Editor's Note

Editor's Note

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome! If you're like me, then fall is your favorite time of year. Oversized sweaters, a large cup of hot tea and Halloween décor are a few of my favorite things for the season. Hot air balloons are another fall must have that holds a special place in my heart. Being from New Mexico, hot air balloons have been a signal that fall has begun for as long as I can remember. As you will read in this issue, Albuquerque balloonists and fans alike are celebrating a big milestone.

This issue is also my first as the Managing Editor. I am thrilled to enter this role for The WATCH to help spread PWC's mission, values and vision. My goal is to create relatable content and showcase the best of air traffic. I want to share exciting events happening across the National Airspace System (NAS) and shed light on the great things our members are doing to contribute to the safety of our skies. Though I now live in Northern Virginia and work at the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, I felt nothing would be more appropriate than to theme this issue around my roots. Taking flight is fun and exciting and I hope that showcasing the Fiesta brings about the joy in what we do!

Alicia Barry Whitman, WATCH Managing Editor

Alicia Barry Whitman, WATCH Managing Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

This year marks the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. This event of nearly one-thousand balloons takes place the first week in October every year in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was able to speak to balloonists, some with forty or more years of experience, to share how they turned their passion into a career, women in ballooning and the Fiesta itself.

The WATCH - Fall 2022 | Page 5