Jim Coon

Jim Coon is the Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Advocacy for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), where he is responsible for the implementation of the organizations political, legislative, and regulatory initiatives and policies before Congress, federal agencies, state legislatures, and international organizations.  He joined AOPA in 2014 and is a student pilot.

He has more than three decades of experience working with Congress and the aviation industry including a distinguished 25-year career on Capitol Hill where he held the role of staff director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  During his service on the Hill he played a large part in developing major transportation policies and legislation and was recognized by Roll Call as one of the top five transportation staffers to know.

Jim also served in leadership roles for the National Air Transportation Association, The Boeing Company, and the Air Transport Association (now A4A).  In 2021, Jim was named a top lobbyist by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics (NILE) for his impact and effectiveness on behalf of General Aviation.

He also serves as Secretary General for the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), which was established in 1964 to facilitate the movement of general aviation aircraft internationally.  It is a nonprofit federation of over 80 autonomous national general aviation organizations around the globe.  IAOPA was accepted as the sole general aviation observer to the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), a distinction the organization maintains to this day.

Additionally, Jim also serves on the Board of the Aero Club of Washington.

He received a degree in Urban Planning from Virginia Tech and served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army Reserves and Virginia Army National Guard.