Dear Editor,

So now that I get the newspaper, …gulp … that was me finishing off my beer and fastening my seatbelt; the Captain has just announced turbulence ahead. (Preparing for changes to 91Ô­´´ Advance, 91Ô­´´ Advance, Feb. 21)

For everyone’s sake, I hope the the ride ahead smooths out. As a pilot, I could turn or climb or descend or even slow down a little… but it really didn’t change much; I still had to go through the rough air or, if the weather ahead formed and impenetrable barrier of storms, turn around. The skill was in doing it safely for the sake of everyone on board.

But for the 91Ô­´´ Advance, it would seem, there is no turning around, you must go forward and I can only hope the long and significant contributions of the 91Ô­´´ Advance are not lost and that the new 91Ô­´´ Advance Times will be piloted safely ahead, communicating current news as well as both forward and rear-view perspectives of our community.

If we barge ahead without checking our rear view mirror, we will lose our situation awareness and we, as a community, just can’t afford to do that.

Wishing you a smooth landing,

Brian Croft, 91Ô­´´