One of the frustrating things about editing a print magazine is the long lead-time required to bring ideas from the field into the actual magazine that appears on the newsstand. We fly a new airplane, write up a report, and it is invariably four months (at the quickest) before we can tell you that story as you sit in your favorite chair, leafing through the magazine. By that time, the “Mark II” model of the airplane has been announced, and we are forever playing catch up. Yet we all still like paper magazines, as they allow us to leaf through pages quickly in any direction, and refer back to where we have our fingers holding certain spots for quick reference.
The Internet is obviously a far faster way to get information to our readers, but at the same time, we want to be able to give you the in-depth, insightful, and thoughtful coverage that comes from taking the time to let ideas and impression congeal and organize themselves. First answers are often wrong, and first impression can be changed as we learn more. But… we want out readers to know what is going on when it happens, so real-time reporting has its place.
Kneeboard Notes is a collection of the things that accumulate on this Editor’s flying kneeboard. I never leave the ground without a notepad strapped to my leg – and old habit from training and flight testing – not to mention operational flying when radio calls come fast and terse. I keep a few notes as I fly, and we’ll try to dump them here from time to time – just to let you know what we are seeing and what to expect in coming issues. Take them as first impressions – take them as news… but look for the full story to come!
