AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY is a creative
enterprise, and so our primary internal assets are people and
ideas.
You, the reader, constitute
our strongest outside asset. You are the reason we work to convey timely,
reasoned and accurate news
and an international editorial perspective.
The world aerospace community, in concert with the world itself
has changed with astonishing speed in the past 10 years, vastly
altering your information needs and our news coverage. When Don Fink
took command a decade ago during the Reagan defense buildup--the
biggest peace-time buildup in history--the magazine's lead story more
often than not was U.S.-based and centered on military and strategic
issues. The magazine had the reputation of being a military book.
That characterization has not been true for a long time.
AS AEROSPACE BECAME MORE INTERNATIONAL as your information
demands became global, as the end of the Cold War transformed the
industry, Don transformed the nature of our news coverage. He
foresaw, correctly, the need for far broader coverage so space,
transport, business, avionics, technology and business flying
stories garnered the covered "lead book" position. He strove for an
enlarged perspective and a balance of coverage among technology,
business and operations. For this, we at the magazine owe Don a big
debt of gratitude.
I look forward with enthusiasm to my new job and
the challenge the magazine faces in reporting on an industry still
in transition yet fertile with potential. Fortunately, as a former
U.S. Navy carrier pilot, airline pilot and as managing editor for
the past seven years, I recognize fully that you are only as good as
the people behind you.
The strengths of AVIATION WEEK
& SPACE TECHNOLOGY are well-known. First and foremost, we are an independent observer of the
aerospace community. In keeping with the high
editorial principles of the McGraw-Hill Companies, the division between editorial and marketing
will be maintained fully. I will continue to champion this division
of "church and state," because the magazine's integrity and
credibility depend upon it.
No less important are the high professional
qualifications and diverse experience of our news team. The depth of
professionalism extends from the top through the entire editorial
staff, including the news editors, Art Dept., and production and
support staffs. It is our diverse backgrounds and interests that
allow us to bring to you weekly news stories and features with
accuracy, balance and in depth analysis rarely found elsewhere.
I plan to use the abilities of this staff to
strengthen our coverage of breaking news. In recent years, we have
expended too much effort in tailoring special reports for what we
thought the reader wanted. We have gone too far in this effort. Next
year, we will curtail "packaged" special reports to concentrate on
breaking news on a global scale. At the same time, the magazine will
respond to emerging technologies, pro- grams and issues with quick
response reports.
As always, we will continue to stress technology and technical
expertise in our coverage, to meet your needs. But we also will give
full attention to business coverage and the important role
governments are playing in key decisions. As both business and
government affect aerospace deeply, I also will see to it that
operational stories and pilot reports continue to make their mark in
the magazine. I am not ready to hang up my brown Flight boots.
WE BECAME A GLOBAL MAGAZINE DECADES AGO , and
we will continue to expand our international news reporting. This
will be supported by the renewed focus of our far-flung bureaus and the
carefully managed addition of contributing editors from all parts of
the world.
Information technology has quickly become a big
part of our lives. AVIATION WEEK will expand its coverage of this
issue, to the extent that it makes sense for a magazine whose
primary responsibility is aerospace news.
We cannot, nor will I function
in a vacuum. You, our readers, constitute our best outside asset.
I ask you to respond directly to me via
mail, e-mail or phone as to where you believe you want "your
magazine" to set its priorities. While we strive continually for a balance of
news coverage, we are only as good as you want us to
be.
Sincerely,
