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March 2004
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Yep, we’re three years old, now starting our
fourth year. Who’d a thought? FLY-LOW’s first issue went
out March 1, 2001. As I struggled to make my way to potential
advertisers during the 2001 ice storms, and snow, I was greeted with
comments like; “Good idea!”, “You’re going to do, what?”, “Are you
sure you want to do that?”, and “The one over there is going out of
business.” In spite of all the doubt, I kept on going and pushing
my idea to begin an entirely new aviation publication. The March
2001 issue was distributed in one or two states. Today, we are in
twenty-five plus states.
THANKS ADVERTISERS
FLY-LOW is sent to over 800 airports and
aircraft related businesses. In 2001, we were shipping just over
100 airports. In this issue, we have a two page ad that features
our advertisers. Most of them have been in this magazine for
thirty-seven issues. They advertised in the first issue when they
actually had no idea of what the final product would look like.
After they saw the magazine, they just kept on advertising. Even
through September 11, 2001, they kept on advertising, knowing that
the best way to get business during hard times is to continue to get
your name in front of aviators. We salute our advertisers in this
issue, especially those who started in our first issue. They make
the difference. When you contact an advertiser in this issue,
please tell them you saw their ad in FLY-LOW. That makes
them proud that you take the time to mention that fact.
WE KEEP CHANGING
FLY-LOW has changed dramatically since
the first issue. I had envisioned an aviation shopper. That would
have meant all ads and no stories. Well, I didn’t sell enough ads
to fill up the first issue, so I wrote aviation stores to fill in
the void. Readers seemed to enjoy the stories… so the stories
continued and will always be here. I try to listen to our readers
and give them what they want most. By the fourth issue, many changes
had come and our standard was set. I have just ‘fine-tuned’ the
magazine since then. There is no doubt that we will continue to
make changes in an effort to make FLY-LOW better.
WHAT’S NEXT?
What is next? I don’t know, to be quite
honest. FLY-LOW is a work in progress. Each issue is like
taking a blank canvas and creating a masterpiece. Wellllll, we like
to think each one is a Rembrandt… but sometimes we fall short. Our
printer has been one of the best to work with. The Log Cabin
Democrat in Conway (AR) has given me a much needed guiding hand
(or kick in the pants) during the first year. With their help, the
fine-tuning process continues. Each issue starts, most times,
before the previous issue is printed. My graphics Guru, Peggy
Bowen, works miracles with the computer. She is such a pleasure
with which to work. Personally, I think she is two darn happy and
sings too much. However, I will survive working with her. I just
hope her happiness and singing doesn’t rub off on me. That could
change my whole attitude on life.
THANK YOU, THE READER
Yeah, without your purchase at our advertisers,
we wouldn’t be here. Thank you, the reader. And I don’t believe
the poll that 85 percent of the pilots who read FLY-LOW only
look at the pictures. Who said that? Here we go with our fourth
year and loving every minute. Some say that I am having too much
fun and could be arrested. They may be right.
Throttle Forward and Fly-Low….
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