It’s a sad thing that aviation
is the focus of attention because of that fateful day,
while globally there have been more
non-aviation attacks that have rattled the world.
It’s a sad thing that some of the ‘pilots’ on 9/11
came out of general aviation, by way of flight training,
collectively launching the entire industry
into an arena of suspicion and react.
Through it all the industry has survived,
a different industry but one that saw corporate aviation thrive,
then bust, with airports and airlines
somewhere in the mix, despite the obstacles.
It was an industry once led by love and inspiration,
later led by business and an adoring public;
today it’s led by global forces
and an industry that wants to move beyond ‘the threat’.
A tragedy of 9/11 is that it made us apprehensive
about flying, a tragedy for plane owner and passenger;
it doesn’t help that the security agencies charged with peace
just seem to get in the way of movement, of commerce.
It’s a good thing that the industry I know
is still out there – the Showalters, the Cutters;
American, Delta, and Southwest still live the legacy,
and what we know of aviation has gone out to the world.
Turns out, 9/11 is actually a national defense story,
not one about aviation at all, other than the implementation;
it’s a sad thing that money and hell have been spent
to damper an industry that is inherently inspired.
Thanks for reading.
