Magazine Question

[Mike Switzer]

Is there a magazine out there that is more geared toward those of us building from plans or scratchbuilding? (Something like what used to be in the EAA magazine back in the day)

I get Kitplanes but I am not sure if I will renew this time as lately it seems to be more aimed at "kit assemblers" and high dollar high tech panel gadgets.

[Chris In Marshfield]

Not that I'm aware of. "Contact! Magazine" might be an option for you, as it's pretty much the only other experimental aircraft magazine in town. While Pat P. does a great job with it, the downturn in the economy has been tough on him in getting regular issues out, as it's a secondary business for him. But the content contained within is good stuff geared toward true experimenters. But it still might not satisfy the itch.

~Chris

[Dave Prizio]

The problem is that there aren't many plans or scratch builders anymore. Both Sport Aviation and Kitplanes used to have more articles geared to those builders when that was the most common way of building a plane. Today most amateur builders start with some sort of kit, thus the magazines simply follow the readers. Magazine publishers need to sell magazines, so they want to know how many people are going to be interested in a particular story or series before they give a writer the green light. With fewer people scratch or plans building it is harder to sell them on buying those articles. Another problem with scratch or plans built projects from a magazine writer's point of view is that most of these projects come together over many years, so it is hard to put something together within the time frame a magazine editor can live with.

With all of that said, there is still interest in plans built, or especially scratch built, airplane projects if they represent something unique and interesting. If you have or know someone who has such a project please let me know. I am always looking for good story ideas.

Dave Prizio

[Mike Switzer]

Well, I figured that was probably the case. When I get these magazines in the mail I generally skim thru, look at the pictures & set it aside as there aren't very many articles I am interested in reading. Occasionally there is an interesting "how to" in Kit Planes, but not near as much as I would like.

I'm doing something "unique" but I am still struggling with the design phase so it is a long way from showing to people.

[Chad Jensen]

Digital Experimenter is launching in September, and the cover is 50th anniversary homebuilts...all plans built airplanes! We will be covering all aspects of homebuilding in this new magazine from plans built to Lancair's...all homebuilding, all the time!!

[Mike Switzer]

Chad, will that be a pdf so we can download & read offline?

[Chad Jensen]

Chad, will that be a pdf so we can download & read offline?It will be a downloadable PDF for offline reading. However, in the first phase (3 or 4 issues), we will have to link to the videos and photo galleries (there will be pics on the pages) because our software doesn't support embedded videos yet. Phase 2 will have embedded everything and will be completely offline readable.

[Mike Switzer]

Cool.

[martymayes]

Hey Mike, just find a stack of SA back issues, '60's and '70's. You can learn a lot of neat stuff.

[Mike Switzer]

Hey Mike, just find a stack of SA back issues, '60's and '70's. You can learn a lot of neat stuff.

I look at them on the oshkosh 365 site, but my eyes get burnt out looking at a computer all day

[Mike Switzer]

Plus it is difficult to take a computer to the "reading room". I guess I am gonna have to get one of those tablet things.

My niece got one for her 11th birthday, my newest computer is several years old.

[D. Isbell]

I downloaded years of SA on to my iPad to read anyplace, i highly recommend