Frank Gilanelli, president of Barton Gilanelli & Associates (BGA), says the number of pilots in the US has declined from about 800,000 post-World War II to about 610,000 currently.
The Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA), which has about 410,000 members worldwide, hired BGA to extol the benefits of learning to fly and to debunk myths that it's a costly, complicated, and lengthy process.
"They needed a consumer program because membership for AOPA will grow as we can get more people interested ...