Harrison Ford does a lot for AOPA.
And I fully agree. If some of those people stood up for aviation openly it might help a LOT. People are like that, they flock after famous people like lemmings. Some of them use this to the advantage of the hobbies they love, which is certainly what I'd do if I had the chance. Not too many people have the public exposure to make a real difference, but these people do.
What bugs me is that some of them seem to be almost ashamed to be part of the flying community... why I wonder.
Instead it can help both with public perception (if xxx flies small planes, they can't be that bad, can they?) and with recruiting youngsters to the flock. Those who have done things like that, usually report it is a very satisfying experience.
I did hear that a well known German comedian once got asked by the flying club at his local airfield to openly take sides in a dispute with the local tree huggers. He had stayed out as he tought that his contribution could actually damage the cause, but when he did enter, he managed to get the whole issue dismissed in one evening. THAT is the kind of thing we need in todays hostile anti GA world.