flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Visited our local hobby shop yesterday and on the way out passed a rack of current RC hobby magazines.
Noted that the Sept. '06 issue (current) of Model Airplane News as on the store rack had a headline at the top cover, "free plan inside". Gee thought I had received that issue recently through my mailed subscription service but didn't remember a "free plan"? Went home and dug my Sept. issue out and my memory was right, no free plan or mention of "free plan inside" on the cover of my issue as was on the two remaining issues at the hobby shop? My sept '06 issue of MAN has a "New Helicopter Column" headline printed at the cover top which is in place of the "free plan inside" headline. So, what gives and does MAN owe me a free plan or are they playing games with our minds? Anyone else noted two different Sept. issues floating about?[sm=confused.gif][sm=confused.gif][sm=confused.gif]

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

My copy had the plan. Maybe someone lifted the plan from the magazine at the hobby shop. Maybe they had a printing glitch, Maybe their Marketing figured if they put plans in half the issues no one would notice. and those that did could be pacified by simply sending the plan with standard apology letter. It's kind of like being over billed by your insurance, utility, mortgage, doctor. A nickle here, a dime there . . . . and if caught they just say it was a computer glitch and credit your account. How many millions to you think corporate America is scamming out of people using this ploy? Fool proof money maker. It's corporate America at its best. The stock holders are not complaining (unless same kind of glitch hits their dividend account).

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Red, no thievery as the plans were in both issues at the hobby shop and again had the headline at each magazine's cover top, "free plans inside". Again my issue which is received by subscription through the mail doesn't say "free plans inside" but as pictured in my attachment above, " new helicopter column" No one has stolen the plans out of my copy because there is no reference to them on the cover like the magazine issue you received and the magazine comes in a sealed plastic envelope which wasn't tampered with. I went to the MAN web site and interesting enough the image they show of their MAN Sept. 06 cover has no headline at the top for either free plans or a new helicopter column??? See my attached image of the Sept. cover direct from the MAN web site.

Live Wire

They shot them selves in the foot again on the inside cover Who needs AMA with the new park FLYIERS and this new radio

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I bet it has something to do with postage rates or rules. Via mail, the mag can only weigh so much, or it co$t$ more...so without the plans - it's lighter and doesn't get the weight (postage) penalty. Just a guess on my part.....

daven

My Feedback: (1)

I did not get plans in my mailed copy either.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

Many times, magazines have slightly-different versions for subscriber and newsstand sales. They need to attract sales from the newsstand, so there will be differences in the cover art, enclosures, and so on.

I've seen newsstand magazines come with a CD, but not the subscriber versions...though you could usually download the info. Mailing costs to play a part, but so does getting the attention of a person who's browsing by the magazine rack.

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

What has Model Airplane News got to do with the AMA?

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Bill, looks like you have the most plausible explanation and this is something I didn't know was being done. I can see the publisher's point as mail subscribers pay generally a lower per issue rate and I suppose if one is "cheated" out of his plans, the publisher can sleep nights knowing they (mail subscribers) didn't pay enough to get the "golden deluxe" version! Since no plans are enclosed in my 'cheap" version, can they also reduce the number of advertisements as we are paying less or does that mean we should get more advertisements than the issues with the plans?

PS: love those Futaba single stick TX. so that should tell you how old and cranky I am!

Jim Thomerson

I have noticed a couple of times over the years, this kind of difference between subscriber and over-the-counter versions of the same issue. I can picture that the magazine people would see the subscriber and the non-subscriber as different audiences. Interesting subject!

Hurri

Maybe someone at M.A.N. could come on board & enlighten us .

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Red, was your MAN Sept. 06 copy from the newstand, hobby shop, etc. or did you get it through tha mail being a MAN subscriber like I am? A friend of mine is also a susbscriber and he didn't get the plans, either.[sm=confused.gif][sm=confused.gif]

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

Mine is by subscription.

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

[quote]ORIGINAL: Red Scholefield


Mine is by subscription.



[/quote

Hey Red that is interesting as now we know some MAN subscriber's got the plans and some didn't. You did and I and my friend didn't. I was willing to accept a difference between subscribed copies and store bought issues but now it appears to be out and out discrimination and/or deception and should be aginst the law!!!!!!!!!!! Shame on you MAN publisher!!!!

[sm=punching.gif][sm=punching.gif][sm=punching.gif]

Bass1

My subscription copy had no plans either.

Jim Thomerson

Maybe you guys should support your LHS rather than going mail order on your magazine.

Bass1

Would'nt mind supporting the LHS but then I have to support the LGS (local gas station) also. Then the total cost of the mag comes in at a whopping $15.00 a copy. I spent $11.00 for the entire years subscription. The $169.00 I saved payed for the water pump repair on my car enabling me to get to the flying field to enjoy this wonderful hobby!

Grampaw

Something else you won't see in the magazine you subscribe to are offers for a year's subsription at a much lower rate than your subscription. I found this out a few years back while in a Newstand where I picked up a new issue of MAN which was on the Newstand before I got my copy via U.S. mail! When I opened it a card fell out. Picking it up I saw it was a "Trail" subscription offer for about $19.00 for 12 issuess! I was paying more than that for my year's subscription, and had been for a few years! So, I noted my subscription Expiration Date on my calendar, and when that month came around, I let it expire. Then off to the Newstand for a current issue and got one of those $19.00 Trail Subscription cards. I filled it out using my Nickname and sent it in. If I had used my full name, they would have noted I had a subscription and tossed the card in the trash. Oh, I checked off the "Bill Me Later" box too. The nickname thing worked. I got a full 12 months of MAN for $19 something. The following year when "Nickname's" subscription expired, my wife used the $19.00 card and she got 12 issues for that price. She gave them to me. Nice woman. I did that for a few years till I got tired of MAN and stopped altogether.

flyathome

My Feedback: (7)

I decided not to renew M.A.N. because I thought it was far too expensive for a magazine that is mostly ads. Several months later I received an offer from them for two years at $9.95. I figured it was worth that, but not much more. When the two years expires I will not re-up at their ridiculous prices.

Steve

P.S. I didn't get plans either!

carwood444

You got that right. All your paying for is a glorified catalog. There's more advertising than anything else. Beyond that the reviews are so biased they are not even close to being worth reading.

mike50

I used to subscribe to lots of RC magazines, but now, with the Web, who needs the magazines? I suspect that is why they are becoming scarcer and of less quality.

Mike

carwood444

Ditto that one.

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

I think they are becoming more scarce BECAUSE of their lesser quality.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Remember a couple years back. Wasn't their a magazine in England ,Great Britain or United Kingdom that gave out pieces of a plane to build with each magazine or some strange thing like that?

Hurri

The UK mag "Flying Scale models " still does give free plans every issue . Usually electric stuff around 42 " span . Could also have a small 4/s in it . sometimes the plans come in 2 seperate months issues , this way , can get a bigger model . Only decent scale mag on the market anymore .