Recently we had the opportunity to appear as a guest on the simpleflight.net internet radio program, hosted by Al Waterloo and Marc Epner. The archive version of the show is available below, in case you missed it.  I come in at about the 28 minute mark, and the interview lasts for almost an hour.  Enjoy!

T'was the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp, Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ. The aircraft were fastened to tie downs with care, In hopes that — come morning — they all would be there. The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots, With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots. I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up, And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.

An Air France Boeing 777 is loaded on the ramp at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Spring 2010.

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Conference, held here in Atlanta. To say it was an “eye-opening” experience would be an understatement. Not only was it a good chance to network for the attendees, but it was a celebration of everything positive in aviation. One thing that I noticed right off was the fact that probably a third of the attendees were military flyers. While this is no surprise to me, having been in the military in the 70’s and 80’s, the ratio to the overall number of attendees (about a third...) was a bit of a surprise. It is obvious that the military has come a long way in offering positions of leadership and responsibility to women, and it was also obvious that they have more than met these challenges.. Rarely have I seen a more intelligent, competent, and motivated group.

A few days ago, a good friend called and mentioned that he had an open right seat in his twin-engined Navajo, for a quick trip down to Savannah. He asked if I’d was up for it, and of course, I said “Yes!”. He’s a good friend, and an excellent pilot, so I knew we’d have a great time, even if it was only a ride down and back. He had some quick business to take care of, so the plan was to fly down that afternoon, sign some papers, and return home to Atlanta. No big deal…

For those in the know, just the mention of “Oshkosh” brings an instant glimmer of recognition. It is simply the “Mecca” of aviation, at least in the United States. The largest General Aviation (GA) show in the country, it is said that at any one time, 10% of the GA fleet in the USA is at Oshkosh during the week of the fly-in. It is a fly-in, a trade show, an airshow, but it is also much more.