New World Record (for me)

[Clint Ormosen]

My copy of the August MA went from the mailbox to the recycle trash in a whopping 72 seconds! A new record! A light perusal revealed a lack anything C/L related dispite the fact that there seemed to be enough room in the mag for some full scale stuff. Lame.

MA is a total waste of money and ink.

[wwwarbird]

 Heh-Heh, here we go again. Okay, I'll bite because I literally just did the same thing.

 The best thing about finding MA in the mailbox for me each month is knowing that my new copy of Flying Models is usually right behind it. MA is fast becoming more like MAN all the time, which is a complete waste of paper. I get more enjoyment out of the latest Home Depot ad flyer in the local newspaper than looking at a copy of MAN. For years now, you can randomly pick up any copy of MAN and they're all the same.
 With MA, if I didn't automatically receive it with my membership, I certainly wouldn't be a subscriber.

 On the other hand, Flying Models is everything a true model mag should be. Great photos, and BUILD articles, along with lots of other great content. I really look forward to it every month. In todays world I worry about it often, but I really hope they don't ever change a thing at FM.

[Randy Powell]

Pretty much the same for me. I glanced at it and put it in the recycle box. Pretty much like always. I seldom keep it more than a few minutes at most (except the mandatory read of the CL column when it might infrequently appear).

[Mark Scarborough]

Hmmm
perhaps some of you are missing out on some pretty interesting stuff, for example, there is some neat ideas in the Free flight section,, I generally read most all the construction articles regardless of WHAT they are building,, Heck I even read some of the articles on ARF's,, It is amazing what kind of little tid bits you can pick up here and there when you look. And they dont have to start out as control line ideas,,

[Bill Ambrose]

Here's a thought.  If you want more control line articles, volunteer to write the column.

[Chuck Feldman]

Ditto;  it is a waste. we are stuck with it.

[Terrence Durrill]

Question:  Did you throw your copy of Model Aviation away before you read the "OLD TIMER" section?  It had some interesting stuff about the greatest model airplane engine ever..............the Fox .35 stunt.  It also addressed the second greatest sport/stunt model ariplane engine ever.......yes....you guessed it...........the McCoy .35 Redhead.  Of course you have to really dig to find this stuff in MA, unlike "FLYING MODELS".       

[john e. holliday]

As has been stated many times in the past, they can't print what they don't get.  The writers for what control line columns in the past asked for input and hardly got any.  I am as guilty as anybody for not sending stuff to them.  That is why the powers of the magazine went to bi-monthly on some facets of all of modeling.  Now if the writer gets nothing to write about or does not get it in in time, then there is nothing to print.  I notice our Stunt News writers are always asking for input.  Our two columnist for Flying Models work their tail off to make sure something is in each issue.    I guess that is why Control Line World is a quarterly.  It gives the writers time to get something together.  I read all my magazines from cover to cover and usually find someting interesting.  I guess I am weird as if I was physically in better shape I would be flying some FF.  I also get a little thrill out of a good flight with the twiddly sticks.  Now instead of throwing you issue in the trash, why not take it to the local library or barber shop.   

[Herb Calvin]

Like I've said before, it's a catalog.

[George]

Like I've said before, it's a catalog.

...and not a good one - almost all RC stuff...   

Still, I don't throw it out. Some years ago I switched to RC for a few years. When I switched back, I had years of mags to peruse through for CL stuff. By that time Model Builder and MAN had switched to all RC so I dropped them. Still get FM and, of course, MA.

Sometimes you can pick up some tips from another discipline that you can use in CL. And remember, they are modelers too.

George

[FLOYD CARTER]

MA isn't a complete waste.  I also fly C/L electric stunt.  New electric products are coming out all the time, so I check on all the new products.  Joe Wagner always writes interesting stuff about engines, and Bob Hunt usually has some good things that I can use.

Floyd

[Matt Colan]

Just a thought...we keep saying that there is never any CL published in MA right?  Well why are we waiting around for somebody else to write something interesting in the magazines, then when somebody doesn't write anything, we say how MA is becoming more and more like MAN; well that's because nobody is writing anything!  If you have a design or an interesting how-to article, submit it to MA.  It may be published, it might not, but at least you tried, plus you would get paid to write it if it did become published.

When Grace Paris resigned her spot as columnist for the Next Generation, she left me the job and I really am glad I am a columnist in SN.  Windy has been encouraging me to write stuff for CLW, and my first article will show up hopefully in the September (?) issue of CLW.  Windy also had me do a guest column in crash repairs highlighting the repair of my Oriental Plus.

If you have something to share, share it, don't leave it to a certain group of people to always publish something in MA. 

[Bill Ambrose]

Well said Matt.  Good on you.

[Bill Gruby]

 Matt;

 Congrats to you, but I can't help wondering if you have ever tried to get a C/L picture posted thru the District I Rep. I have sent him pictures either to be ignored or he says they are beautiful but he can't open the file. If you can't open the file how can you say they are beautiful? I have yet to see a report on the Ma. meet every year or the Combat bash near Salmon River. I gave up trying.
 Yes as far as I am concerned MA is a waste. Thanks for the heads uo Clint this issue won't even make it into the house.

 "Billy G"

[rustler]

The editor of our CLAPA newsletter, John Benzing, (yes, that one!), was short of material, so he wrote an article on the refurbishment of his local Art Deco Swimming Pool. I believe he now has plenty of C/L aeromodelling articles submitted!

[Matt Colan]

Well said Matt.  Good on you.

Thanks Bill,

In the Jan/Feb issue of SN, Bob Hunt made a comment in his column encouraging people to write something for SN, whether it's a history piece, a technical piece, a how-to article, or even a simple contest report.

Come on guys, write something send it in to SN, Flying Models, CLW, or MA.  Then people might stop saying how MA is becoming more like MAN, where the only thing that is published is RC stuff.

[Bill Little]

Hi Matt,

Probably the biggest reason I didn't run for District IV Trustee re-election was the lack of material to write for the Stunt News column.  Two local contests and one other that I know about in Dist. IV.  I wasn't about to write a personal history each month, so I begged for several years for submissions.  I had two people who would usually give me something, but not many others.  yet, I always caught it for not putting enough in the column.  I needed to be a fiction writer..........  I could have at least made stuff up, then.  So, I have BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, and burned the T-shirt. 

Model Aviation is geared towards the largest majority of AMA members and THEIR activities.  And we, as C/L fliers, total (!!), are less than 1% last I heard.............

Bill

[wwwarbird]

 ...article submissions aside, it's pretty tough to grow anything these days but AMA might see more than 1% if they did some things to promote C/L. I'd bet at least half of their "bread and butter" R/Cer's over the age of 40-45 started out, or at least flew, control line models for a time. Show them enough of it, and I bet some would come back.

 A big reason I think C/L article submissions are hard to come by is the fact that a lot of C/L flyers just aren't computer savvy enough to submit in the formats desired or required nowadays. I am one of those people. In the early eighties I submitted a couple of articles to "Scale Modeler", a plastic modeling magazine that is no longer in print. I wrote the article out by hand, put in some photo prints that a friend took for me, and sent the whole works to them in a big fat manila envelope. 6 months or so later it was in print on the newstand. I would actually like to submit some things to some of the current C/L publications. Thing is, I don't know the first thing about all the new-fangled pdf schmee-dee-eff ways, downsizing or upsizing files, or any of that stuff, I can barely post a photo on this website.

[Will Davis]

If you have the camera , take some pictures , put them on a c/d then send them in to all of different publications,If you can give a article or newsletter even better  .. Give these  to the PAMPA, Magazine contact person or AMA Rep.

They will appreciate the information , write a better article ,  and you will become  rich and famous ... Well famous anyway...  

We really need to help these guys out  , or they will stop writing the great articles and columns that we read each publication

Even if the article in Model Aviation  is not about Control Line, we can learn alot from other modelers interest ..

Will

[Wayne J. Buran]

I have no idea why AMA wont let people opt out of the magazine when you consider by all defininitions tha Control Line and Free Flight are dead. There should be no impact on circulation. Then the R/C flyers and park flyers could duke it out.
Wayne

[John KruziK]

I havent even received mine yet, you guys are ruining the suspence, I thought this might  be THE month.

[Clint Ormosen]

I havent even received mine yet, you guys are ruining the suspence, I thought this might  be THE month.

It's not.

[George]

I have no idea why AMA wont let people opt out of the magazine when you consider by all defininitions tha Control Line and Free Flight are dead. There should be no impact on circulation. Then the R/C flyers and park flyers could duke it out.
Wayne

I believe the charter says that AMA must communicate with its members. At one time AMA made a standalone newsletter. Then it piggybacked on a magazine (American Aircraft Modeler?). At that time you could opt for no magazine, but you only saved a few bucks because they still had to send you a newsletter. Then AMA bought the magazine.

I think the above thinking is correct...if you want more CL stuff, submit something. That said, I'm afraid I'm among the ones who have not.

George

[FLOYD CARTER]

I typed a constructional article, drew plans in pencil with hand lettering, took a few pictures and sent the whole to MA.  They published it and paid me too!

There actually have been C/L construction articles in MA from time to time.  Maybe you just don't remember.

I think they would welcome your constructional article, if well done and complete.  Most magazines publish author guidelines.  Check them out and do exactly what they say.

It's a bit of a chore to draw plans and take good photos, but not impossible.

Floyd

[don Burke]

About 5 years ago I did the same for a NATS winning BTR.  The editior didn't even acknowlege receipt of the letter.

[john e. holliday]

Well you guys that trashed MA without opening the cover, not only missed the picture of a control line modeler in a district report.  Before that I found a picture of a young lady holding replicas of the Nobler Control Line Stunt Plane.  Also an article about forming wingtips I may try.

[mike hartung]

I agree that there is not much in the mag, which leads me to the conclusion that Stunt Hanger and other control line websites have taken over from the paper publications. A good example is the article done about the F-86 carrier plane that the builder conceived, constructed, and flew in competion right here on Stunt Hanger; it was excellent. As this place exists, I think that it is at least worth the price of a subscription to one of the model mags as a donation to the website. I know that I will be making a donation to the site once a year of at least the subscription price to a good model magazine or AMA membership cost. YEEHAW Stunt Hanger and all the fine folks found there in ( Ya you to G-Man, lol).

[Matt Colan]

Well you guys that trashed MA without opening the cover, not only missed the picture of a control line modeler in a district report.  Before that I found a picture of a young lady holding replicas of the Nobler Control Line Stunt Plane.  Also an article about forming wingtips I may try.

Same here DOC, I saw them too!

There is also an interesting piece about how the Fox 35's needle valve helped it become so popular in the Old Timer's section.  Even though there is an article about Reno Air Racing, There are some really cool pictures in there.

Speaking of that particular article, it just goes to show what MA will publish.  If they publish an article that doesn't have to do with model aviation, then surely I'm sure they will publish any sort of informative how-to article or a full design for CL.

[Chris McMillin]

In the old American Aircraft Modeler I saw my first article about the Reno Air Races. Dad told me that one of the airplanes in the picture was his friends and we were going to see him, tomorrow! We flew there the next day and I was hooked, and I went with my parents to the races that year.

About 30 years later I actually competed in the races for two years. From a little seed grows!

I liked the article on the Kazmirski Taurus.

I like seeing all forms of modeling and full size stuff in the mag. It comes from liking airplanes, I guess.

Chris... 

[wwwarbird]

 Cool photo Chris!

[RogerGreene]

Hey, what about District iii's report on an R/C club that has a Control Line circle  and a picture of Carl Lovins flying???

[john e. holliday]

That's been mentioned already.  How about a diesel 4S for stunt?   The guys in UK and Australia would probably go for it.  I liked playing with diesels, it is just the wife does not like aroma I always had after playing with them.