Comments from the Chair
September '07
I'm
long overdue in getting a note off to you, and for that I once again
apologize. Too much work and not enough money - but that's s.o.p. for
all aviation photographers as far as I can tell!
ISAP-VII -
way back in March - was a qualified success. I say qualified only
because of the disappointing tour of Hurlburt AFB and the sophomoric
way in which we were hosted.
That aside, I thought
the rest of the symposium was just about right. The guest speaker list
this time around was one of our best to date - and every single
presentation, with no exception, was first rate. There were too many
stand-outs to list here, but I don't think anyone walked away feeling
they had been short-changed at any level.
My thanks go out
to all who volunteered their time and energy to help this year. Always
at the top of that list is my co-anchor, Chad Slattery (how about that
field trip lunch!). And let's not forget our board members, our Canon
and Nikon and Lockheed Martin and Air & Space and Boeing and AOPA
and Delkin sponsors, and the kind folks at the National Museum of Naval
Aviation and the USAF Armaments Museum. All did a fantastic job of
keeping us busy and fed and entertained and transported and most
importantly, happy! Thanks to you all!
It's now time to look
ahead to ISAP-VIII! It will take place in Ft. Worth, Texas! Hotel has
yet to be decided, but I'll have that information for you shortly. Keep
your eye on the ISAP website for updates!
Chad and the board
and I are working hard on making ISAP-VIII yet another successful
gathering of the world's premier aircraft photographers. Chad and Andy
Wolf have put together a terrific list of guest speakers and we are
firming them up as these words are written. Additionally, I'm working
on the field trip and hope to have tours of Lockheed Martin's F-35
production line, Bell Helicopter's
flight test facility (with a
possible flight demo of the Model 609 tilt rotor), the Vought Aircraft
Heritage Foundation (V-173, F6U, F4U, and F7U restorations), and
several other photographically suitable sites.
So, in a
nutshell, that's where things currently sit. All our bills are paid,
membership continues to grow, and the future looks bright - in spite of
the stock market!
See you next month!
Jay