By Jerry Lips
Ten years ago, I met Peter Paul Luce at Centennial Airport in Colorado. I was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Luce used their aircraft nearly exclusively in the service of others. Flying their jet himself, Mr. Luce has flown hundreds of missions of mercy for AirLifeline.
Knowing that he is the son of Time Life founder Henry Luce, I was curious and ready with questions regarding his family’s publishing heritage.
We had barely covered the subject of his father’s second wife, Clare Booth Luce, when he stopped me abruptly and said, “Look, my father started Fortune Magazine in 1929, the year of the crash, with only sixty thousand dollars. And it is quite an interesting story, but I’m absolutely fascinated by the genius of recognizing general aviation airports as the extraordinary business communities that they are, capturing those markets with community newspapers, and then combining them into a network. Who is responsible for such genius?”
Oh, how I would have liked to take credit at that moment, especially considering the benchmark by which Mr. Luce had referred. Suddenly, reality hit me! It wasn’t my idea. I’m not a genius. “I’m simply the benefactor of an astute former aviation resident of Centennial Airport that took me up in his DC-3 to fly around the pattern as he quoted various Department of Transportation studies that recognized GA airports as the prime generators of business and the nation’s commercial economic activities. And he then said to me, “This place needs a newspaper.”
The rest is history. The timing was right; we were in the right place at the right time. Yes, we seized the moment, but I stand amazed considering every community of almost any size already had its own newspaper, but these most extraordinary and profoundly important business communities were not served by any publishing entity.
In a matter of a few short years, Airport Journals newspapers were established in the top general aviation airport communities in the United States. Relationships were solidified with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers and flight support companies. These companies had already recognized that business owners, CEOs, CFOs, and other top corporate management, along with government leaders, were operating, using their local GA airport facilities.
Building of the database is the first task on the agenda for each airport. Aircraft owners, charter and fractional users, airport businesses, flight department directors, pilots, chief pilots and all manor of airport citizenry are collected and maintained.
The unique editorial mix and grassroots organizing gives every airport citizen an opportunity to share their image with their community. Airport Journals, the “Official newspaper of the airport,” serves and utilizes the airport as a venue to host special events that allow aircraft manufacturers and vendors to meet their customers in person. The aircraft manufacturers and the business at the airport, along with prestigious brands like Porsche, Ferrari, Tesla, Bentley, Land Rover, and others have the opportunity to reach their best customers.
Our mission: to organize general aviation airports, and build a master aviation information company to serve the aviation industry through a grassroots network of airport community publications and events.
Shortly following the November 2008 congressional hearings, where auto company executives went “hat in hand” and miserably failed to articulate how important and necessary their corporate aircraft were as business tools, Airport Journals stopped printing. In spite of the popularity of Airport Journals newspapers, it was becoming increasingly difficult for the printed newspaper business. After several years, and responding to the market, we have re-launched Airport Journals with the electronic format.It’s actually an amazing opportunity to respond to the marketplace with a product that is better able to respond, with greater depth, scope and speed.
After several years, and responding to the market, we have re-launched Airport Journals with the electronic format. It’s actually an amazing opportunity to respond to the marketplace with a product that is better able to respond, with greater depth, scope and speed. It’s a sort of local LinkedIn, Facebook, Community Huffington Post and trade publications rolled into one. There is an opportunity for individuals that would like to be a part of the gratifying experience of re-launching this hybrid aviation community publication. If you would like to control your own destiny and integrate your vocation into your passion, contact Charlie Cardillo at ccard6767@aol.com.