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 ending his "Taking Wing" column in *FLYING* magazine, largely due to external pressure from his airline.
This pressure arose after a vendor complained about a column, leading the airline to request content vetting and conflict-of-interest disclosures, which the author is unwilling to accept.
Additionally, the author feels he has outgrown the column's focus on early career struggles, recognizing it's time to make way for younger voices and pursue new writing challenges, including writing a book.

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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.