Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a non-profit association devoted to universal aviation and was amalgamated on 15, May in 1939.

Since the twitch, AOPA has battled to protect the liberty to fly while keeping universal aviation affordable, safe and fun. Progression in the initial years was sluggish, but by 2010 additional 400,000 persons were AOPA associates.

Today's vigorous and mounting AOPA is a far yelp from the initial years. As part of a contract struck through Ziff-Davis Publishing Corporation even before amalgamation, AOPA would have a distinct section in all month's Prevalent Aviation, the precursor of Flying monthly, to communicate with its associates. Ziff-Davis drove a tough bargain, nevertheless, with a clause that endangered cancellation of the contract if AOPA membership did not reach 2,500 in first year.

Even the title of the Association used to be "up in the air" till just before amalgamation. The 5 establishing fathers met in the month of April 1939, to work out details, and expended hours disputing over an accurate name for the association. Founder P.T. Sharples preferred "Pilots, Incorporated" to provide the group a severe tone revealing of a business-like methodology. Other assemblies at the time encompassed the Sportsman Pilots Association (SPA), Private Fliers Association (PFA), the Association for the Advancement of Aeronautics (AAA), the Private Pilots Association (PPA), the United Pilots and Mechanics Association (UPMA), and the American Pilots League (APL).

The discussion over what to plea the not-yet-amalgamated group stormed on, well into the dusk. Lastly, founder C. Townsend Ludington gaped by this period it was about 2:30 in the morning. He announced, the name, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. All others agreed to it.

J.B. Hartranft was the AOPA's first member, taking the designation executive director and replacing the workplaces from Philadelphia to Chicago, which is right next to Ziff-Davis publishing house. Beginning there, Hartranft propelled a tumultuous of activity to help private flyers.