Sunrise, Sunset for FLYING: To Everything, There Is a Season

Sam Weigel writes his final Taking Wing column for the magazine.

Sam Weigel

Friday, January 23, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

After 14 years of FLYING columns, the author looks to new horizons. [Credit: Sam Weigel]

Key Takeaways:

The author is concluding his "Taking Wing" column after 14 years with FLYING magazine.
This decision was primarily influenced by pressure from his airline employer, who requested he vet future columns and file conflict-of-interest forms after a vendor complained about being mentioned in a previous article.
Additionally, the author feels the column, which focused on early career experiences, no longer aligns with his current senior pilot status, and he wishes to pursue new writing endeavors, such as writing a book, and make way for fresh voices.

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My high school journalism teacher told me not to bury the lede, so I won’t: This will be my final Taking Wing column in FLYING.

Now, now. Sheathe those pitchforks and snuff those torches, good citizens, for the magazine leadership has nothing to do with this. My editors assure me that if they had their druthers, I would scribble on ’til the ink pot slipped from my ancient, withered fingers.