Do you support shutting down the RAA magazine?

[turboplanner]

Well I'm 87 and we used to keep newsagents in business buying newspapers and magazines for toilet paper.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

when you have to go, you have to go

 

 

[turboplanner]

...and there was nothing worse than running short of classifieds!

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I prefer to regift my magazine.

 

Lots of people haven't read an aviation mag so they find it quiet interesting. I can't actually remember buying my last magazine, I bet you can't either!

 

 

[turboplanner]

I think in 1927

 

 

[pudestcon]

people simply don't go into newsagents anymore, certainly not the sort of people that can afford to put down $125K on a weekend toy.

Must be why I still go into newsagencies - or as we used to call them, the 'paper shop'

 

Pud

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I bet it was thick enough to get you through an entire winter

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Paper magazine for me! ... and, re age, I am 66 and use my computer extensively for work and play.

 

I MUCH prefer to read fun stuff on paper ... I find it easier on the eye and more pleasurable. I also find I proof read more accurately off paper than off the screen, but if I am researching something, then the computer wins hands down every time, mostly I think due to the ability to search ant follow hyperlinks etc .... Not sure if the electronic book thing would work for me ... perhaps I should borrow one from someone and try it!

 

cheers

 

RD

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

The mag is fine as it is ...leave it alone. The votes show most are in favour of that, game over !......It has always been funded by membership fees, what has changed ?....Are our dollars being wasted on useless HF exam papers, or our powers-to-be flying around attending equally useless CASA seminars. It's the glue that keeps us together each month.........................Maj...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

by glue, do you mean we keep complaining about it every month?

 

 

[facthunter]

There are much bigger problems out there than the magazine. Like what is our future with every matter that was in progress whenMcCormick came along and put it all on hold. Time marches on and so many things are just sitting, without proper resolution.

 

Regarding the Mag.. A poll was started, (and I think we have too many of them) There appears to be at this stage, pretty big support for the current situation, so do we just keep going on about it, or what? Plenty of work was put in by people like Drifterdriver and appears to be progressing well.

 

One of these days you are going to have to put people in to do a job for you and let them get on with it without assuming that they are complete idiots, and will muck everything up. We generally operate by some form of concensus where you (sort of) accept the umpires,(or groups) decision don't we? . Or are some opinions better than others'... Arguably some are...but who is going to decide which ones count and which ones don't count?. ALL votes are equal. All you can do is inform people and they will make up their minds...Nev

 

 

[drifterdriver]

Leave it as is, let the editor up the amount of articles and the number of pages, thereby increasing the advertising revenue and we all get a better magazine at no extra cost (and cheaper than through the previous publisher).

 

 

[turboplanner]

Leave it as is, let the editor up the amount of articles and the number of pages, thereby increasing the advertising revenue and we all get a better magazine at no extra cost (and cheaper than through the previous publisher).

That's what we should strive for. There's no problem spending reasonable money as a base to advertise ourselves and keep bring in new members to offset those that retire or drop out, but the more successful it is the less there needs to be a discussion.

 

 

[jerrajerra]

I wouldn't bother reading the mag if it were an electronic publication.

 

I quiet enjoy picking up the mag and 3 other favourites from the local newsagency and sitting down with a coffee and toasted ham, cheesy sandwich at the cafe. It get's me out the office and I can refer to the mag any time and any where I want.

 

Chris

 

 

[winsor68]

Acccccctually..... The internet has been around for a long time before Tomo was born, it was only commercialised to the public in the 80's, but became more mainstream in the late 90's to what we have today... The local newsagents here, well theres three of them actually, all are fairly busy most days with a line up... A fair amount of the people Im sure could afford to spend some cash on a plane too, they just choose not to... (I hear lawn bowls is more the 'in' thing)

 

That's true Iggy... I first went "online" in the 80's... I was so green I didn't understand the significance of what it would become.

 

 

[Guest fireblade]

Well, I still like the paper version, I also buy my magazines and papers from the "paper shop", my meat from the butchers and my bread from the local bakery, my fuel does not come from a Woolies or Coles sponsored outlet. I can remember greengrocers or fruit shops, we need to support local businesses and I understand that this forum discussion is not necessarily related to that, but if we do everything online, including gaming instead of playing sports we will have no interaction with other people. If we go online with our magazine we will be costing jobs for papermakers and printers, posties who deliver the mags, I know it sounds like I am on my soapbox, not really, just trying to support my fellow Aussies, we shouldn't put everything online, we need human interaction and sometimes doing things like putting magazines online can be the thin edge of the wedge.

 

In case you think I am a PC phobic, I have 4 PC's, 3 GPS, electronic copy of ERSA, my own home wireless network, VOIP, IPOD, WII, media player, satelitte TV, and was the second person in my town to have broadband.

 

This postis just a bit of a wider look why this and other hardcopy print should still be available, maybe we could make the magazine available online, but not at the expense of the printed copy.

 

 

[Bryon]

Its easy for a you old guys, if the RAA falls into a heap you can go back to GA or retire and look back on 20 yrs in the air.

Fly,

 

I find that comment patronising and insulting

 

If it wasnt for the "old guys" you wouldnt have Recreational Flying

 

Who do you think fought so hard to get the privelidges that we all enjoy today

 

Remember that it was those that walked ahead that created the path for you. Everyone that contributed to the formation of the old AUF and now the RAA and those that are still fighting for our rights deserve some respect

 

When you have put in the hard yards, you will have the right to criticise

 

I remember when I was 18, I thought my old man knew nothing. When I was 25, I was amazed at how much he had learnt in 7 years

 

I am now 60 and still learn things from my elders

 

I hope that you can benefit from the 'old guys' and appreciate what they have done for us all

 

Bryon

 

 

[Guest turnbase]

Hopefully getting this back on track. Both Old and New should be able to enjoy communications on all fronts. While I can agree the future of printed magazines is on the decline and will most probably be replaced by some form of electronic media in due cause.

 

But while we still have people not up to speed with the newer technologies or are unable to receive the service it makes sense to keep the magazine in the short/medium term.

 

Oh and now we have glossy pages it's back to broadsheets for the throne room

 

 

[turboplanner]

In case you think I am a PC phobic, I have 4 PC's, 3 GPS, electronic copy of ERSA, my own home wireless network, VOIP, IPOD, WII, media player, satelitte TV, and was the second person in my town to have broadband.

Fireblade, the beauty of Australia is that you can do what you want and be what you want, and live the life that's comfortable for you.

 

The only comment I'd make is that with all that equipment, you can continue the face to face relationships AND develop a WIDER human interaction if you want to.

 

This thread was really a knee jerk reaction, or maybe a bit of mischief. The Magazine is not costed properly and since it's a major part of our financial profile we should be sending a message loud and clear the the board members that we want the magazine costed as a stand alone cost centre.

 

THEN we would know whether this conversation was warranted. Right now it's salary costs that are wildly increasing - a jump from $651,410 in 2009 to $868,396 in 2010 a "CEO" who talks about having a "PA"

 

 

[fly_tornado]

To the best as I can tell, the magazine will end up online whether you want it to or not. A lot of magazines have been quiet successful in going online, online opens up some interesting opportunities to explore new ideas in aviation, like this forum.

 

The natural pressure for newsagents is too only carry magazines that return good sales figures. The newsagent business is under enormous pressure to maintain profitability due to the general decline in the sales of periodicals. Have a gander at the priorities for newsagents and ask yourself can the RAA compete for shelf space against general interest magazines? http://www.newsagencyblog.com.au/ You can't help but notice that most newagents don't rely on specialised publications anymore.

 

All I am doing is opening up the discussion, I am not going to loose any sleep regardless of what the RAA management does. I suggest everyone consider the magazine creates enormous drag on the RAA and distracts it from its core mission of getting people in the air.

 

 

[Vorticity]

When I think of organisations that I am (or have been a member of) one thing I have always liked is a good magazine. I would Almost go as far as to say it adds a bit of credibility compared with here one minute gone the next clubs/associations who can only be found online. The New Zealand Alpine Club goes as far as publishing a yearly journal of reports and stories. Maybe RAA isn't that kind of organisation anymore as opposed to the club based scene early on?

 

I'm old, compared to tomo, just cracked 30!

 

The EAA magazine is amazing and the best value you could ever find!

 

 

[poteroo]

I voted for the status quo simply because there wasn't an option that fitted my opinion. That doesn't mean that I'm over-the-hill just yet.

 

Aviation Trader is currently going through this very process of online or paper,or both. Online is good value for advertisers as they get 2 months for 1, but you could argue that AT in hardcopy is re-read several times too. I'm not sure that aviation publications are ready for going 100% online right now. Perhaps in 5-10 years as we old fogies move out the door?

 

If the RAAus website was improved,and built to hook more searches, then having an abbreviated magazine on there might serve as a puller of more membership.

 

happy days,

 

 

[turboplanner]

Interesting Vorticity your comments are using the past tense, and Poteroo you're seeing it but wanting to put it off for 5 - 10 years.

 

Unfortunately this trend has nothing to do with what we think we'd like now, but is driven by the massively lower cost, faster speed, and instant geographic speed of electronic communications.

 

On top of that is the very fast introduction and acceptance of e-readers, now with 3G so you can be travelling on holidays and download the latest magazine in Kakadu if you want.

 

It's not us, the readers driving this, it's the suppliers.

 

Age has nothing to do with it, it's just reluctance to accept change.

 

I've taught a number of people in their mid eighties how to send an email and how to look up something on the internet - usually takes a couple of hours and I give them a step by step instruction list, and they're off sending me emails with downloaded jokes etc.

 

E-readers are much simpler than computers.

 

Have a look in your shopping centre for the Kodak shop - the world moves on......fast.

 

What follows rapid change is that the volume of the old process drops, costs skyrocket, and the process falls.

 

There will always be a small group of people in any superseded industry that fight to the bitter end, but the end is always a certainty.

 

 

[winsor68]

Hey Turbo... I have taught a few oldies how to retrieve their e-mails/facebook... they always forget (or so they claim) within a few weeks of leaving them to it... lol

 

 

[farri]

I wouldn't bother reading the mag if it were an electronic publication.I quiet enjoy picking up the mag and 3 other favourites from the local newsagency and sitting down with a coffee and toasted ham, cheesy sandwich at the cafe. Chris

Yes!...And furthermore, sitting on the dunny, reading from a laptop or iPod, just isn`t the same!!!

 

Frank.