Just shy of a year ago I launched on a new endeavor. It was an exciting task. It was unique. It was a bit daunting, too. In all the world there was only one other person doing what I was doing on a full-time basis, and she was nearly 3,000 miles away. Kay Sundaram took the […]
Politics for Pilots
Can I have your autograph?
Hanging just above the desk in my office is a lithograph called “The Dealer.” The artist’s signature is included just below his mustachioed nose. It’s a self-portrait of Kurt Vonnegut, a profoundly influential writer who did more than anyone else to push me in the direction of the literary arts. Beside it is a thank-you […]
Clique me
This past Friday I enjoyed the company of nearly a hundred close friends, most of whom I’d never met before. The event that brought us together at Gilbert Field (KGIF) in Winter Haven, Florida, was the annual meeting of the Seaplane Pilots Association. Members gather for this once-a-year event, arriving by land, sea, and air. […]
Putting customer service back in GA leads to success
Hendry County, Florida, is situated in the vast no-man’s land just north of the Everglades and west of Lake Okeechobee. Approximately equivalent in size to Rhode Island, the entire county hosts a population of barely 38,000 people. That being the case, this agricultural wonderland might not be the first place you’d think to find a […]
Beware bumper sticker politics
My wife and I were having a perfectly lovely time. We were situated in a corner booth at Egg Haven, one of my home town’s more popular eateries, as our waitress whirled through the room with an energy level that seemed impossibly high for a Sunday morning. We were engaged in an activity long time […]
Better than a sharp stick in the eye
Whatever you might think about how your airport operates, or how the local FBO sets its rates, or if it’s time to build a tower at your field or remained non-towered, eventually you’re going to disagree with the folks in charge. Alternatively, if you are one of the folks in charge, you’re going to disagree with […]
Get mission oriented
Regardless of the endeavor, success comes as a result of focus, determination, and persistence. Admittedly, that’s not exactly a revolutionary idea. The steps required to facilitate those points are somewhat more mysterious, however. Many an entrepreneur has failed even though their idea, product, or the service they intended to deliver was well suited to the […]
General aviation has a place at the table
The year was 1606. King James of England (and Scotland) boldly authorized a group of entrepreneurial types to cross the Atlantic in a leaky wooden boat in search of gold, timber, and a route across the New World to the Pacific, by water. The party consisted of 104 brave souls, all bent on bettering their […]
An impressive return on investment
Something interesting is happening in General Aviation. It’s largely being driven at the grass root level, and frankly these developments fascinate and encourage me. The industry has noted a loss of participation in past decades, with fewer active pilots taking to the skies. We’ve bemoaned this reality for years. While some point a finger at […]