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By Chico_MON
#395100
A good morning to catch up on some reading. Unfortunately the latest magazine content is full of flying panties articles, and not flexies. Thinking of unsubscribing to this Rag. A more appropriate title would be Paragliding & (Some) Hang Gliding. Just whining :x
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By CAL
#395101
they will print what they get, so if we want HG articles we need to send them, i have learned a lot form reading pg articles as well, we both need to know how to thermal to get high and we all us the same techniques
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By NMERider
#395103
CAL wrote:they will print what they get, so if we want HG articles we need to send them, i have learned a lot form reading pg articles as well, we both need to know how to thermal to get high and we all us the same techniques
Really? How can this possibly be when the editor ignores evey email sent in with article proposals? Anyone else getting his emails dissed? :|
By Markvg
#395107
The editor is a world traveling pg pilot. The rag if full of articles on world traveling pgs adventures. This is all that gets submitted? Several of last year's covers where shots from non-U.S. sites. Maybe an agenda to try and grow the U.S.pilot base would include promotion of US sites. I have been an active pilot for 37 yrs. If I were a newbie today who picked up the rag, I would never get started. The rag suggests that flying is about world travel, big XC, and working in a field that allows for lots of time off for that travel. Not what my flying life has been. Not sure the average 20 something sees this sport as accessible when looking at a copy of our mag.

I know print media is dead, nobody reads mags today, but hey we still spend a bunch of money to produce the shiny resume enhancer.
#395108
Chico_MON wrote:Thinking of unsubscribing to this Rag.
If I could unsubscribe to the rag and spend less on my USHGA membership I'd have done so ages ago. There is nothing in the USHPA magazine that speaks to me.
#395109
once&future wrote:
Chico_MON wrote:Thinking of unsubscribing to this Rag.
If I could unsubscribe to the rag and spend less on my USHGA membership I'd have done so ages ago. There is nothing in the USHPA magazine that speaks to me.
:ditto: :ditto: :ditto:
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By Lucky_Chevy
#395133
To be constructive, what types of articles would you like to see?

Our sport is fairly small and paragliding is currently more popular than hanggliding. Some of my thoughts to get the ball rolling:

1. New gear reviews
2. Competition / fly in calendar and current pilot standings.
3. Safety related articles, especially an analysis of recurring incidents and mitigation strategies.
4. How about an article featuring a couple of flying sites per month.
5. I always enjoy the photo essays.

I would also be fine with receiving the magazine digitally to reduce printing costs and maybe send some hard copies to high schools, universities and other locations that might attract pilots. It would be great to see out magazine on the news stand.
#395137
1. Monthly Centerfold: Top half alternating Photo of HG/PG; bottom half Monthly calendar with notable aviation holidays
2. Monthly Faceoff Glider Article: Single Surface Glider comparisons (WW vs North Wing vs Moyes); followed in future months with King Posted; and then, Topless
3. Faceoff Harness Article: Comfort harness, lightweight, features
4. Faceoff Instrument Article: features
5. Portrait: Instructors Training Articles
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By dbotos
#395188
Flying panties, getting high, and a monthly centerfold? Sounds like material to get the 20-year-olds interested. :mrgreen:

I thought the article about Otto Von Rosen, the 90-year-old HG pilot, was interesting. I also caught a glaring math error in the article:

It said he was born in 1926 and that he started hang gliding in 1981. So that would make him 55 (or 54 if before his birthday that year). At the end of the paragraph about his first HG flight, it said "Otto was hooked into hang gliding after that one flight; he was 52 years young at the time." Not by my calculations.
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By designbydave
#395189
This thread again?

1. Stop calling the magazine a "rag." Name calling is childish and does not support your argument.
2. Stop suggesting they stop printing the magazine. We've been over that.
3. Stop complaining about a mostly* volunteer project without doing something yourself. The content of this magazine is driven by the community. Not enough hang gliding content in the magazine, its your fault, not the editor, Nick Greece.
4. Stop being offended by paragliding content. Be happy that we have so many great brothers and sisters in free flight that are helping keep our flying sites and organizations going. Read, listen, learn. They are out there doing cool stuff, generating cool content. What are you doing? Posting online about how shitty the magazine is? This community should hold itself to a higher standard then that.

I have a challenge for my fellow hang glider pilots in 2017. Drop the negativity and try a positive approach for a change. Be the change you want to see.

Want better content in the magazine, generate some.
Want to see more hang glider pilots? Focus on telling the world how awesome hang gliding is as opposed to how bad paragliding is. That approach obviously isn't working.

EDIT: "Stop being grumpy old men." Comment retracted due to reason stated by others. Apologies. Seems we can all fall into these fallacies. Dragged into another internet argument. I should have known better.



* Yes, there is some compensation for contributors and the Editor, but no one is making a living off of this.
Last edited by designbydave on Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By DAVE 858
#395191
Heres an idea, how about instead of complaining about a magazine that nobody reads, we should start a video blog. Kinda like what Wolfi & Jonas did with Rhythm of Flight on Youtube, but instead of just two pilots, folks from around the country could submit content promoting their sites. Could be a quarterly thing or maybe even more frequent depending on how much material is submitted. Just a thought.
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By DAVE 858
#395192
Something like that would be accessible to folks other than pilots which is the only audience that USHPA mag is targeting.
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By designbydave
#395193
DAVE 858 wrote:Heres an idea, how about instead of complaining about a magazine that nobody reads, we should start a video blog. Kinda like what Wolfi & Jonas did with Rhythm of Flight on Youtube, but instead of just two pilots, folks from around the country could submit content promoting their sites. Could be a quarterly thing or maybe even more frequent depending on how much material is submitted. Just a thought.
That is a great idea thanks for the constructive input.

Now go do it.
By Markvg
#395196
Dave.

Isn't calling other pilots "Grumpy old men" kinda negative, not so constructive. Not hating on pgs. Got 2 in the back room. Even have a pg rating. Flown them with power as well. Also got a couple of light trikes I like to tool around in. I am also for any way to get in the air and have fun. Current glider is a RX 2 just to keep it simple like me. Just because I don't care much for the current magazine doesn't make me grumpy or old. I can do without it. It just hangs out in the bathroom waiting to inspire some friend to fly after lightening the load.

Chill out it's just flying. That pic of yours looks way to serious

Mark Vander Galien. #33287 56 yrs old flying for 37ish.
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By CAL
#395197
NMERider wrote:
CAL wrote:they will print what they get, so if we want HG articles we need to send them, i have learned a lot form reading pg articles as well, we both need to know how to thermal to get high and we all us the same techniques
Really? How can this possibly be when the editor ignores evey email sent in with article proposals? Anyone else getting his emails dissed? :|



Well this is why i like the Mag how would i ever get pics like this :)
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By AIRTHUG
#395198
NMERider wrote:
CAL wrote:they will print what they get, so if we want HG articles we need to send them, i have learned a lot form reading pg articles as well, we both need to know how to thermal to get high and we all us the same techniques
Really? How can this possibly be when the editor ignores evey email sent in with article proposals? Anyone else getting his emails dissed? :|
The magazine, and it's editor, doesn't need proposals. Take no offense when I say, ideas are cheap. It's the time and effort and skill in composing an article, a story, a thorough and unbiased review, whatever... it's providing the text, ready to print, AND accompanying photos (also print ready- high resolution and color quality).

Submit something usable, and you'll have his attention :thumbsup: :mosh:
By Comet
#395199
.

It's not that hang glider pilots are too lazy to submit articles. We once had an entire 70-page magazine filled with NOTHING BUT hang gliding articles.
So what has changed that hang glider pilots are no longer submitting articles?

What has changed is that now, due to the preponderance of paraglider membership and emphasis in the USHPA and it's magazine, hang glider pilots feel marginalized.
As a minority, they feel afraid to speak up and speak out. They watch their 25-year hang glider editor be fired and replaced with a paragliding editor.
They feel like the magazine, and perhaps the USHPA itself, no longer represents them.

And it doesn't.


.
By gluesniffer
#395200
"As a minority, they feel afraid to speak up and speak out"

And yet we have another thread about how bad the mag is.... :ahh: :ahh: :sleep:
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By NMERider
#395204
AIRTHUG wrote:
NMERider wrote:
CAL wrote:they will print what they get, so if we want HG articles we need to send them, i have learned a lot form reading pg articles as well, we both need to know how to thermal to get high and we all us the same techniques
Really? How can this possibly be when the editor ignores evey email sent in with article proposals? Anyone else getting his emails dissed? :|
The magazine, and it's editor, doesn't need proposals. Take no offense when I say, ideas are cheap. It's the time and effort and skill in composing an article, a story, a thorough and unbiased review, whatever... it's providing the text, ready to print, AND accompanying photos (also print ready- high resolution and color quality).

Submit something usable, and you'll have his attention :thumbsup: :mosh:
I truly wonder after reading your recent knee-jerk chastisement of two other Org members who were seeking advice here rather than from the manufacturer. Feel free to shoot yourself in the foot any time you like and I'll be here to give you a taste of your own medicine. :owned:

For anyone interested in submitting articles, the guidelines can be found here:
https://www.ushpa.org/page/editors-page
https://www.ushpa.org/page/editorial-guidelines

Pay special note to the following passage:
A letter of query is the preferred way to submit article ideas. The query letter should provide a brief summary of your article idea, including information about any supportive photography you may have. All feature articles should either include photographic support, or have some recommendations for where we can find photographs to accompany the text.
:goodidea:

I now have three article deadlines to. As you well know you just can't believe everything you see and hear, can you? Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way. - Jimi Hendrix
By Comet
#395205
gluesniffer wrote:"As a minority, they feel afraid to speak up and speak out"

And yet we have another thread about how bad the mag is.... :ahh: :ahh: :sleep:
They speak up ON A HANG GLIDING forum - one of the last remaining places dedicated to hang pilots where they don't feel marginalized and are free to speak out without condemnation (except from YOU of course).

You acknowledge "another thread" thus revealing there are many such threads and numerous frustrated pilots, yet by your post you belittle those pilots for expressing themselves - exactly proving my point. Imagine the vilification they would face in a full USHPA venue populated with pg pilots!

That you cannot distinguish the not-so subtle difference between posting candidly on this forum and being represented in the magazine makes me surprised you even know which end of your glider to point down the hill.