Happy New Year!

Not a day goes past without my receiving emails or phone calls from ANN readers expressing their thanks and support for what we bring to you each and every day. Many of these communications come from people who have read ANN since its inception, and many more from those who have been reading me, personally, since my print days with US Aviator and or even further back to Air Progress, Sport Pilot and beyond...

Many of you know about the tumultuous road that we've taken on this journey and how the trip has not always been the most joyful pursuit one can take on... It has been, at times, difficult if not, treacherous. We've been tested... time and time again. We've gotten what seems like more than our fair share of the hard breaks, the (seemingly) impossible tasks, and the kinds of fights that no one willingly takes on... but has to, if their principles and beliefs are to have any validity.

As many times as we have been challenged, we've never backed down... not once. To those of you who know this well, and who have expressed concerns over the personal price we've paid, fear not. We survived. We're doing well. Heck; we're even thriving, at this point. There are far worse things in this world than being tested and standing up to the challenges involved.

Yes, at times, the road has been a first-class bitch... but if we had quit, then we would have failed and failure is not a word we accept without a struggle. There are far worse things in this world than to have convictions and be called upon to defend them. There is NO failure in fighting for what you believe, no matter the outcome -- only in backing down before something that you know to be wrong... and so we've taken these lessons and built ANN as the ultimate expression we could conceive of, to honestly offer more info, more swiftly, to more flyers than ever before... so you can be educated and informed as well as we'd always wish ourselves to be.

There is such immense power in knowledge... and ANN desires nothing so much as to convey that power to you all. Over the next few weeks, we'll be making further upgrades to insure that the quantity and quality of info we get to you not only increases, but increases dramatically. We're getting ready to add some very qualified new staffers, increase the timeliness with which we deliver our news (via 24/7/365 real-time news delivery) and introduce some exciting and innovative new tools to help you get our news products faster than ever before, via ANN's new ever-ready, Aero-News Bug. 

Best of all, though, is the fact that the ANN gang (a small part of which are pictured below in the midst of chowing down during Oshkosh 2003) continues to grow and evolve into the finest crew of fly-writers I have ever worked with. From our most senior full-time staff to our stringers, we now boast a crew that has no equal in professionalism, commitment and dedication to the best interests of aviation. Beyond that, there is a huge community of readers (YOU!) that have become our inspiration. We're having a ball with all this and working our buns off... and the product you receive can only improve from here on out. Fasten your seatbelts...

For the moment, though, I'm pleased to report that life is cool. Though working hard and long; our challenges are rewarding, the company great, and the future bright.

So... as Van Morrison croons the Bright Side of The Road from a CD, little Josan (our German Shepherd and, some say, the brains of the outfit) lies crashed out at my feet (and snoring up a storm), and the day comes to a close with the end of a VERY intriguing year, I wish you a Happy New Year and the very best from all of us at ANN HQ... where all is truly right with the world.

There's more.... but we'll speak on that another time... in the meantime, let me once again express my thanks for your support, counsel and readership. It is, indeed, a privilege to work for you all.

God Bless...

FMI: Jim Campbell, ANN Editor-In-Chief