I'll Admit It... We're A Mite Frustrated, But We're ALSO Not Quitting... Ever

Comments/Analysis/News/Video by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell

We've accomplished so much over the past 20+ years, but now find ourselves with what we consider to be innovative/disruptive and productive plans to help aviation get back on track -- and are having real problems getting them launched.

As possibly the last remaining truly credible independent aviation media source that hasn't cow-towed to aero-disappointments like Icon or Cirrus -- or other special interests -- we still have only one allegiance... to tell YOU the truth.

And yet, doing so is getting more difficult by the day... with interference or harassment from a number of players who wish aviation ill will -- from associations who won't support any agenda that they can't control and profit from, to the disfranchised, fragmented aviation community that has all but given up on the potential for a brighter future for aviation -- and themselves.

You deserve SO much better than you're getting from...

Associations that cover for companies that have lied to and misled the flying community... and when questioned, they have nothing to say, nor a willingness to be answerable to YOU.

An FAA that allows the Safety Hotline to be used as a weapon of attack and extortion (or worse)

One aero-event that got caught not serving the needs of their exhibitors tried to cover up their errors, then denied them, then promised complete transparency as a mea culpa... and then started hanging up on media asking questions... AND limiting media access to their social media accounts--efforts that will only punish their exhibitors and guests. Stupid!

A publication that followed our lead on the misdeeds of Icon aircraft soon reversed the criticality of their editorial coverage, when Icon ads started showing up in their publications, has given Icon two successive Editor's Choice awards... for an aircraft that had yet to be produced and delivered, and from a company that has misled the public time and time again.

And then there was the Cirrus war... ANN caught Cirrus in dozens of lies and falsehoods, caught them cheating the public, and their suppliers (and so many others), and was attacked viciously for it all. They tried to use the legal system to counter the US Constitution, the rights and privileges of US journalists, and attempted to force us to change well-proven stories or delete them altogether... BUT -- scant minutes before we were to depose Dale Klapmeier, Cirrus folded and we 'won' back our rights to do what the Constitution promised all along. And tragically, in all this, we got NO support or aid from AOPA, GAMA, or other American associations whom we would have thought would be interested in protected the rights and freedoms afforded to us as aviation journalists... but, not a word. And worse than that, they seem to be doing everything they can to rewrite history, eliminating the true contributions of Founder Alan Klapmeier while also doing their damndest to destroy his life. Who in their right mind would trust an airplane company that does such things? Who would fly an airplane made by such people? Not me.

ANN even took flak for coverage of the crimes of convicted felon and 'Aviation Criminal' David Riggs... a man who, ultimately, was involved in the deaths of 5 people and the cheating of hundreds of others. Some felt that publicizing this crook hurt the image of aviation while ignoring the damage that was done each and every day his crimes were ignored or swept under the rug by the rest of the aviation community (including the FAA) and worse, a virtually silent/ignorant aviation media.

We also took flak for stories featuring the National Gay Pilot's Association from folks who couldn't separate the fact that aviation needs ALL the pilots/participants it can get -- away from their own prejudices.

I could go on and on (and warning... I'm tempted -- grin) but the ultimate point I'm trying to make is this... those of us who are trying (desperately) to be a positive force in aviation need all of the help and support we can get --every hour of every day... and a whole lot less flak. We're reaching out to ALL of YOU to build a better future... and based on several decades of ground-breaking and disruptive work, we think we have enough on the ball (and have proven so) to be taken seriously and aided aggressively by all those who want the same positive future we've advocating for year.

Think about it... help us, work with us, communicate with us and pass our work around to others you know so that we can reengage, reinforce, rebuild and re-empower the aviation world once again.

How? Stay tuned... we're about to take the wraps off our next series of initiatives.

FMI: jim@aero-news.net