When you donate to the Pilots for Pilots (P4P) Fund, you’re helping your fellow ALPA members and their families. As part of this summer’s 717 Club donation campaign, ALPA reached out to seven of the pilots who have received grants from P4P in the recent past to share their stories. Click here to donate today and make sure the next pilot who needs help gets it. Remember, we’re all just a disaster away from needing P4P.

Today is National Aviation Day, a national U.S. observation on the anniversary of Orville Wright’s birthday to celebrate the development of aviation. The industry has come a long way since this day was originally commemorated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, and even more so since Wilbur Wright’s first flight attempt in 1903. 

One thing is for sure: aviation will never stop advancing. By it’s very nature, this industry was intended to soar. 

When Hurricane Hermine landed last year, it pushed four to six inches of salt water throughout the home of Capt. John Valine (Delta). “The damage was devastating,” he said. “Every possession we owned that was within five inches of the floor was now damaged by salt water.”

Capt. Nick Esposito (United) saw his house directly hit by Hurricane Matthew, with 100-knot-plus winds, inundating rains, and an 8- to 12-foot storm surge. Flooding, significant tree loss, and driving rain significantly damaged his house and disrupted his family’s lives for more than six months.

ALPA capped off its highly successful return to this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh convention and fly-in with its Women Fly event. Hundreds of young women lined up to attend the Friday night event, which served as a wonderful opportunity to bring these aviator hopefuls together with a core group of ALPA female pilots to talk about their start in the piloting profession and the love for flying for a living. ALPA general manager and former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver moderated the event and surprised the entire group with arranging a special visit from Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who dropped by to lend his support.
 
All of ALPA’s week-long Oshkosh activities were organized to help the Association better connect and engage with the larger aviation community. ALPA resource coordinator Capt. Paul Ryder (XJT) took part in a press conference announcing a new coalition, Aviation Works for You, to promote all kinds of aviation job opportunities to school kids. ALPA national education committee chair F/O Mark Haley (UAL) spoke to a packed house about a day in the life of an airline pilot. And not far away, dozens of ALPA pilot volunteers reached out to hundreds of Oshkosh attendees at an information booth located in the events Education and Career Center.