Friends, 

Thank you to everyone who has participated in our 35th anniversary history publication. We’ve heard from over a thousand so far, well beyond what we could have hoped for this early in the project! Reading through some of what’s been shared, I’m reminded of what NGPA has meant for me since I became a member, and the strong community we’ve built. As one member shares in their own words, “As a longtime member of the aviation community, I had never truly felt connected to people who shared my experiences - until then [joining NGPA]. When I went to the Gotham Flyers chapter in my city. I was immediately welcomed with open arms. The person who organized the local chapter gave me invaluable guidance and insights. For the first time, I felt like I truly belonged somewhere within the aviation world. Even though it was my initial visit, they made me feel accepted and appreciated, no matter who I was or where I came from. Being part of a relatively small, close-knit community allowed the Gotham Flyers to provide a level of support and camaraderie I had been missing. At larger events, it's easy to feel lost in the crowd, but here I truly felt like I was part of something special. Looking ahead, I'd love to see the NGPA continue growing and reaching more people like myself.”  

So... here’s the background info we should have sent from the beginning. To honor NGPA's history and memorialize your experiences that have shaped our organization, we’re putting together a publication to showcase our milestones and achievements over the past three and a half decades. To do this, we are working with the publisher, PCI (Publishing Concepts), to help us gather the information we need. They will be reaching out on our behalf with information on how to participate. Participation is entirely passive and optional. If/When you call in, you’ll be asked to verify some information along with being asked to share, in your own words, what NGPA has meant to you. Similar to the above example, feel free to share as much or as little (or not at all!) as you’re comfortable. 

But what about “verifying my membership”? Well, very simply, a lot of information we have on file is out of date. Even my own profile had some old info that was no longer current. If you choose to call in, we’ve asked PCI to help us verify our records and fill in any gaps. Do not feel obligated to verify or update anything you don’t want to. Alternatively, log in to your ngpa.org profile and take advantage of self-service options.  

At the end of the call, you’ll be offered an opportunity to pre-purchase the publication. Proceeds from your purchase cover the cost of production, so the operator might offer a few different options in their pitch. No purchase is necessary if you’d only like to leave your story; just share with the operator that you are not interested in buying. Participation in memorializing our history is our only priority.