How to Make a Better Magazine

[ToddP]

Ralph Taggart recently made a post suggesting that the decline in PRA membership might be directly linked to the decreasing quality of the magazine. So lets here what people have to say. What would make a better magazine for you?

[StanFoster]

Todd: I am very satisfied with the magazine. I really like the articles dealing with aerodynamics...stability...etc. More articles on individuals and their machines would be nice.

Stan

[ToddP]

Here are the things I like to see. Good coverage of the fly-ins. Lots of pictures and a nicely written article.

New technology, I love to read about advances in the gyroplane world. I think we should be reading more about the New Sparrowhawk design, The Monarch and Butterfly.

Manufacturers - Lets see some stories about the manufacturers. We've all contacted these people but lets see some stories about how they got started, why the were driven to the designs they make today.

Completions - This is without a doubt my favorite part of kitplanes magazine. Lets have it in our Rotorcraft magazine. Lets have some pictures and details just like kitplanes.

Ask the experts column - Lets have a column to ask the experts questions about building techniques, setup etc. If no one writes in, there are plenty of good questions here on the forum, pull from these.

Those are my ideas

So while I'm on a roll, I'm going to talk about what I'm tired of seeing.

Endless articles about aerodynamics, pitch stability, the dangers of gyros. I certainly appreciate that Greg Gremminger has a deep in depth understanding of gyrocopter physics but quite frankly, I've never made it through one his articles. I understand that this deep technical writing is appealing to some, but I can guarantee that less than 20% of the members ever make it all the way through one of those articles. Also, how much ink has kitplanes magazine used to talk about the dangers of experimental aircraft and how many people have been killed by different models?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't we been through the Ortmayer training series once already? Is this a repeat just to fill pages? Lets have some articles from people that recently went through training, what worked for them or didn't.

I'd like to see an article about Ernie and his blades. How did he come up with the design, whats involved in making them, how are the tested, setup tracked etc. etc.

Lets have some articles about setting up our machines. How about a good article on doing a hang test or even the double hang test.

How about an article on stringing your blades with a side bar on how to sling your blades.

People love to talk about engines, lets have some articles on alternative power plants. Lets have some articles about how to maintain our Rotax Engines. How about a good step by step guide on decarboning your rotax head.

I would be happy to contribute, heck I'll write an article about the forum if they want.

I kind of got on a roll there...who's next?

[gyroblackwell]

Points concerning the magazine that were brought up at the general members, life-time members, and board meetings are as follows:

many asked that some of the older articles from past mag's be reprinted for the newbies. only one per month though.

one comment was less pictures and more articles.

more articles on manufactures, and what they sell.

more articles on club events, flyins, who's building what, etc.

less articles picking on a certain design, or lack of proper equipment ... enough with the stab comments. CLT comments, we all know and understand. (I feel that any newbie that asks about these features will instantly get an ear-full from any PRA member that has been around for longer then 6 months! )


I will post more as they come to me. Alot was discussed, and now the proof will be in the writings of the PRA mag.

[Dean_Dolph]

Todd, it is my belief that the PRA leadership would welcome your assistance in several areas (your name was mentioned at Mentone, were your ears burning?) and since you have started this thread then I'm going to assume that you will compile what is collected and send it to Rick Gilley.

Now, there are some things that you mentioned that you don't care for that I do. How will that issue be resolved? It is already recognized that the mag isn't going to satisfy 100% of us 100% of the time.

It was suggested before, and again this year, that there are technical articles from years past that are still relevant and should be recycled for the benefit of our new people. New tech articles are what I want to see and you have addressed that in your list. That and builders tips.

We need to remember that there is the issue of the expense of publishing the magazine so it can only be so big and color is expensive. It has only been in the recent past that the mag even had color. I'm hoping Rick will write an article explaining how the mag is put together and what the costs are. In my conversation with him he didn't get specific on cost but some of the details were eye openers.

I can see from your list that there are items IMO that could be a regular feature and others that would only appear occasionally.

I don't believe that the Ortmayer articles have been recycled. It just appears that way because there are so many of them. If you are right then I would agree we don't need a recycle.

Okay, it is time for you to start on you mag article

[ToddP]

I know we're not going to all agree. Half my reason for throwing out the things I don't care for were to find out if others did.

I've already sent off an e-mail to Rick Gilley telling him about this thread and asking him to join us. I hope he will. Reading the PRA website in regards to the magazine, it sounds like he is very receptive to receiving articles.

[Dean_Dolph]

Tim, you are now in a position where you can have an impact on what direction the mag takes. It is my understanding that there were problems in the past with the mag not following the path the Board preferred. Rick indicated to me that what we want is what we will get, within reason of course.

We all need to remember that the PRA and its mag serves an international membership and like Ralph has mentioned in another thread, most members do not belong to a chapter or otherwise interact with other PRA members. Consequently we can not assume that all members will get the necessary info. Thus there is a responsibility to pass on all safety related info, which includes the stability issues, via the mag.

The club and other local activities are valuable and are part of our communication. But for them to appear in the mag that means someone local needs to write them up! The mag editor is just that, the editor not the author of articles.

[Screw]

Screw-In

I like the pictures. Some of the reading is very dry, and old. I guess differant needs for differant speeds.

Some ideas for spicing up the mag:

1. Gyro Calender! Gyro of the month kind of thing with all the details on that particular gyro. "Snap On" Calendars would be a great Calender to duplicate with gyros. Enclude upcomming events in the calender. Wait! Since the mag comes out monthly, do a Gyro centerfold with the next months calendar of events!

2. Gossip column! Get exclusives on our favorite members to include scandels! Love life, affairs with other gyros.

3. Get new advertisers that will do work like paint, fabric, engine rebuilds! Based on current advertising, I know RAF, Groen Bros Aviation, Rotorflight Dynamics, but I can't find anyone who will make me a tail, cover it, or paint it!

The way the mag reads is very dry to me. Don't get me wrong, there is great info in the mag, but it's written in a very dry way. Kinda like the Air regs (Written by lawyers for lawyers).

My thoughts.

Screw-Out

[ToddP]

How about a monthly - "On the Web" column. Simply a column that sums up some of the discussions on this forum as well as the Australian and UK forums.

[PW_Plack]

Rotorcraft appears to have fallen into the trap of carrying articles enjoyed mostly by the small circle of people who contribute them, and the circle keeps getting smaller as a result. There are only two basic points of appeal left, pictures, and in-depth technical discussions.

Personally? Here goes...

I'd like to see what gyroplane enthusiasts are doing with their machines. Not just the Andy Keech / Dr. Bill record attempts, but the mustering, the informal cross-country flights and fly-ins like SX Days. After all, did you build your machine just to talk about building it, or to fly it somewhere?

I'd like to see a monthly, step-by-step breakdown of a flight plan for a challenging cross-country, somewhere we'd all like to go. Many gyro pilots get little practice with communication, so include details on how to interact with towers, ground control, and ATC in controlled airspace.

I'm fascinated with the new avionics technologies, which are becoming less expensive all the time. I'd love to read reviews of them, and examples of how they're being used.

It seems as if engine failures are a more common hazard to most gyro pilots than thrustline offset issues, so let's have some coverage of how we can make them more reliable. I'd like to read a question-answer session with a Rotax expert on how redundant fuel pumps should be configured.

As for the back issues of Rotorcraft, all that history should be archived and indexed on the PRA website, not dribbled out an article at a time in the new magazines. (I don't think there should be a charge for this...PRA should do it to restore its own credibility.) Perhaps the new issues could have color covers, maybe an insert, and the rest of the pages be in black-&-white, to save money.

Now, tell me...would we be having this discussion on a PRA forum?

[scottessex]

I think members should submit articles. Articles about building your gyro, your first solo, improvements that you have made etc. Most people are busy, but perhaps some member submissions of 500 words or more, would be nice.
I will start documenting my Suzuki conversion, with the plan to do an article when it is finished.
I might even put an ad in there for gyro painting, as soon as I get the spray booth set up.

[Chuck Irby]

I agree with most of the aforementioned changes, but especially with those listed in Todd's post #3 and those listed in Paul Plack's post.

[Caribean_gyro]

The articles get too long to be published. mine took 6 month. I will like to see the Web function as it was ment. convey information and link enthusiast around the world. There is more inf activites and involvement in this forum that in any other place.

If you know your article will be posted in the web and evenmtually in to the magazine this will motivate you to write them. Hell it will give you inputs faster and you can correct or improved the article before it goes in to paper.

That is my 1.5 cents
ChuckP

[Rando]

I wrote an article about a model gyrokite called "GyroRaptor". I purchased one, fly it whenever it is too windy to fly my Dominator and have a blast with it! I thought that members might enjoy reading about it and maybe purchase one since it is a good way to show other people how a gyroplane works. I have no connections with the designer, just a satisfied customer.

The article and photos were never published. That was my first and LAST article that I will submit!

http://www.ezdenver.com/gyroraptor/

[barnstorm2]

As stated at Mentone, the editor has to have articles submitted in order to publish them. Submit the kind of articles you want to see and they will get published and we will all be the better for it.

As some of you may know I submit articles to Rotorcraft every month and I am always looking for topics that are both interesting and hopefully helpful to the readership. I however do not have the expertise to cover most highly technical articles.

Todd mentioned that he does not like "Endless articles about aerodynamics, pitch stability, the dangers of gyros" and I have heard that this is a VERY common feedback. However, Paul says he likes the " in-depth technical discussions" so we have to have a well balanced mix.

I would love to start doing some product reviews. If a couple of you guys would join me in a 'reviewers' series I would like to contact mfgrs about loaning us some product and each of us ( at least 3 ) would try the product, write a BRIEF pros/cons and compile each of the reviews into an article.

If someone would like to see something written, have material but don't have the time to write it up email me and I would be happy to co-write the article with you.