It’s Time To Catch Y’All Up On What We’ve Been Working On… And Where We’re Going!

Analysis/Commentary/Editorial by Jim Campbell, ANN Editor-In-Chief/CEO/Loudmouth

Sorry to be so tardy in catching up with everyone(yeah... it's been a while), but to say the least, the new tasks and initiatives we’ve undertaken this year are kicking our collective behinds… but in a really good way.

We’ve been drinking from the firehose like never before, learning truly valuable things in quantities that were heretofore unimaginable and creating a foundation from which to move forward --- and in a really big way. In other words, we love where we’re at… but we love where we’re going even more… because simply put, we think we’re onto something here… something big (and we’re far from being the only ones that think so).

You’ve seen bit and pieces of our greatest efforts, but you’ve hardly seen them all… and even those projects that we’ve embarked upon have been so educational that the foundation of what we do has become an ever-evolving process… and BOY, are we learning things!

Big things.

Cool things.

Innovative things.

Disruptive things.

And that last category, Disruption, is easily the most important aspect of our future.

The four most important processes for ANN, Aero-TV and Airborne from here on out, are these… to inform, inspire, innovative and disrupt. All are critical to the cause and all are synergistic process that lead up to what we want to do… namely – rebuild -- even recreate -- an aviation model that allows for equal access to the skies for all, and a sustainable aviation community and business model that can keep up with the aggressive changes affecting the world around us.

Mind you… we’re not curing cancer, we’re not creating world peace, we’re not stamping out hunger or any one of a myriad human tragedies that the world is heir to… we’re simply attempting to reinforce and strengthen an all-too-super-human pursuit that gives so many of us a reason to live… and for so many others, a reason to dream.

And yes, in the grand scheme of life, that’s important.

And that’s why we’re working so hard… and the reason that we will shortly be issuing new invitations to many others in the aviation world to join this process and our burgeoning little revolution… so that we might all retain the freedom to fly -- and so that the next kid who stares at the airplanes at the local airpatch, through the obligatory airport fence, will know that he or she has a chance to stake a claim to the vast ocean of air that bathes and purifies the souls of flyers each and every day.

So yes… there is a lot on our plate… but for the next 30 days, the first and foremost aspect of our existence is to survive Oshkosh! Over the weeks leading up to the ‘Big O’ we’re going to be announcing and detailing a number of new initiatives we’ve undertaken, in concert with some of our extraordinary partners, that we hope will bring some additional power and notoriety to the AirVenture experience (the very center of the Aero-Verse for one week every year)… and to continue to lead others on a path toward a more powerful and sustaining Aero-Verse.

We will be continuing and expanding our Airborne Unlimited Daily news programs, now under the direction of ANN’s hard-working Bri Cross, so that you’ll all get a glimpse and narrative of the exciting news, people, planes and programs that will come to prominence this year. We will be expanding our Aero-TV features and have brought on some very talented story tellers and exceptional videographers to make sure that the true riches of Oshkosh are seen and shared by many throughout the world.

We will publish hundreds of pictures and photos and do our best to make sure you know what's important... and why.

Every year we raise the bar and do our best to enhance the Oshkosh experience for the people there as well as the people who can’t be a part of it all… but this year, we’re adding something REALLY new and truly disruptive.

We call it the AirVenture Innovation Preview… and it’s something that we’ve built off the knowledge we’ve gained from our work with the exceptional folks of the AEA (and others) and the many years we’re been their partner in webcasting the annual AEA Convention and Tradeshow. It is not lost on many of us in the aviation world that we have become our own worst enemy when it comes to promoting ourselves… that the marketing skills of too many in the aero-verse are partly responsible for the poor straits we find ourselves in… and that a serious kick in the keister… a massive disruption of the status quo, is needed to turn that around. The AIP certainly is a step in the right direction. It will create excitement, notoriety, 'BUZZ' and serious attention for all those doing the REAL work of innovating a new rfuture for the Aero-Verse.

So… just before Oshkosh, we’re going to produce an exciting new program that features some of the most innovative, most news-worthy, most promising technologies, programs, planes and products to be offered this year. It is our intention to celebrate and point out those that are doing the heavy-lifting in revitalizing aviation. It's our first such new offering in the Oshkosh space, but we intend to use programs like this to lead the way in a number of our new Special Event programming efforts and there is NO PLACE Like Oshkosh with which to give this industry a jolt.

This is a celebration of all that is right, good and NEW in the aviation world... and there is far more of this to come.

Like everything, we’re learning a LOT from this program… especially, that there is a true thirst for this kind of assistance and outreach… but also some truly miserable ignorance in terms of aviation media, marketing, and communications. The AIP is the pointy end of the spear that we’ll be wielding in an attempt to turn critical parts of this industry around… but I have to tell you, some of the ignorance, even complacency, we’ve seen (on this topic) is mind-boggling, disappointing and hard to comprehend.

There is also, all too often, a serious disconnect in integrity, honesty, and reliability from too many of those we’ve dealt with and a shocking lack of recognition of those for whom this has become an intrinsic part of their behaviors… this, too, must change. But… the deplorable state of aviation media and the acceptance that too many in the aviation world allow of these less than ethical behaviors and conduct, leave us to believe that there is much work to do in this regime.

There is, obviously, a whole new paradigm needed in the way that the aviation community communicates, markets, promotes and announces its wares and abilities… and that leads us to believe, strongly, that this is an area that we need to embrace and disrupt in a big way… and yes, news to follow.

On the other hand, there is SO much to celebrate, as well. We have learned SO MUCH from our Airborne Partnership Initiative that we’ve had a REALLY hard time catching up with it all (while some of the greatest lessons appear to be yet in our future—cool!). Still; the highpoints that we’ve gleaned from this experience, on the eve of our extensive expansion of that effort (with dozens more API Partners about to come online… and over 100 committed to the process), is this… the talent and leadership abilities of the small-to-mid-level associations and organizations that we’ve encountered so far is remarkable – and far better than we had any reason to suspect (or hope for)… the work that we’re doing to bring them all together is showing some promising new applications that could shake this industry up in a big way… in other words, positive/disruptive/game-changing.

Mind you, a few of the larger orgs have proven to be surprisingly exceptional as well… and the folks of the XPrize and EAA (in particular) have shown themselves to be more than just a six-hundred pound gorilla by sheer size… but organizations with true concerns for the future of the Aero-Verse. You’ll be hearing a lot more about all this starting right after Oshkosh.

And, mind you, there is a LOT to tell.

Yay.

And in all this, we’ve had our eyes glued to the future… to building an aero-tomorrow that is bereft of some much of the gloom and doom that the industry is seeing, experiencing, and feeling. And this is where the concept of ‘disruption’ needs to take a stand. We need to shake things up--and in no small way. In dusting off the Aviation Innovation Conference concept that we espoused a few years ago (before being waylaid by one aggressively unprincipled company that tried to shut us up… and failed… miserably), we believe we know how to trailblaze our way to better times.... and we are firmly committed to that effort.

We have pondered dozens of disruptive/cornerstone concepts that need to be investigated, organized, espoused and pursued… by industry consensus… such as:

• The careful but desperately needed disenfranchisement of the FAA from so much unneeded control and interference with much of Sport and General aviation. They're simply unqualified and uninterested in much of what they are supposed to do, and are often more a hindrance than an aid.
   
• We need to be unashamed to defend ourselves from the aero-haters and loony-tunes of the world… the outrageous noise complainers, NIMBYs, jealous groundhogs, what have you… we take this stuff and barely put up a fight in defense. This cowardice must end. If people want to attack aviation, they need to know that they're in for a fight.
   
• Aviation is too damned expensive… and there are way too many reasons for this… but if we killed a few percent off the expense factor in most facets of aviation, we’d be making sufficient progress and allowing for enough breathing room to allow future disruptive innovations to (someday) make a real difference.
   
• We need an iPlane… a disruptive/innovative next generation trainer, cross country flyer and fun flyer. And not just one. But we need, ASAP, the next-generation Piper Cub… an iPlane or an iCub, if you will. It should do a little bit of everything reasonably well, it should be sufficiently talented to allow for significant production/sales numbers, and it needs to make use of the best new technologies (both, in terms of building it as well as the product’s own abilities). Some research indicates that a two place, sport aerobatic electric (or electric hybrid) aircraft, utilizing the best new manufacturing technologies, and having the ability to fly 400-600 miles AND producible for as little $50K per basic unit is not impossible – based on current or soon to be current technologies... and with reasonable sales numbers.
  • And yes, I'm talking to my XPrize partners about this...
     
• Aviation needs to learn to sell itself… to market expertly, effectively, and with credible integrity… and to produce honest outreach efforts that are genuine, expertly communicated, and designed to install confidence in the value of aviation's people, products and programs.
   
• Aviation needs a new generation of powerplants… whether they be some variety of piston, turbine, electric or some kind of hybrid. Today’s engines (as compared to other types of vehicles) are woefully outdated,complex, and extraordinarily expensive to produce. This HAS to change.
   
• Aviation training is outdated… and while there are signs of hope and innovation, here and there, today’s flight training is inconsistent, expensive, incredibly complex (often arcane) and rarely conducted in a manner that allows for proper retention, digestion and UNDERSTANDING of the material at hand -- and for the long haul. Some exciting development are underway (look at Redbird and others)… but it’s not enough, it’s not happening fast enough, and it needs to be far more cost-effective.
   
• A collective commitment to integrity, safety and industry honesty… so that those coming into aviation will know that they’re coming to a safe place. I know I mentioned that before... but I have thousands of emails and letters from over the years from people who have gotten screwed over and will not have anything to do with aviation again. This is a bigger problem than most of you know. 
   
• We need a massive regulatory rollback… there are way too many regs to be properly understood, too many are in conflict with other regs and the cumulative effect reduces, rather than enhances, safety. A strong commitment to a 50% reduction (or other reasonable target) in regs and a THOROUGH industry-wide study to produce a simpler, safer, set of regs (based on realistic need) will enhance aviation safety… really.
   
• An industry commitment to building a public awareness of aviation as something extraordinary, fulfilling and of positive benefit to the world (versus how it’s usually portrayed… and not just by USA Today). We have some really exciting ideas about this... and are hard at work on several that could have a profound effect... but we need more.
   
• Better, more effective, leaders for all aspects of the Aero-Verse are needed… and a better way for those leaders to conduct outreach with the Aero-Verse needs to be made available without favoritism, restraint or interference from those who do not work in the best interests of aviation. Boy, do we miss having Phil Boyer at the helm of AOPA...
   
• A reorganization of the aviation community… and a means by which they can be honestly informed and to build a consensus that utilizes exciting new tools to build understanding, synergy, and integrity.

There’s more… I have nearly a hundred of these (and a few that are not ready for public dissemination—because someone is doing something SERIOUS about them)… and many more submitted by people far more gifted than I… but you can see where our thinking is… and where we think this industry must set its course if it is to not only survive… but thrive. And we do believe that’s possible.

But here’s the rub…. We’re doing all we can to build a better future for aviation… as are many others…. But a proper disruption of the status quo will take far more than we can do by ourselves--even with the new staff members that are joining us now and in the near future… hence the reason we want to start reaching out to all those folks with a true passion for aviation…. Flyers, who are willing to bring new innovations to the aero-verse… and those willing to provide the disruptive force, talent and passion needed to see it ALL through.

Are you one of those people...?

Or, more important, do you want to be?

If so, we have a job for you… and we’ll be detailing that shortly.

In the meantime… please feel free to suggest ideas for our Oshkosh coverage, or other ideas that we should be working on, or to stop by our HQ building snuggled up RIGHT NEXT to EAA’s media HQ (we’re on the West side… about 10 yards from them). We’d love to meet you…

FMI: jim@aero-news.net, AirVenture Innovation Preview, Airborne Partnership Initiative, AirVenture Innovation Preview Briefing Paper (PDF)