I landed in Hong Kong this week representing Jeppesen/World Fuel Services’ Commercial International Trip Planning for the anticipated, bi-annual Asia Aerospace/Air Freight Asia Expo. After disembarking the plane, headed west from Colorado during which the sun never set and has extended a jet lag into now my fourth day, I was anxious to get started on a 3-week tour through China visiting commercial airlines and cargo operators to solicit our “on-demand” trip planning and flight planning services from two of the largest names in aviation.

As I walked into the Expo, there seemed to be a buzz of excitement that brewed in the air. China and South East Asia have obvious signs of economic growth and unprecedented speculations that benefit both passenger and cargo operators in the region. Jeppesen/World Fuel Services Commercial ITPS has never really had a strong presence in the region during their three-year partnership, other than the Jeppesen/Beijing’s office that has had some trouble identifying the true benefits and organizational relevance of the department. As this year is a special one for the Hong Kong aviation community as it celebrates the 100th year anniversary of the first powered flight in the territory that (taking place March 18, 1911) the atmosphere is full of promise. There are plenty of deals being inked and well reported feuds between the world’s two largest airframers, Airbus and Boeing that heat up the halls. The Expo includes OEMs, MROs and freight forwarders all trying to prepare for the tsunami of business that will certainly slam into markets of China and South East Asia. Despite a conflict with the Istanbul Aerospace Conference this week that has many exhibitors a bit disgruntled, the shows attendance has seen a 7% growth. With countless, smaller OEMs and airframers pitching their regional jets or single-aisle aircraft, it’s quite clear what this niche aircraft class will bring to the region.

As commuter airlines continue to open up their domestic routes, these smaller, 100-seat aircraft will be the norm in the next 10 years. Japan’s Mitsubishi is likely to start work on its MRJ 90 scheduled to have its first flight in mid-2012; COMAC has its ARJ models on display and the Russian Sukhoi is promoting its Superjet concept. All of which are eclipsed from the battling between the 500 lbs guerrillas of Airbus and Boeing to compete for the orders of the lessors, airliners and customers shoving themselves to the beginning of the lines to sign memorandum of understanding to expand their fleets. Aircraft passengers in China are expected to reach 500 million by 2015 and 1.5 billion by 2030, up from a miniscule 267 million in 2010. It will have 220 airports by 2015 up from 175. The number of aircraft is expected to grow to 2,600 in 2015 up from 1,600 last year. There’s no doubt that as more remote areas of the country have access to aircraft travel and infrastructure, these numbers will triple in the next twenty years. ( I eased dropped on a conversation at breakfast this morning that China has over 13 billion people and only 10% of them have ever been on an airplane) Hong Kong has also beaten Memphis as the world’s leading cargo destination in the world and its hometown airline, Cathay Pacific, just announced today a HK$14 billion net profit in 2010 and an newly publicized order for 27 new aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. China’s COMAC has also completed the preliminary design phase of its C919 narrow-body jet aiming to wrap up the “detailed” design phase by 2012. It has won up to 100 orders for the C919 and aims to conduct its first flight in 2014 followed by its entry to service in 2016. Not only is the commercial aviation market benefitting from the Expo’s buzz, but corporate aviation is poised for similar, unprecedented growth as well. Companies as Bombardier, Hawker/Beechcraft, Cessna, Gulfstream and Dassault Falcon have a strong presence at the sister exposition, Asia Business Aviation. Embraer, the Brazilian manufacturer was however inconspicuously not present at the static display.

Cargo operators are not counting their chickens before they’ve hatched, however. With the uncertainly of U.S. markets and its slowed recessionary environment and China’s inflationary concerns, cargo is expected to be flat throughout 2011-2012. Despite the fact that aerospace companies are anticipating growth in passenger traffic, goods that are exported and imported are under a bit more scrutiny. China has reported trade numbers down to its lowest levels in 10-months. With current, inflationary issues, rising food costs, government corruption, increasing separation of wealth classes and the century-long threat of civil unrest, China will have some challenges to overcome in the next few years to grow the air cargo speculations. The impact of the “jasmine” revolutions in the Middle East will inevitably curtail both commercial and cargo operators’ efforts for growth as fuel prices soar (reported in Singapore today at $130 per barrel,) therefore dampening these positive and speculative outlooks for the region’s aerospace growth. Tom Holland reported today in the South China Morning Post that despite estimated passenger growth, customers are paying more to fly. “Passenger yields – the price paid for every kilometer flown – were up 20 percent while cargo yields were up 25 percent”. Making up anywhere from 25-30% of operating cost (local carrier Cathay Pacific reported 36% of the entire operating cost comes from fuel) coming from fuel purchases, commercial operators’ business may suffer. Higher surcharges that are passed along to customers will inevitably affect demand. If jet fuel costs average $120 per barrel in 2011, there’s no doubt that passenger growth will not reach estimated levels and will also delay deliveries of new aircraft or added tails in various fleets.

It’s a ‘push me, pull you” scenario in this part of the world and things may not turn out as much in the black as everyone anticipates. The initial buzz of this show could be affected by higher costs and lower passenger growth as the Middle East squeeze on oil supply continues. .Although, everyone believes that it will be short-lived because nobody in this industry, with the collective buzz that exists, want to give into these global pressures. As an emerging market, China is making strides however with news of the the newly-appointed, U.S. Ambassador, Gary Locke and its cultural organization and governmental enhancements currently dominating the media.

2009, what a year!

Last September, when PilotMag was in Reno for the National Air Race Championships and sponsoring the National Aviation Heritage Invitational, a newspaper was thrown on the breakfast table one morning in the Eldorado Hotel. On the front cover was Thomas Frank’s cover story in USA Today. With obvious bias and a blatant pitch for major airlines, Mr. Frank’s story “Little Used Airports Cost Taxpayers Big Money” was published for the readers to make up their own mind about the state of general aviation. We were furious. We published a response to Frank’s cover story on PilotMag.com, PilotLounge.com and even contacted our Congressman. We wanted to take immediate action.

How dare Mr. Frank. Small, unknown airports receive needed FAA and Federal funding to train countless, future pilots and provide maintenance and training facilities that feed the industry as a whole. When something means as much as aviation, we wanted to act quickly to preserve our livelihood and object to the negative press that aviation has received over the last year.

All of us at PilotMag have endured challenges over the last year, and we have done our best to provide our readers with exciting, positive publications and websites that bring the romance and adventure back. Over the last year, we have taking you heli-skiing, to the sands of Turks & Caicos, flying float planes in Central Florida and we have introduced you to many pilots making a difference in our community. As we reflect on the last year, and now, as we delivery of our 8th issue, PilotMag has realized some very valuable lessons. We aren’t perfect, but we’re persistent in our pursuit to being the leading adventure resource in aviation.

We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our publication over the last year. The list is too long, but you know who you are. Taking what we have learned, PilotMag moves into the new year with changes that will perpetuate our success. Jeff Berlin, a frequent contributor to PilotMag, has been named Editor for 2010. A multiengine and instrument rated pilot since 1994, Jeff has flown a multitude of aircraft ranging from ultralights and LSA’s to cabin-class turboprops and jets. He enjoys keeping an eye on how technology impacts the flying experience and has contributed to magazines including AOPA Pilot, Private Pilot, Private Air, Aerokurier, and Aviation et Pilote in the past. We look forward to Jeff’s energy and his help with Pilot Magazine, LLC’s mission.

As we speculate what will come in 2010 after a year of record –breaking for airshow attendance, young pilots winning big at Reno, CEO’s coming and going, miracles on the Hudson and more and more products on the market, PilotMag makes some picks that will get you re-engaged in flying. With much deliberation, our editors and contributors have worked hard to bring you PilotMag’s Best Picks for 2010. Take a peek at our picks from the Fixed-Wing and Helicopter Best Picks to Headset Best Picks and from The Best Pilot for 2010 to the Best Aviation Movie. PilotMag has spoken. Also, we have assembled our all new 2010 Gadget &Gear Guide for all of your piloting needs.

We take a trip to the Holy Land, go skiing in our airplane, fly the P-750 XSTOL and even look into resurrecting a VLJ in this our last issue of 2009. We continue to go out on a limb and find the best adventures, the best stories and some of the best pilots. So, what are you waiting for? Tell us your story. We want to hear it.

All the best to aviation in the New Year!

Since the beginning of the year, all of us in the general aviation community have noticed a “miracle” on the Hudson River, the devastating loss of 228 lives in the Air France Flight 447 accident of the coast of South America and some twenty-two other major aviation accidents so far. Each accident has garnered hours of television time, thousands of inches in your daily and national newspapers, countless blogs and even more online forum attention.

The media follows with the speculation of what caused these accidents or incidents . Opinions are proffered by experts and eyewitnesses all trying to anticipate the NTSB’s investigation. Along the way the facts get bent and twisted, hyperbolized, making each individual event more sensational, and unfortunately, better read and viewed.

What does the media think?

Now, we all know that Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger and his crew did an incredible job by evaluating options quickly to put that Airbus A320 into the Hudson River, sparing every passenger onboard a miserable fate. It was, for once, a favorable end to what could have been the worst aviation accident in American history - at least according to the American and international media.

Could you imagine if Sullenberger didn’t have the wherewithal to safely land that US Airways flight in the Hudson? What kind of story would that have made? Our thanks go out to Sullenberger and his crew for their regimented safety and simulator training and the strength to get that flight down safely. His safe return to the Hudson is the epitome of the sophisticated aviation training that our industry brings to the flying public. But when the praise is over, and Sullenberger becomes a recent memory of the collective media viewing population, will the media just move on to the next disaster, leaving our un-educated, non-aviation population to conjecture their own opinion on the safety of air travel?

Availability Heuristic

Because we remember the most recent experiences or reports, the news media has a significant effect on our decisions and understandings. Various factors can affect availability. Things which are easy to imagine, or those that are very vivid, make themselves more available. Things that are uncomfortable or not as vivid can push people into denial, making these thoughts unavailable. (OK, enough with the psychological babble.) Availability Heuristic is the theory that a judgment is made based on what we remember, rather than complete data. It is the vividness, or lack thereof, of the event that molds our decisions. The availability and priming of the news media on the topic of corporate and airline crashes and the increasing accessibility of this information are what make our non-aviation brethren believe that air travel is extremely dangerous.

Many people have tried to tackle the aviation vs. automobile safety comparison to come to an understanding and justification of our discipline’s impregnability. In spite of the best efforts of GAMA, NATA, and NBAA, the high-profile news reports of these accidents continue to deliver a spate of commentary from a speculative, non-trade and non-expert press on what actually happened. When we make the comparison of the number of automotive related fatalities and those of aviation, please stop. We always compare the numbers, which are, by the way, calculated and analyzed on completely different scales (Miles Driven vs. Hours Flown). What we need to do is compare the improvements that both industries have made to stem the loss of life.

Focus on the Improvements

In 2008, the number of car crash deaths in the United States dropped 9.7% from the year prior. Passenger car fatalities have decreased for the sixth year in a row with the lowest number since 1975 when the NHTSA began collecting data. On the flip side, from the period of 2002 to 2006, the number of general aviation accidents declined 10.8%, from 7.19 accidents per 100,000 hours flown in 1997 to 6.32 per 100,000 flown in 2006. The fatal accident rate in general aviation has decreased over 7.4 percent since 1997. Chalk it up to safety and insurance standard, better aircraft and automotive designs, better trained drivers and pilots and, most importantly, manufacturers dedicated to making their products more safe. Leave it to the media to exclude the carnage on highways and main streets every year from their top stories and front pages. The relative rarity of air disasters makes them novel, and hence news. Crashes of this size are, shall we say, photogenic. And this rarity and newsworthiness is sending the wrong message to the non-aviation population. It promotes an erroneous inference that aircraft are unsafe. Safety is a relative term and the statistics between automotive and aircraft safety are only a guide and reference for improvement.

Gil Wolin, V.P. of Communications for TAG Aviation said it best. “We all share the responsibility to minimize rumor and speculation, and to ensure that the reporting is accurate and authoritative, out of respect to the departed, at the very least. That’s the best way to tell the world exactly how safe and safety-conscious the professionals operating commercial, airline or general aircraft are…and ensure that the press gets the statistics right.”

I have a love-hate relationship with aviation. At one moment, you’re soaring through the clouds in a state of supreme-being, and the next you’re drudging through a difficult economy and working twice as hard to get back in the air. PilotMag celebrates its one year anniversary with one thought in mind.  Failure is never an option.

Our staff has worked diligently over the last year to add a new twist to aviation and to deliver a fresh product to countless enthusiasts. We are proud of our subtle introduction to the community and feel that we are on the cusp of something big. Like many other start-up publications, we have struggled with refining and improving our copy editing process, garnering advertising support and promotional partners. In many of our staff meetings we have discussed ways to survey pilots and aircraft owners and find out what they want to read, what they want to watch, what they want to learn, and where they want to go. In order to concentrate on the needs of aviation enthusiasts, we need to interact with them every day to determine how best to serve them. So, please let us know what general aviation media is missing. What more do you need?

Virally and personally, we have made many introductions. Every new introduction leads to someone different in the community. As we ponder over story and content ideas, we are baffled of where to start. There are so many pilots, lineman, A&Ps, flight instructors, and aircraft owners that want to tell their adventurous stories. I am so appreciative of the participation and support that we have received over the last year. Many see aviation as a locked gate or inaccessible, or even “dangerous”. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are plenty of people out there that are willing to help you. You just have to seek them out.

After my father’s death in 2003, I woke up one morning and determined that I wanted to become a helicopter pilot. With an over-zealous and spine-tingling revelation of possibilities, I started a career in general aviation. Spurned by father’s love of flight, I visited my first Heli Expo. I met as many people as I could, soul-searching to see what aviation had to offer. Many years later I realized that’s all it took. Just introduce yourself to as many people as possible. I had no job, knew absolutely no one, and barely had enough hours to solo. After many years of perseverance, now the whole PilotMag team now has a chance to shine; our hearts pouring out all over the hangar floor. With a tireless and imaginative effort, our team has no other choice but to make it. Locked gates are no match for our undying pursuit of success. And, a “no failure” motto has been branded in every PilotMag employee’s soul, promoting aviation in an adventurous and compelling way. So, we would like to make your acquaintance and hear about your flying adventure.  

Now that we have determined that aviation is in fact accessible, we do realize that some hands are tied. The current economic captivity has got us all a little grumpy. There seems to be a gentle and quiet hum that has permeating the ramps and hangars throughout the country. At times we feel our hands are tied to governmental ways and means, the cost of aircraft maintenance and insurance. It’s the journey and not the destination, right? That makes perfect sense. The recent grumpiness comes from not appreciating the ride. People who fly are not looking forward to the destination. They want to experience the journey itself. So, everyone at PilotMag wants to take advantage of this economic trough and immerse ourselves in today’s transformation of aviation. Who will fly the old P-51s in twenty years? Who will tour the B-17 around? Who will design an aircraft that runs on garbage? These questions will get answered. PilotMag wants to be patient and be part of those solutions.

I hear this description a lot as I make my way around to various aviation businesses and talk with folks that fly or sell aircraft. The discouraging part about it is, this descriptive reality is a manifestation of the general population’s misconception of our industry. When I was looking at a newly refurbished Waco Classic Aircraft in a hangar near our offices recently, someone leaned over to me and said, “That’s a rich man’s toy.” Also, when we made a visit to Kenmore Air in the Pacific Northwest in search of some subject matter for our seaplane feature, we were taking a tour through a maintenance hangar full of piston Beaver rebuilds. The head mechanic said to me, “These are rich men toys.”

Granted, the Waco and Beaver are expensive airplanes and something of a collector’s item, but, I have to admit, I am really tired of hearing that phrase.

In today’s economy, “rich” is out. As the irresponsible display of wealth plays itself out on Wall Street and throughout corporate hangars across the country, being rich should be replaced by a far less gregarious, more conservative and humble attitude. Flight students across this country are spending their hard-earned savings, taking out massive loans they expect to be on their balance sheet for a long time, and borrowing money from their grandmothers to learn how to fly. Most of them are not rich, but they are determined to find a place in this community. Least we not forget that these strapped, dedicated individuals are putting much needed money into our general aviation system, supporting the small businesses—flight school operations, educational supplies, and headset manufacturers—for a modest chance at building a career.

Whether they are young kids or retired adults, all small businesses that cater to training and education should realize that these individuals are next in line to grow this industry. Of course, there are still ridiculously wealthy pilots and collectors out there buying these toys (which, in some cases, they’re fly under 25 hours a year), but this large group of aging baby boomers won’t be around for much longer. According to the most recent census, it is estimated that individuals over 50 years old control about 70 percent of the country’s wealth. And, unfortunately, the legacy left behind by these boomers for a younger generation has dwindled due to exorbitant and outlandish spending, most present in the aviation industry.

For example, what the hell happened to VLJs? Most of these manufacturers were posturing and schmoozing America’s wealthy, taking ghost deposits and boosting their books to impress the community and their investors. Suddenly, flying a Cessna 206 doesn’t look that bad, right? Maybe a Gobosh 700? Now, we all know it takes greenbacks to fly, and we also realize the bad rap that corporate aviation is fielding in the current economy. However, when the general public associates aviation with extreme wealth and/or an unnecessary use of corporate dollars, it’s our job to debunk these misconceptions and educate all non-aviators that our community is made up of hard-working, dedicated and committed individuals that are plane rich and cash poor.  

In this issue of PilotMag, and in every issue for that matter, we are focused on every aspect of flight. People who have read our publication believe that we cater to a limited population of piston and light sport fliers and don’t have enough influence or editorial content to support a turbine-owned market. Our mission, again, is to support every aspect of flight from the Trike enthusiast to the Turbine Otter owner. What’s consistent with all aviators is the passion to fly, period. We spent time with seaplane enthusiasts and operators around the country to understand a little about the pilots and the businesses in this category for our feature “Water Fliers,” on page 44. We talked with Margaret Jackson, an organizer of “splash-ins” in Central Florida who found that there were few opportunities for floatplane owners to get together. For 11 years, Margaret has been inviting these pilots and owners to a potluck splash-in every month, to build a unique community of pilots that share the passion. We visited Jack Brown’s seaplane base in Florida dedicated to a floatplane-training business model, and Kenmore Air in the Pacific Northwest, a commuter airline. These are two of the most popular and largest floatplane operations in the country. Both have different business models, but one thing remains the same: Longevity and adaptation working hand in hand. In order to grow this particular category, those that train you to fly or operate these amazing aircraft need to adapt to a changing economy.

Much to the chagrin of this young aviator, certain nepotistic business practices that exclude and alienate still exist out there. In this economy, businesses either adapt to the new guard emerging from flight schools and adopt a supportive environment or their business, no matter how long it’s been around, will perish. Come along with us as we discover who is teaching you how to “sail the plane”.

Also in this issue, Reggie Paulk takes a ride on a Trike. Trikes are incredibly resilient aircraft with a less sophisticated appeal. However, we’ve found pilots like Mike Blyth and Olivier Aubert that have flown these open-cockpit, small aircraft to some of the most unforgiving places on earth, fighting sandstorms and vast stretches of uninhabited terrain not fit for humans. Crossing large bodies of water and deserts for the ultimate challenge in human endurance is only the beginning. See his story on Page 34.

This year in South Africa, 3,082 pigeons from 20 countries raced for an astonishing $1 million purse in the richest and biggest “one-loft” pigeon race in the world. The winning bird took more than 9-1/4 hours to complete the 888-mile flight. Believe it or not, pigeon racing is catching on. Join Joe Murray, a GA pilot and professor at Kent State University, as he lands and discovers this interesting discipline right here in our own backyard on page 65.

Come fly the Piper Matrix to Cedros Island, Mexico with Jeff Berlin, PilotMag’s go-to-guy for adventure flying. Join him and a couple of friends in the nimble turbo-charged Matrix to a quiet landing strip at the scarcely populated fishing spot for a little tuna fishing. Find out that it isn’t about how fast you get there, it’s not lamenting when you need to land. See his story on page 76.

Creating a voice of encouragement is what PilotMag and PilotLounge.com are all about. Your financial wherewithal will only dictate what type of aircraft you can fly and one’s economic clout has nothing to do with the growth of this industry. On the contrary, aviators’ continued exclusionary and protective attitudes will kill general aviation as we know it. So, whether you fly a Citation or a paraglider, whether you own the oldest aviation business in the country or plan to open a new one, do us all a favor and teach someone else how to do it. Open your doors to the starving, “will-work-for-nothing” pilots, mechanics, dock boys, and flight dispatchers who just want a chance to prove themselves. Whether you realize it or not, we are all in this together—for richer or for poorer.

Last weekend, PilotMag had the opportunity to visit one of the most sophisticated, computer based training facility in the United States; The United Flight Training Center in Denver, Colorado. The only flight training center for United Airlines, the Denver Flight Center is the home for recurrent and primary training of the company’s flight officers. Over 7,000 individuals come through this facility every  year with mandatory visits every nine months for most captains and first officers. Each United Airlines flight simulator is an exact replica of an airline cockpit and is capable of duplicating virtually any hazardous condition or in flight emergency.  The flight center is known for helping United build the strongest reputation in the industry for flight training, safety and innovative flight training for thousands of the industry’s airline pilots across the globe.

Hosted by a former Navy pilot who never flew a aircraft he didn’t like, Pete Vinton, one of United’s Instructor Pilot, we took a tour through this amazing facility. Pete is a graduate of Aviation Officers Candidate School and served 12 years in the Navy (a true officer and gentleman) and fellow advocate of promoting general aviation by offering this once in a lifetime access for PilotMag and its readers. A lot has happened to and around the United Airlines Flight Training Center since the facility opened in 1968 in Denver. Yet it remains the principal training site for thousands of United pilots. Open 24/7/365, UAFTC remains among the largest commercial airline training facilities in the world, occupying three buildings spread out on 23 acres. The 610,000-sq.-ft. complex has a staff of approximately 728 and houses 36 simulator bays with 25 active full-motion simulators: Five A320s, three 777s, three 767s, three 757s, four 747-400s, one 747-200, four 737-300/-500s and two 737-200s. In 2004 the center posted 9,387 pilot training events, 27,789 emergency procedures and security TEs and 5,500 maintenance TEs.

 This is the stage for PilotMag’s 777 Challenge. On October 2-4, 2009, here’s your chance to fly one of the most complicated and sophisticated aircraft simulators in the world. PilotMag’s 777 Challenge will test your skill, your snap decision making and your tolerance for stress. So, let’s see if you will be chosen for an all expense paid weekend in Denver, Colorado (that includes a airfare and lodging) and a cash grand prize. PilotMag will choose (3) lucky individuals who’s applications and resumes impress our CFI and Pilot Instructor panel of judges. An entry fee will be required and there will be a protocol to follow when submitting your application for 2009’s most exciting aviation challenge. PilotMag is currently looking at three challenges for our contestants: (1) Taxi from the gate to assigned runway in the Boeing 777 (2) To Take off in the Boeing 777 (3) To Land the Boeing 777 from Cruise Altitude . Each challenge will be performed with little or no briefing. You will be in the hot seat! Keep your eyes out for the launch of our official website and registration package coming on April 1st.

Thank you very much to Pete Vinton who will be our primary instructor to set up the logistics and characteristics of the challenge. Thank you, as well, to the folks at the United Flight Training Center for the access and education on these highly advanced, computer based simulators. We hope to reach out to not only the general aviation pilot, but to the remote control aviation community and the Flight Simulator users. Some say that the simulator community will clean house. But, I can’t wait until the winner is crowned. Now, everyone can see for their own eyes what it takes to fly these incredible ships. So, thank you for your support of our publication and I always appreciate your feedback as we forge a message of excitement, adventure and accessibility in our community.

Gates L. Scott – Publisher of PilotMag

PilotMag recently visited the 2009 Heli Expo in Anaheim, California. Hosted by the Helicopter Association International, North America’s largest helicopter organization, this year’s event broke attendance records with over 17,000 attendees and over 550 exhibitors. In our pursuit to expand the message of our brand and seek editorial content, our staff encountered a very upbeat and energetic crowd at the event. I’m not sure if this positive vibe that circulated the event was suffering from a delayed reaction to our current economic downturn, or if in fact the helicopter segment is truly healthy and somewhat immune to current conditions.

It is estimated that there are 900 missing aircraft in the state of California, according to Macha, an aviation archeology expert and retired high school history teacher. Macha has dedicated his retirement to searching for vintage, World War II aircraft, having investigated more than 1,000 disappearances. Because of his wealth and contribution to aviation history, Steve Fossett's case captured the attention of the media and held a great deal of notoriety. But he certainly isn't the only one to go missing in this rugged country. "We can learn from these mistakes. Let's not replicate them," says Macha.

When asked about the search and recovery efforts he has observed and assisted in, Macha says that, "Ninety-nine percent were pilot error, weather related. Not the failure of the aircraft or the systems." We have heard this statistic before, but when it comes to missing aircraft, it really rings true.

Pilot error is the key to most accidents. Gathering evidence in a search for missing aircraft and trying to discern the pilot's thought process and estimate his final actions can be very difficult. In Fossett's case, only the discovery of his personal effects by a random hiker eventually provided searchers the final clues to the location of the crash. According to Macha, most often debris from missing aircraft is stumbled upon during the search for another. "To find these aircraft, you have to think outside the box," he says. Clues, witnesses, and evidence play a crucial role in Macha's efforts and hazards do exist in the search of missing aircraft. "Folks don't realize that when you search for a missing airplane, sometimes you lose searchers. In California, we have lost more than 15 aircraft in our searches."

"Not only is my goal to find a missing aircraft or assist the process, it's to present closure for the families and to mark the site with a memorial," Macha explains.

As I walked through the 2008 NBAA Convention in Orange County last October and the AOPA Expo in November, I noticed a reserved group of manufacturers, marketing managers, and business owners that seemed to carry a sense of realism. For years, these companies have gone to lavish expense to introduce new technologies and out press-junket each other. There have been secretive product announcements and countless rumors. Once I visited with these companies during these events, however, it was apparent that their challenges are great and the responsibility they carry is very heavy. No one was really flexing their muscles or overdoing it at NBAA or AOPA. I think the reality has sunk in. We all need to work together to build, grow and attract more people to our industry. As we look ahead to a new year, it is even more important to lend a hand and inspire those young pilots and young companies rising up from the bottom

In a small way, the staff and contributors of PilotMag and PilotLounge.com are trying to make a valuable contribution to our industry. We are pilots, mechanics, museum owners, and aircraft owners creating a medium to inspire. We are young and old entrepreneurs that make up the future of this industry. Take Steve Hinton, Jr. or Eric Tucker, for instance. Their fathers are legendary, but they represent the talent coming up through the ranks. In this issue, we take a look at the youth emerging from the shadows and the impact that fathers—and parents—can make on industry youngsters. We want the population to see the opportunity and be inspired by their stories.

WWW.PILOTMAG.COM

In this issue, we also explore the niche discipline of aerial application. With the need for food, fiber, and bio-fuels always increasing, the agriculture industry is seeing unprecedented growth. The need for ag pilots, therefore, is growing as well. Join us as we take a look at some of the aircraft and training programs in the quiet, little world of crop dusting. Also, you may sense a theme in this issue. Vintage aircraft and their preservation is extremely important. PilotMag is joining the effort to preserve aviation history for future generations by sponsoring the 2009 National Aviation Heritage Invitational at the Reno National Championship Air Races next September. Look for our two-page spread this issue that features the 2008 contestants and winners of NAHI’s 10^th Anniversary event in Reno. So from NAHI to Barnstorming, from ag pilots to flying cars, this issue takes a look back at the aircraft of yesteryear.

Pheasant Hunting in South Dakota!

I am always trying to find adventurous and exciting uses for aircraft. They are the ultimate transport from A to B, however it is the practicality of the aircraft that makes the difference.

The Approach in Gregory, South Dakota, Runway 31

Some friends had invited me to drive up to the No Wives Ranch in Gregory, South Dakota from Denver for some pheasant hunting. It is a 7-hour drive. No way was I going to spend a day and a half in a car driving to South Dakota. I have a family and leaving them is hard enough, but adding another two days to the trip is not going to happen.

We tried to get an Enstrom 480B Helicopter for the trip, however it couldn't be retrieved from the Montrose area. Then came along a Cessna 180 taildragger. I hadn't had any time in a taildragger (tricky landings), so three guys rented it and flew two hours + up to Gregory. We were hunting that afternoon where I took tow bird.

The No Wives Ranch - Brook's Hunt

The town of Dennis, South Dakota is an interesting place. Along main street, which is like 1/4 mile long, is a strip club and a steakhouse called Frank Days. Now this is a realm guys weekend.