CL in June Model Aviation!

[John Cralley]

CL gets some coverage in the June Model Aviation!

Wow! Wonders never. Cease!   

[Paul Smith]

You have to admit, it's pretty good.  Almost ALL control line.

[wwwarbird]

 Yep, they've dedicated a lot of the latest issue to C/L. Some very nice articles too, big thanks to those who submitted them.

 Now, after all the griping, many of us here need to make a point to send them a timely message of appreciation. Hopefully it's a small step in regaining some C/L acknowledgement and future coverage.

[Garf]

Where do I find an Email address to send them a proper message.

[Dave_Trible]

Where do I find an Email address to send them a proper message.

Jay Smith    jays@modelaircraft.org.  Sent my congrats yesterday and got a nice reply.

Dave

[proparc]

Just sent a note of thanks.

[Dan Berry]

They cannot print articles that they don't receive.

[Mike Griffin]

I have written 3 articles for them Dan and not only did they not publish them, they did not even acknowledge they received them.  However, I just dropped Jay a note thanking him for the recent articles.

Mike

[Randy Cuberly]

Yeah...so they tossed the DOG a bone!  Is it going to be 10 or 15 years before we get another one!

It was nice to open the issue and actually see some references to CL and an actual Control Line airplane to build.

I'm not convinced that things are really going to be any different.

Randy Cuberly

[Fred Cronenwett]

Last year at the Nats I talked with Jay Smith and proposed the article on the modern CL scale model and he told me he was interested so I completed it. Hard to say why he did not pick up on your articles Mike, but as a group we need to keep submitting material so Model Aviation keeps Control Line material in the magazine.

Send material to your district VP's, folks who write the columns or the focal point. Anytime we get anything CL in the magazine it reminds everyone that we still fly CL models. Send contest results and pictures of your contests to the columns or district VP, I consider that free advertising for next years contest.

While I was flying today in St Louis this one guy stopped by and watched and after I landed I talked with him and he thought CL was not being flown any more. He doesn't fly anymore, but I invited him out to our Sept CL contest and mentioned that we have 5 contests per year. Also gave him the website address for our club.

Fred Cronenwett

[Dan Berry]

I have written 3 articles for them Dan and not only did they not publish them, they did not even acknowledge they received them.  However, I just dropped Jay a note thanking him for the recent articles.

Mike

I don't get every job that I bid.
Keep trying. Resubmit articles that you've already sent.

[Mike Griffin]

I really suspect that Randy is correct in his conclusion.  I personally did try to contribute something by writing for the magazine but really do not have any desire to continue wasting my time and seeing it disappear into a black hole.  This topic has been discussed before on this forum and the results remain the same.  As Randy stated, we got a bone tossed to us in this issue but I doubt if we will gain any weight from it.

I will freely admit that my attitude toward AMA as a whole is very indifferent and I view them as a necessary evil for those who fly in contests.  I see money (our membership dues) going in and very little benefits coming out.  PAMPA is a much more worthwhile organization to belong to if your interests are in Control Line building and flying whether it be stunt or just flying for fun.

As we age as a group and lose members of the fraternity to attrition, we are not seeing enough new pledges to replace the talent we are quickly losing and therefore grow and maintain a base that will thrive in the future.  I sent a FOX .40 off to Lew Woolard a few days ago for him to work his magic and turn it into a Siver Fox.  He is now 91 years old and told me that he has days now that he just physically has a hard time staying in the shop and doing what he has done for years and years.
My point is that as we lose people like him, Tom Lay, Byron Barker, Allan Brickhouse and many others that have contributed so much to control line,  we will not replace them with others who potentially have those talents because AMA has no interest in telling their stories.  Here again, whether you agree or not, just follow the money.  If is not in the best financial interest of AMA to promote a sector of people who fly models that are considered to be outdated and a dying breed.  They (AMA) will continue to promote the latest fad that brings in the most money until that fad dies and then they will move on to the next fad that comes along.  The long term survival of Contol Line is of little or any concern to them.  Quite frankly , they do not need us.  Those of us who have a genuine appreciation of the people who made control line building and flying something that had been so enjoyable for so many years because it was a labor of love, will be gone in a few years and what they did or contributed will be nothing but a dim memory if remembered at all.
The conclusion, AMA is going to do what brings them the most money and that is not control line.

Mike

[wwwarbird]

 Well, that's the negative way to look at it I guess. We gripe when there is no coverage, and now we gripe when there is.

 We can easily re-hash all the things that have been beaten to death already, or, we can look as this as a positive thing. I fully realize it's a microscopic event in the big picture but at least it's something. While I actually agree and can't argue with some of the above points I'm still happy to see this coverage in the current issue. It's GOOD. While the coverage is nowhere near as regular and visible as it was in the "heyday" of C/L, there are actually quite a few "up-and-comers" around these days to keep our torch lit. With events like Joe Nall and some others taking notice it certainly won't hurt things either.
 Will the overall percentage of C/L modelers within the model aviation world ever be what it once was? No, I highly doubt it, but there is still plenty of opportunity for a lot of good things to happen, you just have to help make them happen. And this is coming from one enthusiast who just lost his flying field to property development at the end of April.

[Mike Griffin]

Hi Wayne,

Was not trying to gripe or project a negative or positive point of view,  just realistic.

Mike

[John Cralley]

Mike, Being realistic is OK but giving up is not! Send your articles to Control Line World they will acknowledge your submission! They don't pay but they do publish good submissions. Try Stunt News, if your subject is suitable for PAMPA. It is a shame to let information that may be useful for fellow modelers die on your computer.

Maybe this issue of MA is a turn around but as previously pointed out it is important to let Jay know we appreciate the coverage and remember MA cannot give CL coverage if no articles are submitted!

If every member of Stunt Hanger sent him an email thanks, I bet he would have a new appreciation of the CL segment of the AMA! *

[Randy Cuberly]

Well, that's the negative way to look at it I guess. We gripe when there is no coverage, and now we gripe when there is.

 We can easily re-hash all the things that have been beaten to death already, or, we can look as this as a positive thing. I fully realize it's a microscopic event in the big picture but at least it's something. While I actually agree and can't argue with some of the above points I'm still happy to see this coverage in the current issue. It's GOOD. While the coverage is nowhere near as regular and visible as it was in the "heyday" of C/L, there are actually quite a few "up-and-comers" around these days to keep our torch lit. With events like Joe Nall and some others taking notice it certainly won't hurt things either.
 Will the overall percentage of C/L modelers within the model aviation world ever be what it once was? No, I highly doubt it, but there is still plenty of opportunity for a lot of good things to happen, you just have to help make them happen. And this is coming from one enthusiast who just lost his flying field to property development at the end of April.

Wayne,
I can understand why you think this is a negative attitude but the attitude didn't develop yesterday.  As you hinted this has been a long time pattern with AMA.  Maintaining a positive attitude for 30+ years with little to no new developments may make you feel better but it doesn't change a thing.  AMA has done the "throw a dog a bone thing" several times in the past but quickly jump back to the MONEY.  I understand that as does Mike and I'm sure many others.  I'm just tired of thinking that things are suddenly going to change for the better in CL.  The only way that would happen is if the Government suddenly said "OK no more R/C...then the money would jump to selling controline kits and engines and electric systems for such.  The R/C ads would disappear and be replaced by 1950 type CL ads.
WE all know that's not gonna' happen!

I'm simply accepting the status quo for what it is and ignoring the AMA "hoopla" because that's what I and Mike obviously know it to be.

As Mike said, it's not negative it's simply realistic and to believe anything else and get all excited about this latest "bone" is completely unrealistic.

Submit articles to AMA all you or anyone else wishes.  I'm not opposed to that, I'm just not going to waste MY time doing it.  It simply doesn't accomplish anything even if one is occassionally published.

Much better to submit articles to Stunt News where they are appreciated for what they are than Putting them in a magazine that really doesn't want them and may occassionally publish one to stop the dogs howling for a short time.

The printed page costs a lot of money these days and I'm sure the AMA leadership considers CL articles "wasted space".  How many full page ads for CL products have you seen in Model Aviation in the last 30 years?  That's what talks today!  Not CL articles.

WE have an excellent CL Publication...a couple of them actually if you count CL World.  Support them and stop wasting time with a R/C RAG that doesn't want or need our support.  I pay my dues to fly in competition.  AMA knows that.  Why should they try to do anything further to try to please me when there's nothing in it for them!  That's not a negative attitude it's just pure common sense!

Randy Cuberly

[bill bischoff]

I am the author of the "Margaret June" construction article. If I may say so, I am proud of the work I did on the article, and I am proud to have it published in Model Aviation. Being in Model Aviation as opposed to a purely CL publication, the information reaches more non-CL types, and helps remind them we still exist. I have already had emails and conversations with several "used to fly CL" modelers who have indicated an interest in revisiting CL. Who knows if and when that may happen, but someday it might.


Bill Bischoff

[Mike Griffin]

Hope springs eternal doesn't it guys?   We fly at our field in City Park here in New Orleans every Sunday when weather allows .  We have people stop all the time and talk to us about what we are doing.  Usually the conversation starts something like this....

Them:  "Do you fly The ones without wires out here here?"

Us:  "Uh, no this is a control line club."

Them:  "Can I fly my helicopter out here?"

Us:  "Well, this is a confined area and flying both in the same area is not a good idea."

Them:  "This is a City Park, that anyone can come to...right?"

Us: " Yes,  would you be interested in flying control line with us?"

Them:  "maybe"

Us:  "Here are our phone numbers, give us a call and we will bring a plane you can practice with"

Them :  CRICKETS, Never heard from again.

I have had many conversations with people about control line flying and 9 out of 10 times they will say, " I didn't know they did that anymore."  We don't exactly get a lot of press.

[wwwarbird]

 Randy,

 Did I say that this one issue of MA was suddenly going to change everything? No, not even close, and I don't expect it to either.

 Believe me, I am fully aware of the "realistic" viewpoints that you imply I'm not. I even stated that I agree with some of it, but thank you for the insult anyway. I'm also fully aware of the other C/L publications that you mention, I subscribe to them and have done so for years. They are very good, and I enjoy reading them very much. Overall, like many here, I haven't been a fan of the MA mag for a very long time. All I'm saying is that seeing the multiple C/L articles in this latest issue of MA is a good thing, and I'm happy to receive an issue with a nice amount of quality C/L content. I'm just viewing this as a small opportunity, to acknowledge and thank those who made it happen. It sure can't hurt any to let them know that we are happy to see the coverage. If you're not willing to at least do something as simple as that, then quit complaining about it all.

[Andre Ming]

I know in the eyes of AMA, and in reality, we C/L fliers definitely a "niche".  I understand that.  I also realize this issue of MA containing several C/L articles does not portend a shift in the AMA's thinking. I understand that, too.  However, I did feel it would be a nice gesture on my part to send a polite note expressing appreciation.  Thus, I just sent this to the above linked
email:

>>

Hello!

As long time control line flyer that has recently returned to AMA, I would like to say it was a very pleasant surprise to see an issue of Model Aviation feature several Control Line models.  The articles were very well done, nicely illustrated, and looked very professional.  Good job.  It would be wonderful to read a control line article in Model Aviation more often. 

Thanks again for such a nice issue.

Andre Ming
AMA 408 (65555)

>>

[Randy Cuberly]

Randy,

 Did I say that this one issue of MA was suddenly going to change everything? No, not even close, and I don't expect it to either.

 Believe me, I am fully aware of the "realistic" viewpoints as you imply that I'm not. I even stated that I agree with some of it, but thank you for the insult anyway. I'm also fully aware of the other C/L publications that you mention, I subscribe to them and have done so for years. They are very good, and I enjoy reading them very much. Overall, like many here, I haven't been a fan of the MA mag for a very long time. All I'm saying is that seeing the multiple C/L articles in this latest issue of MA is a good thing, and I'm happy to receive an issue with a nice amount of quality C/L content. I'm just viewing this as a small opportunity, to acknowledge and thank those who made it happen. It sure can't hurt any to let them know that we are happy to see the coverage. If you're not willing to at least do something as simple as that, then quit complaining about it all.

Wayne,
I meant no insult to you or to any other people that wish to send articles etc. to Model Aviation.  I was merely explaining to you that I and obviously Mike do not consider our attitude toward the AMA and the Mag "Negative".  I feel that our attitude toward the Magazine and the AMA is justified and realistic.

Bill B.
Your article in MA was very good and I enjoyed it very much.  Seeing an article with plans to build a CL plane in MA was not only enjoyable but a shock to the system!  Thanks for your efforts.  The airplane looks like a "Class Act" as you always have been and if I was physically up to racing three up now I would build one.  Hardly anyone here in Tucson is anymore.   Anything I said earlier was not meant to detract from your efforts, it was only meant to explain that I think the AMA is not "on board with CL" just because of this issue.  Things will return to R/C normal shortly.

Randy Cuberly

[Mike Griffin]

If we see a pattern developing of more and more control line articles over a period of time, I would say we would have something.  That would be nice but don't hold your breath.

My congratulations to the authors of the articles that appeared in the last issue. They were interesting and very well done.  And by the way , I did send an email to Jay thanking him for giving some space to our hobby in this last issue.

However, I will not waste my time anymore submitting anything toModel Aviation.  I tried that three times and I guess what I had to say did not fit their agenda.  One article was showing the advantages of take apart models, one was explaining the joy of actually being able to feel the plane, and the other was a long time ago and the subject of it escapes me right now.  I deleted them off the computer a while back.

At one time, I had considered trying to start a control line publication that would have been a complitation of "HOW TO" articles and submissions from people in the hobby.  Then I discovered to keep it ad free like I wanted to, I. Would have to rob a bank to finance the project.  The idea was to pool the hundreds of years of knowledge out there and compile it into a periodical.  Having a hard copy to refer to always appealed to me.

Mike

[Dan Berry]

I don't get every job that I bid.
Keep trying. Resubmit articles that you've already sent.

I meant,,keep sending the same articles.

[Mike Griffin]

I knew what you meant Dan....I may write some more in the future and send them to CLW or Stunt News but not to Model Aviation.  Right now I am inactive in PAMPA and had to drop my subscription because there just was not enough money to go around to belong to AMA, our club, PAMPA and buy materials to build with.  If I could, I would drop AMA and replace it with PAMPA.  I really enjoyed Stunt News and CLW when I subscribed but when you live on Social Security alone, something has to be sacrificed. 

Mike

[Randy Cuberly]

I knew what you meant Dan....I may write some more in the future and send them to CLW or Stunt News but not to Model Aviation.  Right now I am inactive in PAMPA and had to drop my subscription because there just was not enough money to go around to belong to AMA, our club, PAMPA and buy materials to build with.  If I could, I would drop AMA and replace it with PAMPA.  I really enjoyed Stunt News and CLW when I subscribed but when you live on Social Security alone, something has to be sacrificed. 

Mike

Hey Mike, looking at you now one would know that you already gave up EATING!          

Keep on Keep'n on!

Randy Cuberly

[Mike Griffin]

Yeah Randy, Eric Rule told me the other day, I was just half the man I used to be but that is OK, I still like him regardless of what Larry Renger says about him.. LMAO ....my nutritionist said "I am seeing less and less of you lately."    I still eat but not very much.  When your stomach is the size of a banana you cant tolerate very much.....

Mike

[FLOYD CARTER]

I've submitted two construction article to M.A., and both were published.  In the past, I have had my articles published in MODEL BUILDER, AMERICAN AIRCRAFT MODELER, R/C SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE.

The real secret is providing good plans, lots of pictures, and a well-written article.

You are likely to be rejected if the magazine has to spend time and money just getting your manuscript in good shape.

Floyd

[wwwarbird]

I've submitted two construction article to M.A., and both were published. 

The real secret is providing good plans, lots of pictures, and a well-written article.

You are likely to be rejected if the magazine has to spend time and money just getting your manuscript in good shape.

Floyd

 Good points Floyd, and also displaying quality building skills in those photos showing clean, accurate work.

[Mike Griffin]

The following is a copy of the email I sent to Jay at a Model Aviation and his reply back to me.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your email. I am glad to hear you enjoyed all the Control Line coverage in the magazine.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Griffin [mailto:mggriffin@icloud.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 7:05 PM
To: Jay Smith
Subject: Control Line articles in latest MA magazine


Jay I just wanted to say thank you for giving control line some respectable coverage in the latest issue. It was a surprise and appreciated by all of us who still cling to the handle inside the circle.  We are the last of our kind probably and a dying breed but it is nice to get some coverage in the magazine.

Kindest Regards,

Mike Griffin
Sent from my iPad

[FLOYD CARTER]

If you tell them that C/L is "dying", they might think it is really true, and that could reinforce any tendency for them to abandon C/L for ever.

[wwwarbird]

If you tell them that C/L is "dying", they might think it is really true, and that could reinforce any tendency for them to abandon C/L for ever.

 I thought the same thing the second I read it, why would we do anything to help hang ourselves by making a comment like that???

[Mike Griffin]

Floyd I will make sure you and Wayne have a chance to proofread my next correspondence to make sure it meets your approval before I send it. 

Mike

[Glenn Quarles]

I got my reply from Jay today, seems like a nice guy!

Glenn

[dave siegler]

Jay responded to my email and asked about our club. 

Positive and polite.



If your articles are not being accepted.  It might be something other than "they hate control line". 

There could be a lot of reasons. 

Publish it on your web site, or better yet, ask for someone to review it and resubmit. 

I have had technical papers bounced several times, till i got it right.