I have never owned a Permit type, nor do I expect to, but I had seriously considered joining the PFA up to a couple of years ago. In that regard, I think I am probably typical of many owner/pilots of "C of A" aircraft.
AOPA in the UK is (IMHO of course) something of a disaster, apparently doing little for the average pilot, at enormous cost. AOPA's role in the extending of JAR-FCL into the world of the private pilot should go down in aviation history as one of the biggest own-goals on record. At the very best, let's be charitable about it and suggest that it doesn't publicise all the good works it does particularly effectively.
By contrast, the PFA of two or more years ago presented an upbeat can-do image. It gave the impression of being in the same corner as the owner/pilot fighting against the issues of the day. Those issues are no-less important for owners of "spamcans", beset by Mode S, PRNAV, JAR-FCL, EASA, et al, and the PFA looked like a good bet to fight our corner too.
Since then, the public perception has slipped a bit. Public infighting, bitchiness on bulletin boards, the apparent inability to listen to the membership, and a Rally that appears to be losing direction even faster than it loses money.
It would be nice to see a revamped, re-energised PFA willing and able to represent the broad church of GA owner/pilots in this country that currently lack effective representation. We are too small an interest group to divide ourselves up into taildraggers, home-builders, microlights, aerobatics pilots, foreign tourers, people with instrument ratings etc etc etc
There are a lot of people out there with spending power waiting to be represented.
2D