Plane Facts: Aviation Membership Organizations

Photo by Futureuapilot/Creative Commons

Oldest aviation club in U.S.: National Aeronautic Association (NAA)
Founded: 1905
Famous first members: Wright Brothers
Activity until 1926: Sole issuer of pilot certifications
Current activity: Overseeing & certifying all aviation records
Average records/year: 150
Other NAA offering: Circumnavigator Diploma
Diploma categories: 4; Eastbound, Westbound, Polar & Nonstop
Organization founded by Alexander Graham Bell: Aerial Experiment Association (AEA)
Years active: 1907-1909
Inventions credited: Wing-Tip Ailerons, Tricycle Gear

Largest aviation organization in the world: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
Formation: 1939
First member: Gill Robb Wilson
Organization founded by Wilson: Civil Air Patrol
AOPA Members as of 2012: 384,915
Countries represented: 75
Total fly-in events hosted: 27
Attendees since 2014:~100,000

Average annual attendees to AirVenture: ~600,000
AirVenture host: Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
Founder: Paul Poberezny, 1953
First headquarters: Paul's basement
Membership: 200,000+
Chapters: ~1,000
Countries with members: 100+

Program started by Poberezny's son, Tom: Young Eagles, 1992
Total volunteer pilots: 43,000+
Children flown: 2.3 million

Likelihood of Young Eagles becoming pilots: 5.4 times greater than nonparticipants
Young Eagles-inspired pilots who are women: 9%
Compared to general pilot population: 6%

Oldest organization for women pilots: The Ninety-Nines, 1929
Previous names: The 86s, The 97s
Charter members: 99
First president: Amelia Earhart
Worldwide chapters: 155
Countries represented: 44