Say Hello To Annette Kurman And Mark Sletten!

With the final days before the official start to EAA AirVenture 2006 counting down all too rapidly... and, not quickly enough... ANN's senior staff is all-too-aware of the Herculean task ahead of us in reporting EVERYTHING that's news at The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration.

Fortunately, this year we'll have some help... and some really GREAT help at that. As we've already told you, Aero-News is bringing its largest staff EVER to AirVenture this year... and over the next several days, we thought we'd take the time to introduce you to the staff members -- both full-time, as well as our "stringers" -- who will be bringing our readers and listeners all the news that's fit to pixilate from Oshkosh this year.

And now, without further adieu...

Annette Kurman

Recognized by the New Hampshire Press Association for excellence in journalism, Annette is spending her "summer break" from her full-time job as Public Relations Director for Daniel Webster College to work for Aero-News in Oshkosh.

Annette is a graduate of Temple University with a Bachelor's degree in journalism, as well as the winner of the William Randolph Hearst "Spot News" contest. She has worked in the aviation industry for three years.

Mark Sletten

Mark Sletten is a 20-year USAF veteran. He retired as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) after a flying backwards for 5000 hours -- as a KC-135 In-flight Refueling Specialist (Boom Operator)! He had the opportunity to refuel every air refueling (AR)-capable receiver in the USAF inventory including the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-117 Nighthawk and the B-2 Spirit. He successfully completed over 50 combat AR missions in and around Iraq and Bosnia during Operations Desert Storm and Allied Force. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal and three Air Medals.

Since retirement from the USAF Mark has worked for FlightSafety Services Corporation at Scott AFB, IL developing and maintaining classroom and simulator courseware in support of KC-135E pilot training for the Air National Guard. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Southern Illinois University -- Carbondale, and is a 1000-hour pilot. Along with his wife, Lisa, Mark owns an AA-5 Traveler -- and he spends the majority of his free time cleaning epoxy off his hands and scratching his head trying to interpret the well-written construction manual for a Lancair Legacy FG kitplane.

Stay tuned as we introduce more of our stringers and staffers in days to come!

FMI: www.aero-news.net