IAOPA Holds 31st Assembly in Germany, Elects Katie Pribyl as First Female President
Why It MattersThe assembly's resolutions on risk-based medical standards, lighter regulation and proportionate ICAO rules show general aviation advocacy groups pressing a coordinated international agenda on licensing, airspace access and operating cost.
The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) held its thirty-first assembly in Germany, hosted by AOPA Germany. More than 100 attendees took part, including AOPA delegates from 25 countries, government officials, and industry representatives, to address challenges and opportunities for general aviation (GA) worldwide. IAOPA was established in 1962 by AOPA U.S. and pilot groups from Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and South Africa, and has since grown into a global organization of more than 80 AOPA affiliates. It was granted observer status at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) proceedings in 1964 and retains it today.
AOPA acting Co-President Katie Pribyl addressed the assembly, outlining initiatives including the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification, medical reforms, the transition to unleaded fuels, and EASA's GA Flightpath 2030+, which focuses on safety, airspace regulations, and other GA priorities. Delegates also heard from FAA representatives. Pribyl said IAOPA gives general aviation one voice internationally, noting that decisions made at ICAO and elsewhere affect airport and airspace access, licensing and medicals, and the cost of flying.
The two-day program included panel discussions on aviation standards development, medical reforms for private pilots, the aviation maintenance workforce, cross-border reciprocity to avoid duplicative rules, future fuels and new propulsion systems, and GA safety. In the business meeting, delegates debated and approved several resolutions, including implementing risk-based medical standards for private pilots, reducing regulatory burdens on GA operators, and encouraging ICAO to impose timely and proportionate international standards. IAOPA Secretary General Jim Coon, who is also senior vice president of government affairs and advocacy for AOPA in the United States, said the issues facing GA in the U.S. are similar around the world. Michael Erb, executive director of AOPA Germany, said the strength of IAOPA has always been its worldwide network of AOPA organizations.
Delegates elected Pribyl to fill the vacancy of IAOPA president, making her the first woman to hold the position. The event also included a meeting at Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, where attendees were invited to fly the Pipistrel Velis Electro or take a sightseeing flight with local AOPA members.
