PUBLISHER'S LETTER sharing the love and enjoying the birdlike life Greg Herrick PUBLISHER Article aurthor Column CONTRIBUTOR Editorial Memo Note Read Reading Story write writer Wshipsprovidebackgroundcolorandastaticmuseumof sortsateachstop.It'sfabulous.Peopleloveitandthe localparticipationishandsdownfantastic. Ateachstopthereismusicplaying,GirlScouts, In2003aspartoftheCentennialofFlightcelebration, BoyScouts,highschoolboostersandotherlocal Iorganizedthere-creationofthe1925­1931NationalAir organizationssellingfood,snacksandotherthings Tours.TheNationalAirTourswereoriginallyconducted insupporttheircommunityactivities.Peopleare inlargeparttodojustwhatI'mtalkingabout­to happyjusttobethere.Theywatchthegoings-on withenthusiasm,eveniftheydon'ttakearide.Allthe introducepeopletoaviation,rightintheirownhome activitiesarecenteredonaviationattheirlocalairport. towns.The2003NationalAirTourcoveredmorethan 4,000overathreeweekperiod,visiting26citiesacross That,myfellowpilots,isawonderfulthing! theUntiedStates(see:www.NationalAirTour.org). Solet'sgetcreative.Let'smakecomingtotheairport Hundredsofthousandsofpeoplecameouttobea afunthing.Smilingfaces,happypeopleandareal partofthefun. enthusiasmforaviationthat'swaitingtobereleased.It's Todaywecontinuewehaveeventsthatbringpeople there.Ihaveseenit. totheairport.Therearefly-ins,airshows,YoungEagle rides,airportopenhousesandmuseums.Whilewe havethesethings,weneedevenmoreof them.And,itwouldbehelpfulifwegotabit morecreativeinrecognizingtheopportunity wehavetogetnewrecruitsintoGeneral Aviation.MoreandmoretheEAAisdoingthis withtheyoungpeoplewhotakeYoungEagle rides.Thisisgoodandthereismuchmore wecando,particularlywhenitcomestimeto ThismonthmarkstheMotherofAllAviationEvents "sell"aviationtovisitingwould-bepilots. ­AirVentureOshkosh.Manyofourreaderswillbethere. OneideaistocreatemoreAirTours.Alongwiththe Iwillbetheretoo,probablywiththeFordTri-motor.We originalNationalAirTour,therealsousedtobestateair arealsobringingtheFairchildFC-2W-2whichIloanto theNationalParkServicefortheirexhibit(itwasthefirst tours.AsIrecalltheremaystillbeoneortwoofthem happening­wejustneedmore!Anothergreatevent USNPSairplane).MygoodfriendNathanRoundsisjust completingtherestorationofaParamountCabinairefor wasstartedafterthe2003NationalAirTour.It'scalled theAmericanBarnstormersTourandisoperatedand meandIhopetohavethatshipparkedinthevintage participatedinbyseveraloriginalNATparticipants(see: area.LikeeveryAirVenture,itwillbeanabsoluteblast andoneofthetruehighlightsoftheyear.Ireallyhope www.AmericanBarnstormersTour.com). ThethirdbiannualBarnstormersTourisbeing toseeyouthere.Stopbyandsayhello. conductedintheupperMidwestasIwritethesewords. Thissummer,let'sallredoubleoureffortstobe ItisagreatideaheadedupbyNATparticipantClay evangelistsforGeneralAviation.Takesomeonefora ride.Helpsomeonereleasethatinnerdesiretolearnto Adams.Claygetsagroupofbarnstormerstogether, setsupandpromotesarouteandgetslocalairports fly. Enjoy the birdlike life! andcommunitiestohelpsupporteachstop.There, FlySafe, abouthalf-a-dozenvintagerideplanesoperatecarrying passengersforhirewhileanotherdozenofsovintage e all love to fly but do you remember how your passion first came about? My guess is that is was not sitting in the prisoner seat crammed in the back of some big silver elephant. More than likely you really became interested in flying after visiting a local airport. What got you there in the first place could be any of a number of things, but the local GA airport is probably where the spark hit the tinder. And that, my friend, continues to be the most important place to introduce people to the passion of flying. We need to keep people coming to see -- and participate in -- general aviation activities at our airports. That's the key. JULY 2010 | AIRCRAFTOWNER ONLINE