I guess you folks haven't heard of my good fortune yet. Ten days now, m prestige has risen to new heights of something or other. According to my good friend, Colonel Clarence Cornish, state director of aeronautics, I am Second district concilor on the private flying advisory council of the state of Indiana.

There are only ten of us. Isn't that wonderful? Heck of it is, I don't know what it means. I intend to find out, however, for it has long been my opinion that the private flyer could stand a little representation someplace.

Just so you can appreciate the high cost of maintain a column, one William Mollenhour has been voted upon, examined, his "Sky Writing" dissected and passed upon by some unknown and fearsome board in New York state and has been duly elected to membership in the Aviation Writers association. For ten bucks this year, that is and five per year thereafter. I have an official-looking card that says, and I'll be glad to show it upon request. It's going to take a lot of showing to get that ten dollars back.

For men with expanding wallets and nothing to put in them, five will get you three cards and a magazine subscription from the Airplane Owners' and Pilots' association. One card entitles you to spend your money easier than usual at any "drive-it-yourself" garage, just in case you come to town by airplane and need an automobile. Customarily you must mortgage the homestead, your mother-in-law and have an honest face to get one of these vehicles for 24 hours. With this authoritative card all you have to do is having the honest face and lots of folding money. With you.

At no extra cost they throw in a TWA Pilot's Courtesy card which informs you that any TWA employee will treat you like a pre-war customer.

The third card in this triple-barreled threat to remaining just a common man, merely says that you are a member of all that and that your association will speak unkind words to your congressman anytime you write to them. Or will give any airport operator bad marks that fails to wash your windshield, too. This last one might be valuable.

The magazine that comes with the deal is good and from it I shall probably get many good columns and earn my keep honestly, proselyting instead of ribbing these well-intended people as we are doing today.

Anyway, I still think it's wonderful how much prestige five or ten will get you--and such fancy printing on the cards.

Actually I should be ashamed for such talk. Colonel Cornish has a fine and workable idea in the formation of Private Flying Advisory Council, state-wide. It is needed and if heeded will do good for the average pilot.

This Aviation Writers' association is a serious group of men who recognize their responsibility when they take pen in hand and are committed to certain honest principles in their writing.

And the Aircraft Owners' and Pilots' association, with offices in Washington, is about the only organization that keeps a close and critical eye upon Congress and the Civil Aeronautics Authority with the private flyer's interest at heart.

In this organization-conscious country, organizations are all right, I guess--if they don't cost over ten bucks. They are to be taken, like good whiskey--if it doesn't cost over ten bucks--in moderation. Don't get too serious over either.

Warsaw Daily Times Wed. Feb. 11, 1948