Magazine?

[Guest ozzie]

You used to have a choice between two magazines with your EAA membership one was Sport Pilot and the other was Sport Aviation. They have now rolled them into the one publication, Sport Aviation, That was a smart move with bigger pages heavier paper more articles info etc. keeps one going for the whole month.

 

Content counts and that is where the game needs some work on it.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

it will be years before any of the saaa boys work out we co-opted their brand

 

 

[winsor68]

I personally find it a real shame that there wasn't even a sniff of consultation with the membership on all of this.

 

Such is life... lets hope the magazine sells...

 

It has to be written for the non aviation reader... they are predominantly the ones who will pay $7.70 each month. (we hope)

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

.

 

 

[winsor68]

http://www.sportpilot.org/

 

Look... there is even a ready made page for those who google "sport pilot"...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

the only sport I was ever enjoyed was chess, so to my mind flying is a sport.

 

 

[Powerin]

As RAAus members we get the magazine anyway...who cares what it's called. But let's look at the new enthusiast who wants to fly and goes to the newsagent to get a mag to find out more (this was me not so long ago). Next time you go to the newsagent, step back and have a look at which aviation magazines catch your eye. For me, the ONLY reason I bought an RAAus mag a few years back was it had a plane I was interested in on the front cover. The name didn't stand out at all because it had this big "recreational" word in it and it was stuck in the top corner of the cover.

 

Other mags had FLYING and PILOT and AVIATION splashed in big letters on the cover. They were the ones that attracted me and of course they are all GA orientated. I could only look at these mags and dream knowing I could never afford to fly Cessnas and Pipers. After I bought the first RAA mag I tended to keep buying them because I was learning about a whole new side of aviation that I didn't know existed and started to get an idea that I might be able to fly after all.

 

So I reckon the change in name and style is a good move. If we have the mag in the newsagent (and I think we should) let's market it properly and make people want to buy it. It's possibly the first point of entry for potential new members...it was for me. Look at the posts above from those who like the name change...many are from the younger demographic. They are our future.

 

"Sport" is part of the marketing...after all the higher end category is called "Light Sport" (LSA) all around the world. It's a lot more exciting word than "Recreational". IF it sells magazines then let's use it.

 

Ads....everybody hates them. But they help pay for the magazine. Again...look through the eyes of a newbie. When I bought my first RAA mag, and looked at the ads, I was STAGGERED by the range of wonderful stuff you could buy. So much more than in the GA world. I was drooling by the end of the magazine. Never underestimate the power of advertising!

 

For my part I really like CFIcare's suggested title too. If anything describes us to a T, from rag'n'tube flyers to plastic fantastic flyers, "Hooked on Flying" is it!

 

End of rant ;)

 

Edit: I have only seen a pic of the cover...yet to get my mag

 

 

[kgwilson]

Haven't got my mag yet. I don't mind the name but it doesn't seem to be representative of the RA community, rather a sector of which I sort of fit into.

 

Sport does not necessarily mean competition. I love sports cars like MGBs, E Type Jags & Mazda MX5s but they don't really compete with one another. They evoke a style or image. I am building a Morgan Sierra which fits with the Sports Plane style. It looks good, handles great & goes like the clappers so when I finally get to fly it, well, yes, I guess I will be a sport pilot. Sounds a bit corny and not something I'd say I was, but to the great unwashed maybe it engenders an image.

 

Rather than compare RA aircraft and their pilots I could compare 2 GA aircraft I have flown a lot. One envokes a sports style and one a sedan style. The PA28-181 looks more sporty, has a groovy quadrant throttle/mixture control and a more reclined pilot seat position. The C172 on the other hand is like an HQ Holden. Easy to get in & out of, upright seats, solid, basic and heavy controls .

 

Does Sport Pilot suit the rag and tube brigade, Trikes, STOL and low performance RA aircraft & their pilots. Maybe, maybe not. When I get my Mag I might add some extra comments.

 

 

[bushpilot]

My views:

 

I understand the need to use a more commercial approach to packaging and presenting the magazine to assist increase circulation, however -

 

The masthead ('Sportpilot' - I dont have a problem with the name) looks cheap and in particular the prop pic is a bit corny /cartoony looking. I think they should run a competition inviting entries to improve the look.

 

The adverts. are very cluttered and uninviting to look at - especially those crammed together filling a page.

 

The photos in the Classifieds are a joke; cut down so much that with some of the a/c all you can see are the wings. Potential buyers need a good visual to go with the description.

 

Also, communication between the RAAus office and the magazine is off to a bad start. I asked RAAus 6 weeks ago to put a 'sold' banner on my a/c classified - and it is still there as 'for sale'.

 

I will be passing these views on to the editor.

 

 

[.Evan.]

I liked it overall. It's a good first effort. Maybe the new editorial staff will settle in to their new project.

 

The main things that annoyed me for this first issue were:

 

1) I like looking at ads - seeing all the wonderful stuff I might be able to afford one day, however TWO double pages just for ads is a bit cheeky!

 

2) If I was selling in the classifieds and I saw the picture(s) I provided cropped so heavily that one can't even see whether it has spats or winglets, I'd be very disappointed!

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well I haven't seen it yet, but was it really 'broke' enough to change the name?

 

By the way - what was the name?!!!!

 

Pud

 

 

[turboplanner]

Well I haven't seen it yet, but was it really 'broke' enough to change the name?By the way - what was the name?!!!!

Pud

RECREATIONAL

 

AVIATION

 

AUSTRALIA

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Isn't aviation just competitive spending? guy with the most expensive plane wins!

 

 

[turboplanner]

I still don't think say Ford executives would be dumb enough to call one of their new models "Commodore"

 

So far there's a curious silence from SAAA, maybe they think they will be the ones who gain from the newsstand exposure.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Ah the Folden Bogandore! Recreation flying is more for cashed-up bogans and yes, it's not a sport.

 

 

[Kenchhidu]

Recreation flying is more for cashed-up bogans and yes, it's not a sport.

I resemble that comment!!!

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Ian, Please don't change the name of this forum to 'Sport Flying Forum'. I like the word 'recreational'. I can even spell it now, and it's what I am doing when I go flying.'

 

You don't suppose we have really pissed off the RAA board, and they just want to get as far away from 'recreational' as they can ????????..............................................................Recreational Maj...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

So far there's a curious silence from SAAA, maybe they think they will be the ones who gain from the newsstand exposure.

If any of them notice, just say its always been like this for as long as you can remember, if they seem suspicious tell them that the RAA has always sold LSAs as LRAs in Australia. that will keep them guessing long enough to change the topic to the price of avgas.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well

 

RECREATIONALAVIATION

AUSTRALIA

Well what was wrong with it then?

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Nothing Pud..................Change for the sake of change I suppose.......................our board running off again without any consultation whatsoever with the ones who pay their wages ...........................................................Maj...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

You don't seem to realise that the cost of building the RAA brand is very very expensive, the sport pilot brand is already well established and unused. In the long term using the sport pilot brand will save the RAA money.

 

 

[turboplanner]

You don't seem to realise that the cost of building the RAA brand is very very expensive, the sport pilot brand is already well established and unused. In the long term using the sport pilot brand will save the RAA money.

You're kidding!

 

You're part of the fastest growing aviation group in Australia!

 

We have 9600 members and 3216 aircraft on the register.

 

Compare that with these aircraft numbers:

 

Gliders 1057

 

Balloons 322

 

Single engine to 5700 kg MTOW 7772 - yes that's the once dominant GA

 

If you want to promote Sport Pilots, their Association is: Sport Aircraft Association of Australia, Inc.

 

Their Magazine is AIRSPORT

 

They have 600 aircraft on the register

 

Why would we want to head down to their level using their promotional patch?

 

 

[fly_tornado]

the magazine's two major objectives are too promote the sport and to be cash flow positive. Any newsagent will tell you what you need in a magazine to make it sell. It seems someone in the RAA is actually listening to them.

 

Its a win for the SAAA people because its promoting aviation and there for the improving the viability of resources we share like airfields.

 

 

[facthunter]

David and tornado are on the mark. Just a few points..... Sales of the old format Magazine were falling abyssimally and it was a high cost item.to members. The cost side is being offset or maybe potentially covered, by the adverts. Like them or not. Businesses only place ads in magazines that have a good exposure to the right clientel, or they are wasting their money, so, the circulation is the key.

 

The name? IT has to be short , so we are told by the experts..

 

I think we have a lot of potential with the new set-up but we know there are a lot of high powered magazines out there competing for the dollar in that market. Good input will be part of the success and the new team should do this a lot better. This is the first under the new team. I think it is remarkable that they could get it all together in the time, and I would like to thank and acknowledge the effort put in by people like Nick Sigley, (board member) who has tried to effect change in this area. These things do not just happen. Someone has to make it happen.

 

One of the functions of the magazine is to contact possible new members. In fact it is the main reason for it's presence on the newstands. (Internally we could do it other ways for most members).....For that to work the cover and contents have to be catchy and appealing. I think this is a step in the right direction. Nev

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

OK we lost 'ultralight', now we have lost 'recreational'...so what do we go to,

 

when we loose 'sport' ?????.......................GA !!????

 

And in case you haven't noticed, with every 'upgrade' our 'Sport' just attracts more regulation, and more CASA control and attention. Are we are simply conforming to somebodys' grand plan for us ????? !! ,..................................................Maj...