flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I am truly dissapointed in the expo article, in fact I didnt even read it....counting the front cover I count 23 pics of the "The Best AMA expo-ever!" They include one jumble of heli canopies, one pic of soaring planes for their composite coverings, and one pic of the Curtiss Condor and 20 pictures of people.....is there no new stuff??,,,,isnt half of all the mags the introduction of new stuff??!!!
Sorry, that was poorly done, I dont give a rats butt who was there, I opened the magazine to see "what" was there...I see the contributor isnt a regular, but I cant imagine the mag editor let this go out the door........musta been friday at 16:59....Rog

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

I get it. I find it to at least be a little bit LESS of a monthly advertisement. The other mags just seem to be reviews of this ARF or that ARF or big sale ads. I'm not into ARFs so much. Sure, there's some neat ones, just not for me.

I miss the old magazines, but those days are probably behind us.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Rog, silly Rog,

You get the AMA magazine because you need the insurance.

They aggressively sell advertising because the membership is shrinking. The biggest ‘sellers’ are ARFs. Do the math.

However having said that, the current issue has two interesting designs posted for people who actually build their models (a dying art I agree).

If I had to pick just one magazine to get each month it would be Flying Models. Second would be Fly R/C – but that’s just me.

P.S. Wasn’t it nice last weekend to see ALL those models that were actually built by the people who flew them – AND using that revolutionary new material called basla, balsam, or something like that (OK, except for mine – oops).

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I know Ray, and years ago I was in the camp that thought, hey take $19.99 off the cost of my membership and keep your magazine,,its only been in the last couple of years that I have come to appreciate the rag at all...and I realize that to an extent all magazines are mainly advertisments for their own segments of life....BUT, if, lets say Dog Fancy's mag cover says "Biggest Dog Expo ever!!"....you dont expect to open it up and see 20 pictures of people standing around...do you?......it is bad coverage, bad enough for me to bother to write this.....Rog
Oh yeah, 1/2A RULES!!

Andrew

Fizz -

Sadly, your comment is unfortunately true.

Construction articles were the first I read and there were almost always three per mag. I also miss many of the exploded drawings detailing the construction of the plane in question. I believe it was MAN (my memory fails me) that ran super detailed line drawings of fullsized aircraft. Coming from a time when mechanical and architectural drawing were regular offerings in high school, I was awed at how well done these images were. The skills of the draftsmen were truly exceptional (and missed, at least by me).

andrew

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

Ok
I can't argue any 'bout the ARF adds. BUT I really like the Mag. It does a nice job of geting info out in lots of flying areas of interest (sometimes too many for me) I could care less about Helis but I like the slope and other glider stuff, combat, fun fly..... I have learned TONS in the motor section. Often great tips can be learned in areas you don't usually read.
Free flight building tips are often good practice everywhere is a good example.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

I finally got my copy of this particular issue yesterday. In all honesty, articles like the "AMA EXPO" don't really even get a second glance from me, I'm off to the construction articles, the tips & hints, the various specialized monthly articles (micro, combat, pylon racing, etc). Like you said, there's a lot to be learned from all the aspects of the hobby that I don't participate much in.

Same with the AMA Nationals - I used to go, back when ALL of the events were flown in the same week, and when you weren't flying the event you came for, you could wander around and see all sorts of great stuff. I was pylon racing at the time, used to like to go watch the indoor free flight. About as far from pylon as you could get, but it was still fascinating! That, and control line speed - those guys knew how to make engines run!

I really don't care who or what planes showed up at a big expo, unless I"ve already read the rest of the magazine and don't have anything else to do..

Jim Thomerson

Well this issure does have three construction article. All three are little electric airplanes, but I will read them carefully never the less.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

the little electric mini diablo looks pretty cool. We have a group that flies indoors during the winters here, that would be just the ticket.

Clean

Reminds me of a motorcycle trip I took last summer. I used my Blackberry to update facebook at every stop so my wife could keep track of where I was and I was going to write up the interesting pictures I had taken. I'd done similar on previous trips. So I had a long, 16 hour ride up to Muskegon, MI, a little riding there and a long trip back. When I looked at the sum of the photos all but two were pictures of our bikes parked next to a gas station. Not even a distinguishing gas station. I could literally take the same pics by riding up to the corner station and moving my bike.

I get the feeling that the reporter was taking face shots to remember who he met while he was at the event BUT forgot to take pictures of the event. But HEY, hot dogs are 2 for a dollar with a large drink!

The thing that always works with the AMA mag and Flying Models too, if you want to see it in the magazine YOU (or someone else) has to send it in. How many articles have you wrote up and sent to the AMA???? I haven't done any. I did a couple of web builds but never wrote anything for Model Aviation or Flying Models. Those heavy hitting regulars that are in the magazines actually have a little writing ability, some photo skills and the ability to link it all together. 20 hours of production not counting the build might actually be involved with those little articles that take us 5 minutes to read and then complain that it isn't what WE wanted to see. Hopefully if we start writing and submitting it will eventually not only get ours going but get others to do the same.

But, after all that lecture, I still haven't sent anything in. Have you?

I actually started writing down a Flipper article but got sidetracked and lost everything in a computer crash. I need to take pictures in a cleaner shop too.

Andrew

Actually, I have, although it was years ago when I was in college. It's been so long that I had forgotten about it until your comment jogged my memory. I was the club newsletter editor at the time and had done a little writeup about the maiden of a P-38. Twins with retracts were still quite a novelty at the time so one of the members suggested that I send it in - one of the mags had a column where they showcased a club's acitvities. It ended up in there as the entry for the month.

My website on powersupply conversions was also referenced in Red Scholefield's Battery Clinic column in MA a few months back.

That pretty much covers my 15 minutes of fame.

However, like most of the others, I miss the heavy emphasis on construction articles.

andrew

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Raul, that new material was CARBON FIBER BABY! Too bad I broke it before you guys got to see what it really looked like.

Clean, I have done one article and plan to report on the event Raymond mentioned above soon. It's all good. I like the mag sometimes a little more than others.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

One. I just wrote - then deleted a long angry diatribe on how badly I was treated (humiliated actually) by 'someone' some years back. It was over an article I had submitted. Left a bad taste in my mouth.

Two. Darnit, but you're right. One bad bean should not spoil the bucket.

Jim Thomerson

Way it used to work was that you got a submission form and sent in an outline or statement about the article you wanted to write. This was discussed by the editorial board and they said no thanks or encouraged submission. I've suggested five articles and had two published. So don't be discouraged if they don't like your first idea.

Saw on the TV that 370 diferent magazines have gone belly up during some recent time period.