A link in the chain

Welcome to a new year of Ground Support. As you may have noticed, the name of the magazine has changed from GSE Today to Ground Support Magazine. The reason? "Ground Support" encompasses the whole of aviation ground support as opposed to a specific segment. Aviation ground support is much more than the equipment - it's the support of aviation and aviation customers and it links equipment, personnel, customers, and service together 24/7/365 - all with efficiency and safety at its core.

While aviation news in recent memory has not been all rosy, it becomes increasingly important that the resources available to those performing aviation ground support are accurate and relevant. Ground support personnel, management, suppliers, and manufacturers need to be able to recognize changes in the marketplace immediately to be able to adapt quickly to customers' needs.

At GSE International Expo 2002, a fairly grim picture was painted on opening night as a panel of airline representatives explained to attendees that the airlines' purse strings would remain tied with respect to purchasing ground support equipment. Many left the meeting wondering why they made the trip at all. It wasn't until the show opened and purchasers from FBOs, corporate operations, and the military gave vendors pause to think outside the airlines - a link to other segments of aviation had been forged. With that in mind, this year's GSE International Expo is being co-located with the AS3 (Aviation Services and Suppliers Supershow), which brings together those representatives from airports, FBOs, corporates, the military, as well as airlines in one big event, to better strengthen the aviation ground support supply chain.

Ground Support Magazine also plans to help strengthen that chain by continuing to publish managerial, technical, professional articles, as well as product information that show trends, new markets, best practices, and solutions for a fast-paced and ever-changing industry.

Thanks for reading.

Michelle Garetson