ANN Wants Your Opinion
By ANN Associate Editor Mark Sletten
I love to fly.
Everything about my life has revolved around flying. From growing
up as an Air Force brat, serving my own 20-year stint, owning an
airplane for the last 7 years and building one right now, my life
is about flying, and that's the main reason 9/11 was such a blow to
me. Before I go further, let me say 9/11 was a horrible
incident, especially for those that lost loved ones as a direct
result of the attacks. I can't even begin to speak for the families
and friends of the victims…
But I think I have an idea of how others involved in aviation
feel. If you're like me, 9/11 hit hard, at the very heart of your
soul. I think, mainly, because an activity - flying - that is so
beautiful, brings so much joy into our lives and has been used for
so many good things was twisted to the sick service of a few madmen
on a lovely fall morning. In fact, one couldn't have asked for a
better morning for a quick trip around the local airfield to see if
the foliage was turning - it still twists my guts to think about
it.
And then we all were grounded. Some of us longer than others,
but grounding for even a day is a punishment. I understood the need
for the grounding. Indeed, I didn't really have a pressing need to
fly during that period. Pleasure flying, after all, can rarely be
considered a necessary - unless you live to fly…
This is the greatest country in the world if you like to fly.
Bureaucracy, high fuel costs, small countries and borders, these
are just a few of the issues pilots in other countries deal with on
a constant basis. It's not that we don't have the same problems,
but we certainly don't have them to the degree other do. Flying is
still viable in this country, and with the advent of the sport
pilot/aircraft rules, it's more accessible than ever. I love this
country!
But one of the things I've been thinking about lately is how
much things have changed since 9/11. TFR's, Airport Watch programs,
new security procedures for commercial air travel, etc.; it's a
different world for aviation since 9/11.
Terrorism is defined by the US Department of Defense as "the
unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence
against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments
or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological
objectives." I wonder if I'm the only one that worries the
terrorists might have succeeded.
If you've thought about this, ANN wants to hear from you. Even
if you haven't thought about it before now, take a moment to think
about how flying has changed for you since 9/11, and send us
an email. We'll compile your thoughts and let you know how everyone
else feels about it.