I feel like I’m about to go through a divorce

[N941WR]

(I posted this over on another RV specific builder site and it was quickly deleted for some unknown reason. So, I thought I would share it over here. I hope you don't mind.)

There were early signs, that’s for sure. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I felt like my needs were no longer being met. Then I started looking elsewhere.

However, I’m still not ready to call it quits and hope it isn’t over, maybe things can turn around.

Yep, when the October issue of Sport Aviation arrived I flipped through the pages and couldn’t bring myself to read it. Yet, when the latest KitPlanes arrived, I read it from cover to cover that evening.

While I like the T-6 that was on the cover of Sport Aviation and have some time in an SNJ, the cover article was all about Mac getting checked out in the plane, not so much about the plane or its history. Then there was the story about how the avionics in the Cirrus helps keep pilots out of trouble. There is an article about how every Bonanza owner must maintain / upgrade their airplane because, after all, it is a Beechcraft. Next up for me were the articles on retired airline pilots, pilot attitudes, and a story from Jeff Skiles about flying an airliner on New Year's Eve. The list goes on but you get the idea. At least they still list have the completions section

Sport Aviation had two stories on aircraft restorations, one a pre-war Stearman mail plane and the other a Baby Ace; but not one story about a builder or their aircraft.

This morning I called the EAA and asked them if they had a magazine for home builders and the nice lady on the other end of the phone said they did not, Sport Aviation was it. What a bummer as that is no longer a magazine that represents my interests in aviation.

I’m really conflicted. I like the idea of the EXPERIMENTAL Aircraft Association but it seems they have taken the Experimental part out and have turned it into the “Aircraft Associationâ€￾. While I used to be very proud of my low EAA membership number and association with the organization, I’m seriously thinking about letting my membership expire.

In addition, what is troubling is the number of people who have contacted me who feel the same way and have asked about setting up a new organization to represent the interests of the builders.

Is it possible the EAA’s new direction is one that will alienate the very people who created it, the builders?

[N941WR]

Bob,

I like your reply.

[hydroguy2]

I understand your frustration Bill. I guess I see it a little differently.
Yes EAA has wandered from where they started and has had to expand to keep going. But I still think the EAA is a very good organization and one of our only voices.
I also am not ready to throw the EAA under the bus when the magazine not what I want. Possibly if people would volunteer to write some homebuilder artciles and keep flooding the EAA mailbox the will find a way to get them published.

[N941WR]

Only one problem, as I understand it, they only accept articles from their own writers. Part of the effort to make it more "professional", is what I've been told.

Thus the push to hire veteran editors such as Mac and the rest of the gang. Also, they publish what they are told to publish, thus the move away from EAB’s.

Hightower wants the EAA to surpass the AOPA and to do that, he must include the certified guys as they have the numbers and thus the money.

I always thought it funny that the AOPA doesn’t put on a big fly-in like the EAA does. In fact, I don’t think I know a single person who has ever been to an AOPA convention. It makes me wonder why that is.

[bruceh]

I appreciate what EAA and AOPA do for pilots and promotion of aviation in general. They will continue to get my memberships for that aspect.

I don't particularly expect much from either magazine in this internet age. The best information for homebuilders will be forums like this, along with a good ability to use a search engine.

I used to get AutoWeek in the mail weekly, then they went to every other week. I would also get a daily email from them and by the time the magazine would come, I would already have heard about everything in it. Same goes for newspapers.

[Spike]

I dont have a problem with EAA involving the population of people who fly certificate aircraft. To be honest I think making a distinction between the pilot population by eab / cert aircraft is stupid.

However I do think that the Sport Pilot Rag has taken a total dump since they hired J Mac. Really? He put Flying mag in the crater and then EAA promptly hired him. What were they thinking? Ugggh.

For the first time in my life I have actually considered not renewing this year....

Spike

[cjensen]

I haven't had a chance to read the thread that is quickly growing on VAF, but I do understand peoples frustrations with the magazine. I am honestly one of them, BUT I do understand the reason it's going that way.

I'm not making excuses for anything, but people have to realize that things change, and EAA as an organization is no different. The magazine IS NOT THE REASON we all joined EAA, am I right? So if it's going thru a change, lets see where it goes, and in the meantime, lets keep building airplanes, and support one of just two major organizations that are a voice for us.

If all you want is homebuilt news...well I have just that if you aren't already a subscriber, and that is Experimenter. It's all homebuilt, all the time, e-format only, but it's EAA's homebuilt-only outlet. So the lady you talked to on the phone is somewhat incorrect because there is a homebuilders magazine, just not the traditional format.

http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/

There's tons more to say, but I'll have to save it for later as I'm running out of day to get some things done...

[9KITTER]

As a owner/pilot of a certificated bird and current builder, I guess I am just excited to read anything about aviation that does not include airlines (I like airline pilots and crew, love to watch their planes fly, but am bored silly by the accountants that run airlines today). Sport Aviation has changed enormously since I joined EAA, but since I am not capable of building a plans built airplane, I find myself skipping the articles about activities that are well beyond my abilities and reading those that apply to me and my skill levels. Ask my tech rep about those skills and his most often repeated comment is, "He means well". But the magazine still fills a wide hole of something about aviation to read. EAA is changing, and the folks who want it to return to the days of great folks building wood and fiber birds in their garage are going to remain disappointed. Just as many of our friends could not find a potato or peanut in the field, some of us could not glue a wing together if the room was filled with tech advisors. I just left the AOPA Summit and like Sun n Fun and AirVenture (yeap, I still call it Oshkosh when around pilots), it was FAO Schwartz for pilots, with seminars on great subjects presented by great people who took all the time you wanted to chat before, after and away from their presentations. Lots of things for us guys in shorts and t-shirts to see and do, as well as the guys who wore ties and suits. So, my thoughts are, take what part of the change you like and that part you can accept, and then leave the rest for some of us who just like aviation.

[Bob Barrett]

My other activities have kept me from reading the October Sport Aviation yet. However I find some of the recent changes in the Sport Aviation good and others that I don't carefor. However there have been good helpful articles for homebuilders, and maintaining your home built airplane. EAA is about the only organization that is on our side when it comes to building and flying homebuilt aircraft. Kit models or otherwise.

[jsherblon]

I also have growing reservations about the value of the EAA for me as an experimental aircraft builder.

I've been a member of EAA for a while (actually since the late 1960's). Several years ago, I noticed their shift toward the larger audience - specifically to aviation enthusiasts and mainstream (non-experimental) pilots.

The EAA has done a remarkable job in marketing. This has led to it's transformation from a niche group representing amateur-built aviation to one of two mainstream general aviation associations.

Remember that the EAA is a business (Google the phrase "non-profit organizations" for clairification. Non-profits are allowed to make money). From a business perspective, expansion into larger markets makes sense.

Although the "E" in EAA isn't quite dead yet, it appears to represent a very small portion of the EAA's activity. My personal opinion is that the EAA should change the name to something like the Sport Aviation Association, since that would match the magazine title. Actually, if EAA and AOPA merged, I wouldn't object. I don't see much difference.

[cjensen]

Jim,

I've only been with EAA for a month, but what I've been trying put out there, is to not confuse the direction of Sport Aviation with the direction of EAA. Homebuilding is still a very strong core aspect of EAA, and even though more content is being added to SA, homebuilding articles and how to's are still there. SA is aiming at a bit of a different market segment for membership, but if experimental's were not a core value, I wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be spending money on hints for homebuilders videos, there would be no safety initiative for experimentals, Experimenter newsletter wouldn't be published, etc...

[jsherblon]

Thanks for the reply, Chad. I am encouraged that the EAA has hired you.

As for SA, maybe there could be a magazine opt-out for members. The cost savings to EAA could go toward homebuilt advocacy. I would choose that as an option.

[cjensen]

A lot of people are asking for this right now...I have no idea if its a possibility, but I know staff from pubs reads this stuff.

[Spike]

Just got my latest edition of Sport Aviation. 5 articles from J Mac?!?! I got rid of my Flying subscription because he turned that magazine into his personal platform. Unfortunately he is not even always accurate in his writings. I really dont want to see my associations magazine heading down this path.

*ugggh*

Spike

[cjensen]

This issue had some tough hurdles to get over with the events at Reno unfolding the way they did.

I'm getting the feeling that December is going to bring a much more focused issue getting back toward what members expect. We'll see...

Don't give up...things are changing, but while it seems the magazine is taking a wild swing, I think it will come back.

[Thermos]

I was on the fence about SA until the last issue, but the Socata article put me over the edge. I don't mind McClellan's articles if he writes about something relevant to sport aviation - that's what the magazine and the association are supposed to be about, right?

If Mac wants to generate more ad revenue by writing puff pieces about airplanes I'll never be able to afford, then maybe the magazine and organization really are headed off the right track.

Dave

[Spike]

Thanx for the thoughts Chad, I guess I can see that.

The Socata article totally had me scratching my head. The article was about the 100th anniversary of Socata right? Yet the entire article was a puff piece about the TBM. Other than a few sentences in the side bar he didn't even talk about Socata's involvement in piston aviation. What did they do over 100 years? What technology have they contributed? Where can their influences been seen. To me it was like he didn't want to do the research, just use it is a reason to burn another couple grand worth of Jet A.

I really don't think this guy knows who is audience is. I feel like I am watching him discover EAA and what we are about. Hey, like wow, you can build or restore you own airplane. What a concept.