It’s long been said that success breeds success and that’s certainly proving to be the case with the AOPA Flying Club Network. With assistance from AOPA Ambassadors working in conjunction with motivated aviators from coast to coast, 10 new flying clubs came to life in 2015. Another was launched in the early days of 2016.
Success does indeed breed success.
In addition to those new flying clubs, 44 existing clubs joined the network in the past year in order to take advantage of the opportunities those expanded relationships might offer, including the free scheduling software announced in this space last month.
Clearly, something is in the air and AOPA is responding to the new opportunities we see and hear of from our members.
The You Can Fly initiative was designed and intended to provide substantive support to individuals and groups who wish to found flying clubs or join existing clubs. That support has proven to pay dividends for those motivated individuals who have chosen to push forward to found new flying clubs and expand the already impressive scope of the AOPA Flying Club Network.
The benefits of flying clubs are well known and firmly established. By joining forces with other like minded aviators, pilots can lower the cost of flying, enhance the social benefit of being involved in aviation, remain current more easily, and even gain access to aircraft that might be out of reach if not for the economy of scale flying club membership allows.
With all that in mind, AOPA has begun to expand the You Can Fly program’s potential by bringing on board an additional Ambassador. This latest addition to the Flying Club Network’s resource pool is Pat Brown of Houston, Texas. His responsibilities will include interacting with and supporting the flying club network in the Texas Triangle, which includes the areas Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
“Pat has a strong connection with the aviation community in the Texas triangle,” says Les Smith, AOPA’s Senior Director of Pilot Community Development. A long time resident of the area, Pat is co-owner of a flight school in the Lone Star State and regularly flies a Cirrus he owns in partnership with a corporate pilot based in Houston.
“I’m so excited and enthused to have the opportunity to be a part of this amazing development for general aviation,” says Pat. “The triangle is such a rich aviation market filled with tremendous potential for anyone with an interest in flight.”
Pat’s passion for his work is evident by the number of flight’s he’s logged already in N103UC, a bright yellow and black Reimagined Cessna 152 that is nearly indistinguishable from its stable mate that is being given away as the You Can Fly Sweepstakes airplane this year.
If you’re in the Texas Triangle and see the prettiest C-152 you’ve ever seen sitting on the ramp, please keep your head on a swivel and be on the lookout for Pat. When you locate him, ask how he can help you find or found a flying club that would be perfect for you. He’ll be more than happy to take on that challenge.
