Senior Editor Alton K. Marsh and Staff Photographer Mike Fizer were struck by the differences between life in the United States and Haiti during the preparation of " Delivering Hope" (see page 77). Before they left the United States, the pair noted the contrast between the 60-year-old Douglas DC-3s used by Missionary Flights International and the sleek private passenger jets in hangars nearby at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. Later came the sharper discrepancies between the life of abundance in the United States and life under conditions of extreme poverty in Haiti. In all they had a whirlwind tour of the Caribbean, with 20 minutes in the Bahamas, 20 in the Caicos Islands, and 40 in Haiti. But it was enough to get a powerful glimpse of GA's role in aiding a starving people.
On a Tuesday in mid-May, Associate Editor Steven W. Ells received a phone call from AOPA Pilot Editor in Chief Thomas Haines with instructions to book a flight to Orlando, Florida, for a Friday press conference. "I was told about a new engine that Bombardier would introduce to the world in late July at EAA AirVenture 2003 — and then I was sworn to silence," says Ells. "Upon arriving in at the Orlando airport, I walked directly from the gate to the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport, checked in, and spent most of the next day getting briefed on the V220 and V300T engines. Early the next morning I walked to my gate and departed for home. The trip quickly added frequent-flier miles to my total, but right now I'd bet that the Bombardier engines will last longer than the airline I traveled on." Find out why in " Airframe & Powerplant: Twenty-First-Century Engines," starting on page 151.
Amelia Durden, daughter of frequent contributor Rick Durden, has been flying with her dad since she was three weeks old. Last summer she told her dad that she wanted to see if she could solo a glider on her fourteenth birthday, in the spring of 2003. Dad wasn't ready for the emotional impact on himself as she had the time of her life making her first solo. They each give a perspective on the experience in " Gliding Out of the Nest," on page 118.
"My profession revolves around eyes and vision, but aviation and flying are my passion," says Dr. Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, an ophthalmologist specializing in vitreoretinal surgery. Her interest in medical certification issues pertaining to the eye and vision is a natural way to combine her enthusiasm for aviation and her expertise in eye diseases. "As more and more pilots are undergoing vision corrective surgery, it is increasingly important for pilots to stay up to date with procedures and medical certification regulations," she says. The author explains advances in vision correction surgery in " The Latest on LASIK," beginning on page 133.
