Now You're Talking: Soap Box
Don Bentfield
From time to time this section will present thought-provoking ideas on modeling/AMA issues. Timeliness and available space are factors that may affect publication. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as being those of AMA Headquarters staff or the AMA officers.
As a member of the AMA Publications Committee, I have the opportunity to review a lot of material that's included in our magazine. Some of our effort is spent looking at District VP columns to ensure accuracy in reporting AMA business details. We also have the pleasure of reading many of the letters sent into the AMA concerning Model Aviation.
For the last few years I've sensed a problem that many readers seem to have with our publication.
- If you're a Control Line flier, you may feel we don't have enough information or articles about CL flying.
- If you're an indoor rubber-power free flight flier, you may think we lack enough interesting data about indoor flying.
- If you're an RC Pattern pilot, you may be asking why we don't have more articles directed toward Pattern flying.
- Recreational fliers may want more general aviation material.
And so the story goes on and on. For some people, nothing is right. Stop! Do you all realize that you have absolutely the best-produced, best-edited, most representative magazine of the entire sport of model aviation? Please consider my following thoughts (these are my opinions as a critic and not necessarily those of the editorial staff):
AMA Stuff
The magazine is part of your AMA dues. By its charter it must provide AMA communications about business, activities, events, policies, and any other special activities that occur that are of interest to the membership. We, the membership, should know what's going on at Headquarters and around the country.
The sport of model aviation is far greater than just the transmitter in your hand and a solo airplane in the air—there are thousands more just like us all around the world, and it's quite important to keep up with what's going on elsewhere (remember the frequency fiasco?).
Many state and local governments are inclined to spend a bunch of money for a hiking trail for a few people rather than build a flying site for a lot of people. Let's face it: not many government types know anything about us and our sport, because we don't storm City Hall every chance we get; we go out flying instead. If you read about what's happening elsewhere, you'll get a chance to see what could be just around the corner for you.
Model Aviation is the major source of information about what's happening in the sport of model aviation, and there's a lot more going on than just moving a transmitter control.
Advertising
We strive to limit advertising to about 35% of the entire magazine content. This figure allows the magazine to almost break even from a cost viewpoint. Yes, the dramatic increase in the price of paper over the last two years has made this fact almost impossible to achieve. However, the staff and buyers have done such a great job that it's always close to a break-even proposition.
More advertising may provide more revenue, but at a cost of fewer pages for modeling information. Also, because of the nonprofit status, any profits become a serious tax liability. Ironically, revenues and advertising are a Catch-22 proposition: more ads = more profit = more pages = greater mailing costs = higher production costs = fewer general readership articles. Bigger does not mean better, but it is more costly.
The balance that you now have, which varies slightly from month to month, represents the best possible combination of current topics, events, construction, general information, AMA data, and a good blend of advertising. Advertisers are accepted by general reputation within the model aviation industry. Since the AMA participates in most major and many minor trade shows, staff quickly get to know what's happening in the industry. This familiarity provides a courteous relationship with most major and minor suppliers within our industry, which yields quality advertising from quality participants.
Construction Articles
We try to provide a good cross-section of modeling articles and plans that represent all aspects of our sport. It's impossible to publish articles and plans for all of the different model types every month. However, through the course of a year most will be represented. Since the majority of our readers are RC enthusiasts, there will be more articles within their interest categories.
Remember, every construction article has something that may be applicable to your particular interest. The use of composites by free flight and soaring builders should be of major interest to the entire RC group. Techniques used in free flight articles about bending wingtips are also applicable to the RC builder (ever build a Lazy Bee?).
If you didn't see the exact article that you've been waiting for in this month's issue, wait for another issue or two and it'll probably be there. If you're a 100% specialty enthusiast (competition CL, soaring, racing, FF, or whatever) you should also be a member of that Special Interest Group (SIG) and you'll get most of your information from their special publications. They don't have to be concerned about the other 94% of the membership; they can and should concentrate on the specialties within their aspect of our sport. They're specialists and usually provide that special information.
The rest of us are more in the category of generalists and need information of a more general nature. Our staff tries to select the specialty information that's applicable to all aspects of our sport. For example, RC Pattern flight-trimming methods are directly applicable to all RC flying models. There are many more methods and techniques that apply to all aspects of our sport, and Model Aviation tries to include them without becoming bogged down in endless technical details.
Editorials
Thank goodness we live in America where we can practice free speech and expound on our knowledge. We may not always agree with what's written, but the author has the right to say it (within common sense, good taste, and ethical guidelines). You, as a reader, have a full right to be heard (or read) also. All columnists are asked to remain within the stated guidelines.
The magazine editorial staff tries to maintain the very highest level of content and editorial policies (that level is the highest of the hobby magazine industry and without compromise). They try to respond quickly to readership concerns (witness the recent flap about our Microhenry cartoons). Just as our language is changing daily, our interpretations of the language also change. Example: what were the given words of describing "a lovely woman" only 20 years ago is totally unacceptable today. Things, words, interpretations, and concepts are continuously changing — and we are also changing.
Future Changes
Yes, lots of things will be changing. Perhaps more construction articles, more how-to-do-it stuff, more educational information, some beginner and advanced materials, and other things yet to be discovered. No, there probably won't be any product reviews, cars, boats, or trains (we'll let our specialized friends in the magazine industry handle those).
Quality in presentation and content will continue to be the best. Every article and column will represent a segment of the AMA membership. Model Aviation is always open to new ideas and improvements. They're always looking for great-flying construction features, how-to-fit stuff, and do-it-yourself ideas — so please keep those letters coming. Remember, this is your membership information-and-news magazine, and it represents the largest group of diverse modelers in the world. We're continuously trying to make it better for all of the AMA members.
Don Bentfield AMA 1354
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
