.
Of course, much about this pandemic and its effect on our economy remains unknown, and we are left with a wait-and-see scenario. In the meantime, AOPA is working to keep our members informed and offers distractions to the 24-hour COVID-19 news cycle. We’ve recently launched a new YouTube video series called “Pilot Lounge,” where we discuss all things aviation from inside a virtual hangar. And we continue to put out new content every day to keep members informed and engaged as we navigate through this trying time. Others are doing the same. Sporty’s Pilot Shop, for example, conducted a virtual fly-in to help keep pilots in the aviation spirit.
As we enter another month of this global pandemic, it’s clear that our daily lives have changed drastically, and none of us know when we will be back to normal, although that day will come. If there’s one good thing to take out of this crisis, it’s that we can’t take anything for granted—family, friends, or flying.
