Aopa Hellas

We, the members of AOPA have Pilots’ licenses. Licenses of either private or professional level. To obtain them we have invested a significant amount of time and money. But above all we have deposited our dreams and hopes for a different way of living or a career in aviation.

We pledge not to allow anybody to take away this right to fly!

AOPA was constituted and is operating for that reason. Protecting your right to fly, as all national AOPAs have manifested worldwide.

The Pilots' Protection Program was inaugurated on 1^st September 2015 and seeks to protect this right. Protect our members from being mistreated by any authority.

Lawyers with professional experience on aviation matters and the respective legislation are ready to stand by and support any pilot. In this direction, voluntary work does not suffice. The protection must be of professional standards. We must be able to pick up a phone and call the lawyer and in turn he/ she to act instantly. Pick up the phone and request proper rationales and justifications and then move on to any legal proceedings.

Our member must have the feeling that there is someone beside him /her, a lawyer who knows aviation rules and is ready to intervene in any circumstances, wherever the mistreated pilot is, irrespective of time and day, especially on non-working hours and days when he is more likely to be needed.

When the participant of the Program faces mistreatment from a public service or individual, he/she should not become frustrated and angry.

He / She should contact with the advocate that handles the legal coverage of the members of AOPA HELLAS on the phone 6980385231 - 2106447015.

And then the pilot is free from the anxiety and stress. From that moment on, the lawyer will take over. The pilot will not pay anything, file any application or supply any document.

In the event of someone calling him/ her about the case, the answer will simply be “Please contact my lawyer”.

HOW IT WORKS:

(1). The Pilots Protection Program is not compulsory. It applies only to those who have registered to this and have paid the extra fee, together with their basic subscription, done via the AOPA HELLAS site. Non-AOPA members are not covered by this Program. AOPA members who have not subscribed to the Pilots Protection Program are not covered.

(2). This Program is not compulsory. It is an extra option and as such there is an extra fee of 36 euros per year to cover its costs. This fee is on top of the annual member’s fee.

(3). Corporate members can join the Program with the same terms and conditions. The cost for corporate members is 300 euro per year.

(4). Steps to take when help is needed:

When a pilot member covered by this Program suffers any mistreatment or unaccepted behavior by any public servant of the national Aviation Authority or any other authority, affecting his legal right to flight, he should:

1. NOT escalate the situation in a bad temper or manner but remain calm.
2. DO mention at the moment of incident that he/ she feels mistreated and will proceed to any legal action necessary to claim his/ her rights.
3. DO ask for the names and telephone numbers of the involved authorities / individuals. DO ask for written explanations / justifications for the treatment.
4. DO comply to the requests of the authorities regardless whether any names / telephones will be given and proceed to his / her flying duties or cancel them.
5. DO call immediately the legal office of AOPA HELLAS on the +30 210 729 5060 and report the incident. Possibly the AOPA legal office may require more details later, but the user’s burden stops there. No papers, no bureaucracy, no more trouble for the member of the Program.

The pilot can forget the incident and let the lawyers handle the case.

What happens next:

After the initial call of the member, the legal office will call approximately within 1 hour, the public servant involved and his / her supervisor and will demand explanations. If the incident takes place during non-working days or hours the phone calls will be made on the first working day.

If the phone calls do not resolve the issues then legal proceedings will be initiated.

The user will have feedback but nothing else until the day of the court hearings.

(5). Note that the Program is activated only if the PIC who is declared in the flight plan has subscribed to the Program. If the pilot has not subscribed to this Program he / she has no right to legal protection.

The Program does not cover a flight if only a passenger happens to be member of the Program.

(6). The Program covers the user from the minute that he / she has registered. It does not provide protection from events occurred before the registration.

(7). We kindly remind you, that for the Program to be activated, the user must first be financially cleared (has paid basic subscription) and has requested via the site or by email the option paying the extra fee. Only then does the Program apply.