AOPA decided some time ago that they could encourage far better outcomes with CASA by working with them on important issues and that has been an effective way of doing business for GA for some time now.
I've intermittently been a member of AOPA since 1973. Its trotted out this line as long as I can remember and in that time things for GA have gotten worse and its hard to point to indelible changes achieved by AOPA.
Over that time we have seen other special interest groups come and go who did not take such a kumbaya attitude but did make some inroads.
Dick Smith (pre CASA in the "2 years in the aviation hall of doom"
Two Years in the Aviation Hall of Doom) era and Boyd Munro
www.airsafety.com.au - Aviation reform without needless change come to mind.
We even needed an Ameican (John Deakin) to blow the whistle on the appalling job that was done on the Whyalla Chieftan accident.
Pelican's Perch #57:<br>The Whyalla Report — Junk Science? - AVweb Features Article
AOPA did not make a submission to the Senate Pel-air inquiry (although a past president did)
Lately, have we seen signs of AOPA supporting GA against CASA in issues like the John Quadrio affair?
At the moment the strongest voice for GA seem to be the Regional airline association via Jeff Boyd
A Bridge Too Far | Pro Aviation. They don't seem to share the softly softly approach.
Where have we seen this sort of advocacy from AOPA?