Introduction

One of the most popular articles appearing in the 1978 annual was the account by Lou Drendel of USN Randy Cunningham’s incredible encounter with VAF MiGs over North Vietnam. We are pleased to announce that AADR has the exclusive rights to reprint the entire contents of Drendel’s brilliant book, “And MiGs”, in a serialised form in each edition of quarterly AADR. That is something we would not have been able to contemplate as an annual.

Each edition of AADR will feature an article on a famous aircraft, civil or military, taking into account its history as well as its local application. Our last annual reviewed the Boeing 707 story, this edition carries Stanley Brogden’s account of the famous Fokker friendship, The next issue will examine the history of the unique Hercules.

General Aviation is big business in Australia and to this end we have appointed John Perry as our GA Editor. John’s flying career dates back to the hectic days of WW2 and has flown more aircraft than I care to remember. Again, only in AADR will you read John’s in-depth aircraft evaluations often backed up by full colour photos of the aircraft involved. In addition to test flying a large number of light aircraft, we will be reporting on trends affecting general aviation in Australia.

A new feature is Newsdesk and while it is easy to assume that you cannot provide topical news in quarterly we prefer to think that you can- particularly if you look behind the scenes and report on items of information that carry long-term implications. The newsdesk will also carry a fair content of statistical data covering everything from light aircraft sales to passenger loadings on domestic and international carriers. Information that you would often find difficult to obtain will be presented each quarter in Newsdesk. Another new addition to AADR is Marketplace, our own directory of the secondhand values of light aircraft.

One of our regular features, the much-used Light Aircraft Directory lists such pertinent facts as type, power plant, rang , cruise speed, payload, etc. for every GA aircraft sold in Australia has also been expanded to include helicopters and executive jet aircraft.

Throughout the year various editions of the magazine will carry our regular features such as the World Air Power Guide, Airline Analysis and Comment – where leading aviation writers will be able to voice their opinions on what is happening to YOUR industry in Australia.

Our objective is to provide the air-conscious reader with a magazine printed and produced to the highest possible standards covering aviation events both here and abroad. We sincerely hope that you, the reader, will share our enthusiasm with us, in this the first of our quarterlies and that you may some day write to me personally offering suggestions that will assist us in providing you with the magazine that you want to read.

Thank you for your past support and good health.

Jim Thorn,

Managing Editor