I’d like to share a few that have recently added to my sense of gratitude and admiration for our GA family.

A few months ago, a neighbor from my former hometown of Rome, New York, reached out to see if I knew someone they could contact to take their father, Tom Kenealy, flying on his 92nd birthday. A Korean War veteran, Mr. Kenealy devoted his life to his community and serving others, especially veterans.

Having moved from New York a few years ago, I thought it best to post this request to social media to see who was around at KRME, Griffiss International Airport in Rome. Within minutes, a half dozen willing friends—and friends of friends—had messaged me. John McCormick, a member of the Adirondack Flying Club, generously offered his time, and took Mr. Kenealy into the air for his celebratory flight. As an added bonus, John flew him over the now-closed Sampson Air Force Base, on the east side of Seneca Lake, where Tom had been stationed during the war.

I was recently rescued from what felt like a never-ending, multi-day layover in Atlanta by a friend who works for the Aero Atlanta Flight Center, Glenn Lindsey. He saw my post about being stuck and offered to fly me home. For Glenn, helping a friend in need was simply “a good reason to go flying”—and a great application of GA to solve a problem.

Earlier this year, a fellow aviator launched his jet to the Midwest after a beloved member of the pilot community was killed in an airplane accident. His mission? To fly his friend home to his family and final resting place. For him, it was unquestionably “the right thing to do” and something that only could be accomplished with your own jet.

We could fill countless volumes of FLYING with stories like this, and many more. Rescue animals delivered to forever homes, free flights for cancer patients to attend treatment in faraway medical centers, fighting forest fires across the country, search-and-rescue missions to get folks to help quickly—these are all part of the extraordinary work of our aviation community. It’s like no other.

In every issue of FLYING, our goal is to inspire and guide you along the path of flying and owning whatever aircraft best suits your interest. But more important than what you choose to invest in, is what you do with it when you do. Blue skies to you, whatever that mission might be.

The post General Aviation Is a Community Like No Other appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

I am forever grateful to have started at FLYING when I did, as it instilled in me a great appreciation for print media and the vital role it plays in providing a focused and stable environment for readers to indulge, to learn, and to be inspired, free from distraction. I believe this is vital in aviation, where the risk and reward for pilots is far greater—and the need to learn is constant. We simply have to unplug sometimes. 

If the history of the world has taught us anything, it is that those who adapt will survive. The DNA of our brand has evolved more in the last 10 years than in the previous 85. The advances in data transfer speeds have given us a whole new host of ways in which we create, publish, distribute, and promote content. We are no longer a magazine—we are the new Flying Media Group with a print magazine, website, newsletter, over-the-top (OTT) platform, podcast, YouTube channel, and social pages. 

Consider how the way you aviate has changed in the last decade. Are you using an iPad when you fly? How many aviation apps are on your smartphone? With each new download there it is: reward and risk. When I returned to ground school in 2018, I had to promise my instructor I wouldn’t use any aviation apps on my phone until I learned everything manually and passed my knowledge exam. I value that guidance every time my iPhone battery dies at a critical moment. 

Despite endless digital innovation, print media is going through a renaissance. In fact, we are investing more in the magazine today than in any other period since I started with FLYING—and, perhaps, in our history. Unfortunately for all of us, there is no replacement for legends like Richard Collins and Gordon Baxter. But they all had to start somewhere. I’ve never been more confident; with Julie Boatman as editor-in-chief, we will curate the best talent possible, while we celebrate the continuing masterful work of Peter Garrison, the return of a slightly humbled Martha Lunken, our endless envy of Sam Weigel’s aviation lifestyle—and many more voices to come. 

I have invested more than half of my life in FLYING for good reason. The experience of flight is life altering for those of us fortunate enough to fly. It has won wars, saved lives, supported humanitarianism, brought people together, and enabled life experiences that would have otherwise been impossible. Over the years, I have witnessed countless acts of kindness within this community that magnify just how special pilots are. This is the family we choose.

Since inception, FLYING has played a vital role in fostering growth in aviation. This is more important than ever. As we navigate the change in our pilot population and the media landscape, we will continue to evolve our business model, preserve our legacy, and—more importantly—champion the freedom of flight. 

By pilots, for pilots—and those aspiring to join this special family.

The post The Evolution of a Legacy Brand appeared first on FLYING Magazine.