As pilots and sometimes cantankerous aviation supporters, it's hard to
remember how much we have to be thankful for. It often seems that
the whole world is conspiring against aviation, with oil prices, users
fees, airport closures, Noise Nazis, and a hundred other issues all
coming together to make personal flying more and more difficult.

Despite these very real issues, a century after the Wright Brothers
our freedom to fly remains a true miracle of the age. We all like to
harp on the "loss of freedom" and obstacles to flying, but sometimes I
fear that we're in danger of believing our own rhetoric a bit too
much. No other humans on this planet enjoy the freedoms we do, as
pilots, and few non-pilots believe me when I tell them that I can hop
in my plane and fly straight to Florida any time I'd like, without
permission or even a radio in the plane!

Our 17 year old son is about to take his Private pilot check ride, and
-- with any luck -- he will have earned the right to partake in this
cornucopia of freedom, all for less than the cost of a cheap used
car. Just 110 years ago, the world's richest inhabitants would have
offered a king's ransom to achieve what can now be purchased for the
same price as a semester of college. THAT, my friends, is a miracle.

Enjoy your turkey and stuffing, folks -- but remember to say a silent
prayer of thanks for all the freedoms we pilots enjoy!

(And to our non-US friends, here, I encourage you to one day visit
America during the Thanksgiving holiday. It's my favorite holiday of
the year, because it only requires two things: Good family/friends,
and good food! No gifts, no obligations, no religion -- just, well,
thankfulness! A truly positive, upbeat holiday...)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"