Tom Horne retires
Prolific writer and weather expert has had a remarkable career
An authority on weather, advanced air mobility, and turbine aircraft, Horne has been an aviation subject expert and prolific writer whom we will all sorely miss. From his delightful insights into subjects that could be considered staid to his witty observations about the aviation world, Horne has provided volumes of invaluable information and creative stories that all pilots and aviation enthusiasts will benefit from for years to come.
He started at AOPA in December 1979 as an associate editor. A graduate of Ohio State University, Horne worked as a cartographer before earning his private pilot certificate in 1975 and pursuing his career with AOPA. His first byline was in February 1980 for a weather story “Jet Stream.” In 1982, thinking ultralights might be the key to general aviation’s future, AOPA started an ultralight division and Horne became editor of Ultralight Pilot until 1984. He left the association in December 1989 to work in Bombardier’s marketing and promotions department for the Challenger division.
In 1992, Horne returned to AOPA. He has written the regular weather column for AOPA Pilot since 1982, and it is the oldest continuously running aviation weather column in any GA magazine. He is the author of the book Flying America’s Weather, published in 1999. In 2020, Friends and Partners in Aviation Weather presented its service award to Horne for his work in educating pilots about weather.
Horne has written an estimated 2,000 aviation-related magazine articles dealing with weather, safety, pilot technique, and travel. He has written pilot reviews of more than 250 different models of aircraft. An ATP, instrument and multiengine instructor, and glider pilot, Horne has more than 5,000 hours total time, and has completed 26 trans-Atlantic crossings as pilot in command delivering new airplanes to England, Germany, Egypt, and Thailand. He holds type ratings in the Cessna Citation Mustang, Embraer Phenom 300, and Embraer Praetor 500.
“Surely, Tom Horne is one of the most prolific aviation writers the world has ever seen.”In 1991, AOPA started the Turbine Pilot section of AOPA Pilot and Horne has covered a wide range of turbine aircraft for the section, guiding the section for two decades. The National Business Aviation Association honored Horne in 2019 with the David W. Ewald Platinum Wing Award for his lifetime achievement in journalism. The award marks the contributions over a career in journalism that have made this industry a community and is named for the late David Ewald, who helped create Business & Commercial Aviation magazine and co-founded Flight Training magazine. As editor of AOPA Pilot’s Turbine Edition, Horne championed safety in business aviation, including for single-pilot turbine flying, developing articles based on the latest studies and expert analyses.
“Surely, Tom Horne is one of the most prolific aviation writers the world has ever seen. He has educated and entertained several generations of pilots through his witty aircraft reports, weather articles, instrument tips, and so much more,” said Kollin Stagnito, AOPA senior vice president of media and marketing. “We will miss having Tom on staff, and greatly appreciate the massive contribution he has made to AOPA members and the general aviation community over the past four decades.”
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