The old saying goes, "The only constant is change." Nowhere, it seems, does that quote have more significance than in the aviation industry. Events of the past five years have taken the maintenance sector of aviation from the threat of a mechanic shortage to massive layoffs. Although I wouldn't say we are back to talking shortage, I am hearing that finding qualified, experienced technicians, especially in certain geographic areas, is getting difficult and that some shops are reducing their forecasts because they don't have the technicians to take in more work.

Aviation Maintenance magazine has seen its fair share of change in the last year. Long-time editor Matt Thurber, who hired me to come and work as his managing editor, left the magazine in January. We were fortunate to find, within our own walls, a quick and excellent replacement. David Evans had been editor of one of our parent company's most successful newsletters, Air Safety Week, for many years. He took the helm for a brief nine months before deciding to return to his first passion, safety.

I was offered the position as editor of AM and have accepted with great anticipation about the potential ahead. Over the years that I have been working in and covering this business, I have learned that it is a fascinating and too often overlooked and underappreciated aspect of aviation. I have a tremendous respect and appreciation for all the teams of people that support and maintain the aircraft that fill the skies, from the technician on the floor making the decisions that will get the aircraft back in the air in the least amount of time, to the senior management level making the decisions to help save their companies money, without compromising safety.

My background is more about aviation than journalism. I have been involved in the aviation industry since I was 15, when I decided that I wanted to learn to fly. My Dad, supportive as always, took me to the nearest local airport, Simsbury TriTown in Simsbury, Connecticut. I took lessons there and eventually began working behind the counter to earn money to take more lessons. Then someone told me about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and said that if I truly wanted to be a professional in the aviation industry, I should consider going to college there. I followed their advice. It was a wonderful place where I lived and breathed aviation.

Subsequently, I pursued a career as a professional pilot, starting as a flight instructor, moving into charter, the commuter airlines, and eventually to a regional airline. I also worked as a contract administrator for a couple of aircraft manufacturers, Cessna and Galaxy/Gulfstream.

Working for each of these different facets of aviation has given me my appreciation of the importance of the work done in the maintenance business. There is a chain of trust from the technician, to the pilot, to the flying public that cannot be toyed with. It is an important bond that allows all of us to work together to establish an industry that represents a huge component of our gross national product.

There are other recent changes taking place throughout the industry. Some of those are covered in our magazine this month. Cessna icon and senior vice president of product support and services, Ron Chapman, retired on Oct. 2. His replacement, Mark Paolucci, comes to the position from a background of sales and marketing. I had the chance to sit down and talk with both of them just prior to Ron's departure. They shared insights about the past, present, and future (see stories pages 12 and 20).

Another change, good or bad, in the industry is the use of contract maintenance workers. Our editor-at-large, Dave Jensen, talked to two companies that provide these workers to try to learn best practices when utilizing contract workers (see story page 28).

In spite of the changes, we here at Aviation Maintenance will continue to provide you with the most interesting, readable, aviation maintenance business journal in the industry. Don't be shy; I'd love to hear from you, especially if you feel we've missed the mark, gotten it dead on, or anywhere in between.

Your insights are invaluable and will help us determine the course of our coverage.