The path to my career as a commercial
pilot will require me to spend a chunk of time building flight hours. This will likely mean that I will spend some
time working as a flight instructor teaching other students. Some aviation organizations that would be
beneficial to be a part of would include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
(AOPA) and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). AOPA is a group that focuses mainly on
general aviation and factors associated with that however it looks good to a
potential company to see that the person they are looking at hiring has a
passion for aviation beyond wanting to make a career of it. This would be a good way to have your actions
speak louder than your words when in an interview. AOPA also has many benefits including offering
legal services, training sessions, insurance and many other services that have
to do with general aviation. They are
the voice for protecting the rights of general aviation pilots and have been
for many years.
The
Air Line Pilots Association is similar to AOPA only they focus on matters that
have to do with airlines and pilots of airlines. Being a member of ALPA would be a great
resource to use to stay current with aviation news that may have an impact on
my career path. It would benefit me to
join this organization since they represent a large number of airline
pilots. They concern themselves with
major issues that the airline industry faces.
Currently one of the issues they are fighting is the unfair advantage
the Gulf Air Carriers have over domestic carriers because they are receiving unfair
subsidies that could threaten domestic jobs.
Being a member of an organization that helps fight issues like this
would be very beneficial since they may help fight for my job at some point. The issues that ALPA brings up would also
keep me informed about what I can do to stay ahead of issues in my career. These are just some of the benefits that
joining these two organizations would bring for me and my career path.
References:
About AOPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2015,
from http://www.aopa.org/About-AOPA
A Strong Voice for Airline Pilots. (n.d.). Retrieved April
13, 2015, from http://www.alpa.org/AboutALPA/WhoWeAre/tabid/2030/Default.aspx
Pilot Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2015, from
http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources
Ready To Launch Your Aviation Career? (n.d.). Retrieved April
13, 2015, from http://www.clearedtodream.org/
Reed, T. (2014, November 19). Virgin America Pilots Look to
Join Air Line Pilots Association. Retrieved April 13, 2015, from http://www.thestreet.com/story/12960111/1/virgin-america-pilots-look-to-join-air-line-pilots-association.html
Trautvetter, C. (2014, March 31). AOPA Offers Educational
Aviation Seminars at Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In. Retrieved April 13, 2015, from
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/sun-n-fun/2014-03-31/aopa-offers-educational-aviation-seminars-sun-n-fun-fly
From what we have been told, while in class, and the research we have done on professional organizations, AOPA and ALPA are both great organizations. Being a member of either of the organizations, will help you network yourself, and that alone will help you find a job in the industry.
ReplyDeleteJoining a professional organization is a great way to learn about different aviation careers from people who actually work in aviation.
ReplyDeleteI also wrote about AOPA and ALPA, they are both very important to be a part of in our profession. Writing this blog and reading others has helped remind me just how much these organizations offer.
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