Beloved aviation writer and speaker Gordon Baxter will not be attending this year's fly-in. According to Jenny Dyke, Chairman of EAA Forums Tent 9, where Bax holds his popular EAA forums, he recently suffered a "light stroke" at his home in Texas, and has been ordered to stay in bed for awhile.

Baxter is the longtime, popular columnist for Flying magazine where his personal accounts of grass-roots flying have attracted a large and devoted following over the years. His EAA Forum presentations are always among the most well attended at each year's fly-in, usually attracting standing room only crowds.

"I spoke to him just this morning," says Jenny, "and his voice is strong and distinct, and he is alert." Jenny reports that Bax is able to walk and picked up the phone himself after hearing her voice on his answering machine.

According to Jenny, Bax said, "My doctors won't let me go. They tell me I'm too weak." Jenny asked if she could count on him for next year, Bax replied, "You've got it. I'll be there."