Aviation in 2006

Here's wishing everyone in the aviation industry a Happy New Year. I hope we have a better year in 2006 than we've had in the last several years.

I'm pretty optimistic. There are a lot of wonderful things on the horizon for all of us.

Technology is delivering better and faster information to the cockpit, and we're finally beginning to see truly user-friendly software and hardware that delivers what we've always been promised: useful, clearly-presented, real-time weather information; comprehensive Electronic Flight Instrumentation Systems (EFIS) that don't cost as much as a four-bedroom home; engine and systems monitors that can record thousands of datapoints for post-flight scrutiny; low(er)-cost Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems and Ground Proximity Warning Systems for general aviation; more realistic simulators and training devices; graphical flight-planning software; and the list goes on.

Many new aircraft designs are appearing, new paradigms of air travel are in the works and, presumably, more aviation career opportunites will follow.

Air travel in the USA is safer than it's ever been, and the oft-assured and long-awaited collapse of the major airlines hasn't occured.

It's not all roses. We must continue to address the destructive factors that have crept in to our industry, including the rapidly-mounting cost of liability insurance that threatens entrepreneurial innovation and private ownership of aircraft; absurd TSA "security" requirements; draconican airspace grabs, such as the Washington, DC ADIZ; pop-up TFRs; repeated threats to the warbird and vintage-aricraft communities which threaten to ground our aircraft; costly and largely unnecessary Airworthiness Directives; and the current pension crisis that threatens many US companies, including airlines.

Pilots, we have little direct control over many of these issues, so we should concentrate on those we can control. Specifically, we need to make sure that we don't contribute to our problems by doing stupid stuff. For example, the repeated violations of restricted airspace by private pilots has kept General Aviation in the public limelight this year, especially among politicians and the media. Let's all make a New Year's Resolution to improve upon that unenviable track record next year.

Best wishes and happy flying. I look forward to 2006!