Stephen Pope

learned to fly at 15 in a Piper J-3 Cub at Trinca Airport, a small grass strip in northern New Jersey. While still in high school Stephen worked as a line boy at the 60th Street Heliport in New York City and for First Aviation, an FBO at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport.

After soloing at 16, receiving his private pilot's licence at 17 and gaining his instrument rating a year later, he enrolled at the University of Maryland as a journalism major, where he earned his degree and completed an editorial internship with AOPA Pilot magazine.

After graduating, Stephen joined the staff of Aviation International News, a business aviation trade magazine. During his 15 years with the publication Stephen moved up the ranks to become Senior Editor directing avionics and technology coverage, Editor of Convention Publications and, in his last role with the company, Editor of Business Jet Traveler magazine. He joined the staff of Flying in 2010.

Stephen has won seven Aerospace Journalist of the Year awards, including being named overall Aerospace Journalist of the Year in 2007. He has also won three NBAA Gold Wing Journalism Awards, the first in 1999 for his feature article on the business jet charter industry, the second as part of a team of journalists covering the 9/11 attacks, and the third for a story on business aviation's response to the January 2010 Haitian earthquake, when he traveled to Haiti to deliver medicine and supplies to disaster vicitms. He has also written for Barron's, The Wall Street Journal and numerous other publications.

An active and enthusiastic pilot, Stephen lives in Tewksbury, New Jersey, with his wife Kate and son Andrew.