In 2010 I was invited to jump aboard for a golf cart ride. Ben Sclair, the publisher of General Aviation News, was at the wheel. As we motored through the dirt backroads of the event, Ben explained his vision for an electronic version of General Aviation News. Its intent was to augment the printed version. I was intrigued.
In the years immediately prior to our conversation the Internet had begun to sprout up publications that no longer had to be printed on paper stock. Delivery was quick and efficient. Long lead times for writing, editing, layout, printing, and distribution were becoming a thing of the past. Ben saw the potential of this new world. He was gracious enough to invite me along. To write for a publication I’d taken great pride in working for in past years.
It’s hard to believe today, but the Internet was not nearly as powerful a force as it is today. It had potential, however. Ben recognized that and did something about it.
I’m not entirely sure how I got this gig. Perhaps there is a hint in my previous freelance work for The Southern Aviator. A regional publication edited by Mike Collins, who I would get to know years later when we both worked at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). It could be that publisher Todd Huvard passed along some tidbit of information that reflected well on me. Or Bill DeBrauwer, an editor I learned plenty from and enjoyed being around immensely.
I’m not sure. But I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity Ben gave me. It’s been an amazing ride.
Over the past 16 years and 6 months of being a regular contributor, I’ve established a habit. Every Monday morning, I sit down with a cup of coffee, an open word processor, and a blank page. In all that time I’ve never missed a deadline or skipped a week. Not for illness, not for vacations, not for family obligations, moving house, or shifting jobs. I’ve produced a new, hopefully unique, piece of work every week for more than a decade and a half.
I’ve often been asked how do you think of a new idea every week. I answer honestly. Coming up with an idea isn’t all that difficult. The challenges is in filtering out the other 197 ideas that popped into my head over the past week to settle on just one.
I’m not sure how next Monday morning will go for me. Writing this column has become a part of my life, not just a side hustle. I have incredible respect for Ben and the publication. I can confess an enormous affection for Janice Wood, too. She’s the editor who makes me look smarter and more capable than I actually am. Well done, Janice.
What comes next is a mystery to me. Well, it’s kind of a mystery. I do have a career with AOPA that I value more than I can say. And I’ll be working on another novel. An idea I’ve been hatching for a while now but haven’t had the time to flesh out properly.
It’s time to clear the decks, refocus my efforts, and try to learn how to be a bit less of a workhorse and more a man of (apparent) leisure. That’s going to be more of a challenge than you might think.
I’ve worked seven days a week since I was a kid. It’s a family trait. Perhaps because in my youth my parents bought a farm. Anyone who has grown up on a farm knows that life doesn’t stop because it’s Saturday or it’s raining.
We also opted to build our own house. An 8,000-square-foot monstrosity that I began working on at the age of seven. By the time I was in middle school I was an old hand at framing, wiring, setting French drains, and roofing. I even learned to set dynamite into granite and blow it to bits. And with a driveway that clocked in at a mile and a half of dirt, I got pretty good at plowing snow through the night during Connecticut winters.
It’s been quite a ride over these past almost 70 years. And I’m not done yet. Not by a long shot. I’m not even closing the door on writing a piece for this magnificent publication now and then. But I am reorganizing my working life, paring it down to just two areas of focus.
Serving as the High School Aero Club Liaison for AOPA remains my priority. It is a role I treasure and a mission I believe in with all my heart.
And then there’s that novel to consider. It’s not going to write itself.
To be honest what I’ll miss the most about writing this weekly column isn’t the Monday morning writing sessions. Those will continue, albeit with a different focus. What I will miss most will be the amazing people this column has afforded me the luxury to meet.
Readers attending aeronautical events have introduced themselves to me all over the country. It’s been my great pleasure to interact with men and women who think themselves to be ordinary humans, although they are clearly not that. They are amazing examples of what an individual can do if they put their mind to it. They perform the magic of aviation and aerospace with a casual flair. As if their pursuits are nothing more impressive than a quick trip to the corner store.
Yes, I’ve been fortunate to meet some luminaries in this business. From Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover to Paul Tibbets and Harrison Ford. It’s been my great good fortune to have fallen into an industry that has so profoundly changed the world we live in for the better. What a treat it’s been.
Here’s a funny story you might like. A man named Les Smith was hired by AOPA to be my boss. Les is a wonderful guy. If you ever get the chance to meet him, take it.
Our first meeting of substance was at AirVenture. We were both busy at the show, so we agreed to go to dinner together later that night. To get to know each other. While standing in the small waiting area before being seated I mentioned a column I had written for General Aviation News a week or two earlier. Les’s face brightened as he raised a finger in my direction. “Oh, you’re that Jamie Beckett.”
I certainly was. And to some extent, I suspect I will always be.
Safe travels, y’all.
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