It is with great excitement and pride that I introduce myself as the new editor-in-chief of Avionics Magazine. My name (hopefully) is not unfamiliar to our readership as I have been the managing editor of this publication for nearly five years, covering everything from new military platforms to in-flight entertainment systems to new databus technologies. In that time, I’ve traveled all around the world, learned a great deal and had a lot of good experiences covering this ever-changing industry. I’m not a pilot and not an engineer, but my tenure at this magazine has given me the opportunity to fall in love with aviation. This industry is a lot of fun to cover and I’m thrilled to take on this new role.
It is an exciting and busy time for the aviation industry-at-large and for avionics suppliers specifically. Programs including FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and Europe’s Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) are changing how systems onboard the aircraft talk to each other and to the ground. Business and leisure passengers alike want and expect always-on connectivity while in-flight, and the industry must address the security and social concerns about what that connectivity means for the operation of the aircraft. The major U.S. air carriers seem to have weathered the economic storm of the past few years and are starting to look to invest in their fleets again. After a series of high-profile missteps involving air traffic controllers, including unmanned towers and sleeping controllers, the industry is taking a much closer look at managing traffic in the air and on the ground, and what role technology could play in that scenario. And our airborne military forces, both manned and unmanned, fighting in points across the globe require secure and reliable voice and data communications.
Indeed, it is a great time to be a part of this dynamic industry.
For Avionics Magazine, too, it’s an exciting time. As electronic media continues to grow, we are expanding our menu of products to include podcasts, webcasts, blogs, videos, weekly e-letters and online-only exclusives. If you haven’t already, you should bookmark
www.avionicstoday.com. There, you can read industry news, flip through the latest issue, subscribe to our digital edition, browse our library of reference materials and much more. In addition, in the coming months, we’re set to unveil a new look to our website and many new online-only features to provide our readers with the most up-to-date and useful information.
To reuse an oft-used cliche, this isn’t your father’s Avionics Magazine.
I would also like to take this platform to introduce Debra Richards as the new managing editor of this magazine. She has more than five years of experience in the publishing industry, including positions with financial newsletters and Avionics Magazine’s sister publication, Via Satellite. She’ll be managing production of the monthly magazine, overseeing special projects and working to further establish our digital presence online and in social media. Before too long, she’ll have jet fuel running through her veins like the rest of us. Please join me in welcoming her to the Avionics team.
It’s true that there are a lot of changes in aviation and in publishing. But one thing that will not change is Avionics Magazine’s commitment to being your source for news, analysis and insight into this ever-changing world of aviation electronics. From our well-respected print publication to our expanding array of online offerings, we will continue to be your go-to spot for avionics news and information.
I love to hear from our readers. Please drop me an e-mail ([email protected]), give me a call (301-354-1820) or stop me at a trade show to let me know how we’re doing. And don’t forget to follow the magazine on Twitter (@AvionicsMag) or “like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on industry news. I look forward to meeting you!