Editor’s Desk

Another Message from the Editor

February 6th, 2011

Okay, folks. Don’t faint, but – yes – that is a new episode of “Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear” you see posted here today.

As I stated back on Christmas Eve – WhyFly is far from dead, and the only reason for the sudden dearth of new material was/is an opportunity to create and produce a new, action/adventure, Aviation TV Series.

I said it then, and I’ll repeat it now – getting this new series up and running is taking way more time than we ever expected, but… the initial creative work is done, our partners are now looking after the financial side of things, and the pilot episode is scheduled for shooting in the latter part of May. So, Michelle and I finally have some time to turn our attention back to Why Fly.

Our wonderful partner, Francois Dumas, is fixing the last few broken links (left over from last fall’s “hack-attack”), and we’ll soon start posting some of the material we simply haven’t had time to get to since then.

FYI: As previously mentioned, it is our intention to link Why Fly to this new TV Series – once it’s in production – and as we’re selling the show to a world-wide market, we’re hoping to promote aviation through both venues by the end of this year.

“Stay tuned” for exclusive information, and “behind-the-scenes” stories on the new series (as soon as we’re given the green light to talk about it. <g>)

Meanwhile, we sincerely hope you enjoy Episode 23 of, “Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear.”

Back ‘atcha soon.

Glenn Norman

Letter from the Editor

December 24th, 2010

Happy Holidays to all our loyal, Why Fly visitors from Michelle Goodeve and me.

Right off the top, our sincere thanks to Francois Dumas for keeping Why Fly alive (both technically and content-wise). And right after that – sincere apologies for the overly-long delay in getting Why Fly really moving again.

As I explained in my last note (in October!!!), a golden opportunity arose to create a new Aviation TV Series, and that has taken practically every waking minute since. (Really. We’ve been living on 3 hours sleep for months now.)

We had no idea how much work this particular project would require to get up and running, and the whole situation was complicated by the rapidly-approaching onslaught of yet another Canadian winter.

We had hoped to have the pilot episode “in the can” before the snow hit … but we only had time to shoot a Series Demo Reel before we “lost the weather.” So we are now looking at an early spring shoot for “the pilot,” followed – hopefully – by the Series shoot next summer.

The good news is that we have a wonderful, highly-experienced, powerful group of Co-Producers involved with this project, big broadcasters are interested, and Investors are coming on board much faster than we expected.

More than half the budget is already in place, and we’re planning to approach Aviation Investors for the rest.

(Sidebar: The show’s goal is to excite Teens around the world about the possibilities of becoming Pilots. We plan to focus on all the amazing new ways you can become airborne – inexpensively – and hope to feature as many new “Flying Machines” as possible. It is our belief that nothing can provide an introduction to the world of Private Flying for a world-wide audience quite like a weekly TV show. After all, how many of us {with gray in our hair} got started thanks to “Sky King”? Every week, Sky, Penny & Clipper came into our homes and convinced us that it was a normal life-option to become a pilot, buy your own airplane, and tie it down on the runway behind your house. Michelle and I bought it. And we’ve lived that way for most of the past 40 years.)

So if you know of any “deep-pocket” Aviation Investors who are as concerned as we are with getting “The Next Generation of Pilots” into the air … please feel free to point them in our direction. <g>

BTW: We are not Luddites. The Series will have a major web component, and we plan to post many exclusive stories about the new show, right here on Why Fly.

In the meantime…

We have a plan to get Why Fly moving again over the next few weeks.

We’ve never really fully restored all the posts, photo essays and videos that were lost when Why Fly was hacked. (Though Francois did an outstanding job of recovering the bulk of this site.) Getting all past-posts back up and running is our first priority.

We also have a lot of new stories, Photo Essays and Exclusive Videos in our inventory. Getting those posted will come next.

Then, we’ll try to get back to as much new material as time will allow us.

We can’t promise the 2 – 3 items a week we managed in the past right now – though there will be a steady stream of new material. But once the Series is going, our plans to link it with Why Fly should allow us to make this Online Aviation Journal bigger and better than ever.

We look forward to making this all happen and – on behalf of myself, Michelle and our long-suffering partner, Francois – The Very Happiest of Holidays to all of you.

Yours most sincerely,

Glenn Norman
Editor

Greetings All.

August 29th, 2010

As you’ve read – thanks to stirling work by Francois Dumas – Why Fly is back up and running again.

The only reason we haven’t posted new content since then is because Michelle Goodeve’s computer also picked up a virus and we wanted to be sure all Why Fly computers were safe & clean before proceeding.

We’re now satisfied they are,  so starting today (Sunday, August 29^th, 2010) we’ll begin posting new material.

Please note that some of the older videos still need to be re-loaded, and at least one TTDOY post is missing. We’ll start correcting those problems right away.

We’re also looking at ways to reduce the wait time for our Photo Images.

So … thank you for being patient with us during our recovery from this “hack-attack,” and look forward to a lot more content in the days and weeks to come.

Cheers till next time,

Glenn Norman
Editor

PS: Spread The Word!

Lots of new ‘stuff’

August 1, 2010

‘Acting as Glenn’ I just wanted to make sure you are aware of the new content we’ve posted over the past weeks, even though it is summer time and some of us are traveling or busy in other ways.

But first of all let us thank you for coming back and reading the stories on Why Fly! We really appreciate your interest and loyalty and are working hard to get ‘more of you’ visit each day! Keep on spreading the word!

Glenn has added quite a few of his wonderful stories in his ‘Thrilling Days of Yesteryear’ series, we have a new story by Paul Tomascik, a new story by Rob Bach, videos of flying, a wonderful photo essay by Michelle and new ‘columns’ as well.

It is already August again now and the summer is progressing. No fear, we keep at it to bring you new content each and every week and are also very busy collecting new stories AND pictures/videos to keep you busy the coming winter!

Happy Continued Summer,
Francois

Where in the World…? June 29, 2010

Just checked and Why Fly is now being viewed by members in ninety countries around the world.

Our top ten?

#10 – South Korea.

#9 – Italy

#8 – France

#7 – Portugal

#6 – Australia

#5 – Germany

#4 – Netherlands (Thank you Francois. <g>)

#3 – United Kingdom (Thank you homeland. <g>)

#2 – Canada (Thank you new home. <g>)

#1 – The U.S.A. (Thank you southern neighbours. <g>)

We also have visitors from such exotic locations as:

• Slovenia
• Turkey
• Iceland
• Uzbekistan
• China
• Luxembourg
• Mauritius
• Nigeria
• Saudi Arabia
• Brunei
• Egypt
• Bolivia
• United Arab Emirates
• Bulgaria
• Paraguay
• Bahrain
• Lithuania
• Mongolia
• Chile
• Uganda
• Guatemala
• Tunisia
• Morocco
• Uruguay
• Kenya
• Malta
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• Suriname
• Peru
• Estonia
• Zimbabwe
• Sri Lanka
• Russia, and…
• Iran.

… To name a few!

Thank you all so much for becoming part of “The Why Fly Family.”

You are proof-positive that no matter where in the world we may live, we’re all in love with the same sky.

Keep on “Spreading the Word” <g>

GN

Coming Soon June 29, 2010

In the next few days, we’ll be posting a story on England’s “Goodwood Revival,” by a brand new contributor from France (as our International audience grows).

We also have another “Sky Candy” video in the works for Aeronca (aka “Airknocker”) lovers.

Michelle Goodeve’s next Photo Essay, “Below” is almost completed.

And on Sunday, the next episode of “Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear” tells of The Widget’s first time aloft (and one stupendous blunder on my part!)

Also – don’t miss Francois’ latest contribution on our Forum.  He’s figured out how to add pictures. Very cool.

Be sure and check back regularly. We have many new projects in production.

Thanks & cheers till next time,

Glenn Norman

PS: Tom Dietrich continuing to do well. Should be home in 2 – 3 weeks.

PPS: Spread The Word!

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New Content Preview June 26, 2010

Just a quick message to let you know you can expect two new items in the next 36 hours:

* A new “Sky Candy” Video.

And…

* A new Episode of “Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear.”

Our apologies for the delay in posting new content. As you can read below, we were preoccupied this week with the near-loss of our dear friend, Tom Dietrich (who continues to slowly improve), then – yesterday – with the tragic news that Michelle’s Cousin, Jim Duquette, was killed in an industrial accident.

Please bear with us. We’ll be back up to speed next week.

(And check back at the “Editor’s Desk” for frequent updates.)

Thanks and cheers till next time,

Glenn Norman

________________________________________________________________

Welcome IYP’ers June 26, 2010

I just wanted to extend a special “Welcome” to all the new members who discovered Why Fly by way of Robert Cezar’s wonderful Flight Sim site, “It’s Your Plane.” http://www.itsyourplane.com/ Two of the original co-founders of Why Fly, Hal Bryan & Mike Singer, were part of Microsoft’s FS team. And I’m sure many of you know our current partner, Francois Dumas, through all the excellent work he’s done on behalf of Flight Simmers around the world. http://flightsimplaza.com/fsblog/ I’m a big believer in the value of “Virtual Flying” and we here at Why Fly realize many people have fallen in love with flying thanks to Flight Sim.

(Sidebar: Michelle & I helped Hal Bryan & his team introduce FSX when it first came out (at the Canadian Aviation Expo, then at Oshkosh in the U.S.).

So you can expect to see coverage of Flight Sim topics on Why Fly, albeit from our unique P.O.V. – the passion for flying.

We sincerely hope you enjoy the content you find here and that you’ll come back on a regular basis as we’re adding new material every week.

Finally … a special “Thank You” to Robert Cezar for letting all of you know that we exist. <g>

Spread The Word!

Cheers till next time,

Glenn Norman

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TOM DIETRICH UPDATE 4 p.m. June 24, 2010

And Away We Go…                                                                                             June 24, 2010

One of the problems with having a few years under your belt (decades would be a better description) is that one tends to be intimidated by new technology. That’s why so many of us over the age of 30 (an age I’ve achieved twice <g>) tend to still be running ancient ‘puters with Windows 95. <g> Thanks to ‘puter-whiz friends like Hal Bryan, Mike Singer & Francois Dumas, I’m not that far behind … but I do have to admit a certain nervousness when trying something new for the first time (especially if it has the potential of screwing up the above-mentioned, good folks hard work in setting up Why Fly).

But…

I asked Francois for several changes to Why Fly, including this “Editor’s Desk” page, so it’s time to take a deep breath and get going.

I’d originally intended to make this first message (letter/blog/whatever this thing is <g>) about Why Fly’s new “free” status, then go into some of our future plans for the site (or whatever this thing is that we’ve created.)

But instead, I’ll have to begin with the news that our friend, Tom Dietrich – originator of the world-famous “Tiger Boys” (based out of Guelph Air Park) – is in hospital in serious condition.

My partner, Michelle Goodeve, and I have known Tom since we met him at the very first Air Show we ever barnstormed, way back in 1971. (Michelle would want you to know she was two at the time <g>) We lost track of him for a while, but when we learned our recently-sold Thruxton Jackaroo was to be cut up for parts (instead of restored, as promised), we tracked Tom down because we knew that he, and his then-partner Frank Evans, were looking for a project. We found them operating “The Beaver Hobby Store” in Waterloo Ontario and, after greeting us, Tom’s first question was, “What ever happened to your Jackaroo?” This was on a Tuesday. The Jackaroo was to be cut up on the following Saturday. Tom & Frank bought the project (now little more than the bare bones) on the Wednesday. Then, over the next seven years, they turned our tired old Jackaroo into an Oshkosh Award Winner.

From there, Tom & Frank began restoring more antique airplanes and as they soon ran out of room in their garages, they rented space at Guelph Air Park (in Ontario, Canada), directly across from the hangar-home of Michelle’s Pietenpol!

Frank passed away after suffering a heart attack during the shooting for the pilot for our TV show, “Vulcan E.F.T.S,” (for which we still feel awful), but Tom kept The Tiger Boys growing and soon found a wonderful new partner in Bob Revell. Since that time, Tom & Bob – with the aid of an ever-growing army of volunteers – have restored numerous antique aircraft. The last time I checked, they had 10 flying and at least another 20 awaiting re-build. (And Tom insists all the Tiger Boys’ aircraft return to full flying status.)

The most amazing part of this is that Tom doesn’t sell their completed aircraft. He keeps them all, takes them to Air Shows, and gives rides (for the price of gas) at his annual Tiger Boys Open House.

As Tom puts it, “The Tiger Boys is a hobby that went out of control.”

For many years, Tom trusted Michelle & I enough to be  The Tiger Boys sole pilots. With ten airplanes to fly, many others have now “joined the ranks” (and they are – without exception – superb Pilots).

Tom has many other aircraft “under restoration” and was working way too hard for a man with Diabetes. Then again, he always has taken more care of his airplanes than himself. So I guess none of us were surprised when – last weekend – Tom suffered two falls and Bob insisted on taking him to Hospital. What did surprise – and shock us – was the news that  Tom was immediately rushed into intensive care where he’s remained – in isolation – ever since. As we understand it – severe low sodium is to blame for a series of seizures. And, to save Tom, he was put in an induced coma, then on life-support, as Doctors fight to save him.

During the first 48 hours, things looked very dire indeed. But yesterday, Tom shocked everyone by suddenly waking, sitting bolt upright, then loudly complaining about being back in hospital. (Apparently he hasn’t lost the ability to swear. <g>)

Let me be clear … Tom is far from being “out of the woods,” but he’s a stubborn cuss {g} and obviously does not intend to “go gentle into that good night.”

Michelle and I are devastated by Tom’s condition and our heart and thoughts go out, not only to Tom, but to his Partner, Bob, and Tom’s four brothers.

We’ll keep you up to date on Tom’s situation in the days ahead … and we trust you’ll understand the reason Why Fly posts have been a bit sparse this week.

We’ll be back to normal soon.

In the meantime … might I suggest you go to the “video” section of Why Fly and check out Joey Giovenco & Tom Vetter’s “The Tiger Boys & Girl“; a lovely tribute to the magical, non-organization Tom has created.

So hang in there, Tom.

All of us need your friendship, your wisdom, and your love so much.

The world of Aviation simply won’t be the same without you.

‘Nuff said.

Up next … the stuff I’d originally planned for today. {g}

Thanks for reading.

Cheers till next time,

Glenn Norman

(On behalf of myself & Michelle Goodeve)

An Important Letter from the Editor

Right from the start, we knew what we wanted Why Fly to be – an unashamedly romantic take on the world of Aviation.

• We wanted to help remind Pilots why they decided to fly in the first place, and give them new reasons to continue on.
• We wanted to excite potential new Pilots with Aviation’s myriad possibilities and give them lots of motivation for getting in the air.
• We wanted to gather Aviation’s finest Writers, Photographers, Videographers, Poets, Artists and Interviewers in one location where they could share the passion surrounding the freedom only Pilots can experience.
• And we wanted to discover Aviation’s “next generation of communicators” and provide them with a platform where they could hone their craft.

We believe that an examination of the content Why Fly has posted to date shows we have made a good start re all of the above.

And we have many more exciting plans in the offing.

But … there was one question we couldn’t answer until Why Fly went live.

Is it possible to support a venture like Why Fly by membership alone? Or would we have to follow the example of others on the Internet and fund our Journal by more standard methods (advertising, third party sales, etc.)?

We decided we wanted to explore the “Membership Option” first, but it has quickly become apparent that this is not a viable business plan.

Lots of people visit Why Fly, and we’ve had nothing but “rave reviews.” But far too many go no further than the Complimentary Content. And, other than a devoted few (to whom we are sincerely grateful), most balk when it comes time to sign up as a Member.

So over the past month we’ve been faced with two alternatives:

Option #1 – Shut down Why Fly.

Option #2 – Re-invent Why Fly so it can find, build and retain, the audience we believe it deserves.

After much thought, Michelle and I have decided to go for Option #2.

Why?

Quite simple.

“The passion for flight” isn’t just a catchy title, it’s how we’ve lived our lives.

And we think Why Fly’s content is so important – to us, to you, and to Aviation – that we can’t just give up. Not without a fight!

The “New Improved” Why Fly

What will it mean to you?

Quite a bit, actually.

For starters – as of TODAY, Why Fly will become a FREE “publication.”

(Sidebar #1: Those who signed up in the past month will receive a full refund. “Charter Members” who’ve been with us since “Day One” will be receiving an E-mail giving them several options to choose from.)

As for future content, don’t worry. We’ll be delivering even more of the high-quality posts you’ve grown used to; the same kind of wonderful stories, images and videos we’ve planned all along – as well as “Webinars,” “Podcasts,” and much, much more.

How do we intend to do that?

In several ways:

Right off the top, one of our Writers, Francois Dumas, has offered to sponsor Why Fly in the short term through his own “Silver Cloud Publishing” – for which we are deeply grateful. (More about Francois here: www.silvercloudpublishing.com).

Francois will also take on the mantle of Why Fly’s Chief Operating Officer. So, with his help, Why Fly can continue on.

But we are looking for much more assistance if Why Fly is to build into the successful entity we all know it can, and must, become.

Although WhyFly is a labour of love for all involved, ultimately the site will need to make money so we can pay our contributors (and not go bust ourselves).

As promised, Why Fly access will now be free, but we’ll need more Sponsors, Advertisers, & other Commercial Partners if we want to stay aloft.

The “Membership Option” will be gone, but it will be replaced by a “Donate” button. If you are a “Why Fly Fan” and would like to keep Why Fly going, please consider a donation to help us cover operating costs – especially in these early days of “Why Fly 2.”

We’re also planning a Why Fly Store. We’ll notify you as soon as we’re open and will invite you to take a look and see if any of our unique products are of interest to you

But most important of all, please help us “Spread the Word.”

What we need more than anything else is a large audience. So please: Talk about us. Blog about us. Join our new Facebook Fan Page. Tell as many Pilots, Aviators, Fliers and Aviation-Buffs as you can that Why Fly is very much alive and is now completely free.

(Sidebar #3: We will continue to ask Visitors to register for Why Fly, simply to protect the site from Spammers & Virus attacks. By registering, you are not only protecting Why Fly, you’re also protecting your own computer. And you will be a recognized member of the Why Fly family.)

In the meantime, we are continuing to concentrate on making this the number-one, unique aviation site, “celebrating the passion for flight.”

We are planning special additional content to celebrate Why Fly’s “Free-Launch-Week,” (beginning Sunday, June 6^th) so be sure to check back daily next week.

As for the future, please know that you can count on us – and our Contributors – to keep providing new and interesting ways to answer that all important question … Why Fly?

Sincere thanks for your continued support from the Why Fly staff:

Glenn Norman Michelle Goodeve Francois Dumas
President & Editor Creative Director Chief Operating Officer

June 1^st Addendum:

Because word of our impending changes has leaked out through Facebook, starting immediately – once you register, you will have FULL access to ALL Why Fly Content for FREE.

To register, simply click on the “Free Membership” tab at the top of the site. During the transition period, this will take you to the old, “Become A Member” page. Scroll down, click on the large “Click Here to Become Why Fly Family Member” button, fill out the simple form, and – you’re in (with FULL access to ALL content). You are NOT signing up to make payments, just to become a member of the Why Fly Family – for FREE. There are NO catches. No tricks. We will NOT sell your Email address to a 3^rd party. We respect your privacy.

And we sincerely hope you enjoy your time at Why Fly.

SPREAD THE WORD!