For three days in early February the south hangar at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida, was packed with visitors. They were seated in long rows of folding chairs, and stood on the gleaming painted hangar floor. Everyone faced the raised platform near the eastern wall, paying rapt attention to the reminiscing of three […]
General aviation as an asset
There were six of us sitting around the table. The local economic development council had just announced the hiring of a new executive director, and the new guy was making the rounds to meet and greet as many people as he could before his official start date rolled around. So the city manager, two directors, […]
Bringing out the big guns — with a smile
In North Platte, Nebraska, they celebrate NEBRASKAland Days in June. Driggs, Idaho, pulls out all the stops for Summerfest in July. In Johnstown, Pennsylvania, they mark the joys of summer with Thunder in the Valley, and Salley, South Carolina, hosts the Chitlin Strut in November. The point is this: Regardless of where you live, there […]
The problem with the press
Periodically I give readers a peek into the political world I inhabit. The intent is to provide some context for the battle ahead of you if you try to buck the tide in even the slightest way. Bringing radical new ideas to the table, like making the most of your local general aviation airport by […]
Making the airport work for all of us
Like a lot of cities and towns in America, my city has a program in place that is designed to help business professionals segue into becoming civic leaders. The program is called, fittingly enough, Leadership Winter Haven, and it is operated through the local Chamber of Commerce. It is a formalized, seven-month long program that […]
Introducing the Polk Aviation Alliance
It’s never too early to start planning for Sun ‘n Fun’s annual fly-in. This 38th edition of a great general aviation event presents the folks at Sun ‘n Fun, the aviation community, and each individual aviation enthusiast with the opportunity to really make something of the new year. And we here in Polk County, Florida, […]
This network is open for business
A simple message can have far-reaching impact — just ask the readers of GeneralAviationNews.com, who have found a way of networking online. Now, there was a time not so long ago when the means to communicate a message was far less user friendly than it is today. Originally, the only way to let others know […]
Let’s make 2012 a year to remember
This Sunday night marks a watershed moment here on Earth. On this side of midnight is 2011, the year we’ve been working with for the past 12 months. All that ends when the little hand and the big hand arrive at the straight up position on the big wall clock Sunday night because, arriving simultaneously […]
First responders and pilots
Pilots are bold, confident people for the most part. We train to maintain our cool under pressure, be technologically adept at dealing with the machine entrusted to us, and maintain a state of safety consciousness above all else. Yeah, we’re cool. Barney Fife was not a pilot. The character portrayed so expertly by Don Knotts […]