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Former AOPA CEO Encourages Members to Enact Change

Darren Pleasance commits to supporting GA's future.

Monday, May 11, 2026 at 04:10 PM ET

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Plane + Pilot editor-in-chief Cayla McLeod has a sit-down interview with former AOPA president and CEO Darren Pleasance in Valdez, Alaska. [Credit: Cayla McLeod]

Key Takeaways:

Former AOPA President Darren Pleasance, in his first interview since leaving, discussed key challenges facing general aviation, including the unleaded fuel transition and the misuse of ADS-B.
He characterized his time leading AOPA as a "dream job" for an aviation enthusiast and stressed the organization's critical mission for the future of GA.
Pleasance urged AOPA members to remain engaged, support the organization, and help shape its future, expressing confidence in the new leadership while noting that more changes are still needed.

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During a recent interview with Plane + Pilot’s Cayla McLeod in Valdez, Alaska, former AOPA president and CEO Darren Pleasance discussed the issues facing the future of general aviation and the importance of a robust organization to advocate for solutions just months after being removed from leadership.

In one of the first conversations since leaving the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Pleasance talked about his time serving as the organization’s head, pointing to the strenuous role in a seven-day-a-week job for much of the year but adding that it remains a dream job for an aviation enthusiast.

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