After being a member of Airplane Owner and Pilot’s Association for more than 12 years, today I finally got around to canceling my membership. I first joined AOPA when I started seriously considering taking flying lessons in the early summer of 1999. Of course, I began my lessons later that summer and got my license on April 3, 2000. I flew on and off until 9/11 after which flying became more complicated and I couldn’t fly frequently enough to stay current. I maintained my membership over the next decade because AOPA is a good¬†organization, but also because I worked hard to get my pilot’s license, and being a member of AOPA was a reminder of what I had achieved.
But the truth is, I almost never use its services any more. They produce a great magazine that I receive monthly and end up tossing almost right away because I have no time to read it. (The last few months, I’ve been giving the magazine to the Little Man because he likes the pictures of the airplanes.) So I called them this morning, expecting the customer service¬†representative to talk my out of my cancellation. In truth, the conversation went much like this:
Customer service: How can we help you today?
Me: I’d like to cancel my membership as of my next renewal.
CS: Okay, are you no longer flying?
Me: Not for ten years now.
CS: I understand. I’ve taking you off automatic renewals and your membership will end at the end of July.
Me: Great, thank you.
CS: Have a nice day.
It’s bittersweet, of course. I was (and am) very proud of the fact that I became a pilot. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
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