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