Sport Aviation Magazine

[Aaron Novak]

Paul,
You gave me an idea.....one of those that puts a smile on ones face a mile wide....Ill post it in the homebuilt section.

[steveinindy]

Paul commented that he would like to see homebuilders get organized like the Vintage and Warbirds groups are. He commented that homebuilders don't have their own magazine like the others.

I'm game if anyone else is. I love a good challenge. Who do we talk to about doing something about this?

My opinion is that the building process often isn't a very social process. That makes it difficult to develop a culture that promotes group activities.

Agreed, although if anyone wants to come over and look at my design, lend a hand, etc once I get started building please let me know. I am actually going to host parties where folks get to crawl over the design with a fine toothed comb, magnifying glass, etc and try to find things that are potential issues. I figure the more eyes I get on it before the outer skin panels go on, the better. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.

[Fareed Guyot]

I agree homebuilders should get organized and work together more as a group. Whether having your own magazine helps or not is hard to say. But, EAA does have a publication, Experimenter that is dedicated to homebuilding with in-depth, detailed articles, including nitty-gritty stuff that many posters have lamented is missing from EAA. This information never left, it just migrated to our online publication. I can speak for its Editor Pat Panzera who asks every month for people to submit articles that will continue the spirit of EAA which in part is sharing information.

[martymayes]

One would assume so. We are pilots after all and there are more non-builders in the EAA than the builders. Given the number of us dying every year in crashes, no effort to educate folks how not to wind up another smoking hole should be viewed as a bad idea.

I get some hot rodding magazines. Lots of features on cool restorations, custom builds and such. Lots of techno articles, metal shaping, welding, painting, engine building, etc. No "how to drive a car" articles or even on how to improve your driving.....

I'm sure EAA knows it's readers because they do the surveys, however, I'd like to see a current poll on how many readers really want the Flying magazine stuff in SA.

[martymayes]

I agree homebuilders should get organized and work together more as a group. Whether having your own magazine helps or not is hard to say. But, EAA does have a publication, Experimenter that is dedicated to homebuilding with in-depth, detailed articles, including nitty-gritty stuff that many posters have lamented is missing from EAA.

I read and enjoy Experimenter. If they included the 5-6 pages out of SA that I like, I'd vote to replace SA with Experimenter.

[steveinindy]

I don't see what the gripe with Flying is, but then again my tastes seem to be a little different than your own.

[Janet Davidson]

has gone to chasing the dollar, thats why the big influx of non-aviation corporate types at HQ

Greg,

I'm sitting here scratching my head & wondering to whom you are referring here Of the president & 6 VPs at EAA, 5 of them are pilots; 3 of those own, between them, at least 4 aircraft, & 1 is working on building an aircraft.

[Bob Meder]

I'm a proud member of EAA. I have no plans of ever building my own airplane; I have neither the time nor talent to do so. It is my opinion that EAA, along with the other groups in aviation should not only focus on designing and building aircraft, but also to foster aviation education among pilots. Not only those that already know how to fly, but future pilots, no matter what age.

There is room in the organization for all. Some folks won't like what I have to say, but I like the magazine. If Sport Aviation serves the broad spectrum of the membership, it is serving it's purpose. Specialized publications, like Experimenter, fill the role for those that are interested in that aspect of aviation.

The biggest failing that we, as pilots, have is that we become clannish. We must learn to be inclusive, otherwise we will lose what we have.

[Dave Stadt]

Greg,

I'm sitting here scratching my head & wondering to whom you are referring here Of the president & 6 VPs at EAA, 5 of them are pilots; 3 of those own, between them, at least 4 aircraft, & 1 is working on building an aircraft.

The president own two outright and part of a third.

[Fareed Guyot]

Specialized publications, like Experimenter, fill the role for those that are interested in that aspect of aviation.

The biggest failing that we, as pilots, have is that we become clannish. We must learn to be inclusive, otherwise we will lose what we have.

Well said Bob. EAA needs SA to have broad appeal and for the organization as a whole to have broad appeal. If Frito-Lay only made Fritos, it would be Rockford, Illinois' Mrs. Fishers: Great potato chips but regional distribution. EAA is not out to make money...its out to grow aviation....which is pretty broad. If we stay clannish no one will join our club and will continue to wonder why no one new comes to chapter meetings anymore.