Perspectives
A Time For Celebration
We’ve decided in this holiday season issue to share a little celebration of our own; the birth of Caterina Rose Fulton, the first child for Joanne and Sean. Caterina was born on June 25, and while she’s not a pilot yet, she has already been to two air shows (Airventure and AOPA Expo), and is well on her way to taking her first flying lesson.
 Next to her changing table in the office we’ve hung a poster showing the instrument panel of a 1990s-era Cessna 172. When we mentioned to Lori Lucion at Cessna that we were teaching three-month-old Caterina what the six-pack was for, she gave us an updated 172 poster featuring a G1000 panel.
It’s amazing to think that Caterina may never train in an airplane with a traditional six pack. She may never have to follow airways VOR-to-VOR; flying for her will be a matter of keeping the tiny airplane on the purple line across her computer display as she zips across the country burning whatever we burn when AVGAS finally goes away. What kinds of airplanes will she fly, and what new technology will she have to make her trips safer and more fun? We have no way of knowing.
What we do know is that if Caterina chooses to fly (and she will be pressured to do so), she will be among the new breed of aviator. Flying for her will be about convenience, safety and fun. Things like full-airplane parachutes and airplanes that are almost as easy to drive as cars will be part of her world.
Macho attitudes about aviation will, hopefully, be a thing of the past. We also want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who took the time to fill out our reader survey. Winners of the random drawing were David Migdal of San Diego, CA for a weekend retreat at the Roche Harbor Resort & Spa, while Rick Richardson of Lakeway, TX won a Sky Ox oxygen system, and Joel Watrud of Apple Valley, MN will take home a Lowrance Airmap 600C system.
And finally, thank you to all of the readers and advertisers who make this publication a joy to put together each issue. This was a great year, and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2008!
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