My name is Steve Higginson and I’m the new Editor of AeroModeller Magazine.
For the record, I am a big kid who loves everything to do with designing, building and flying model aircraft made out of wood, paper, glue, wire and even spit. I have been involved in aviation and model aviation in some shape or form for more than 45 years. My father introduced me to balsa wood, and I designed and built my first stick-and-tissue model at the age of four.
As a kid, all I wanted to do (when I wasn’t in school) was to read about aircraft, draw, build and fly model aircraft and go to airports or the model flying field in Los Angeles’ Sepulveda Basin. Yeah… I had it pretty bad. I even remember being sent to the principal’s office numerous times for chucking paper aircraft across the classroom.
As I got bigger, so did my models. I moved from HLGs and rubber-powereds into ¼ A, 1/2A, A, B and C gas jobs, and eventually progressed to sport R/C, Pattern and Formula One Racing. As happens to many young aeromodellers, I moved on to real airplanes and sailplanes.
By the time I reached 18 or 19, life began to get more serious and I found myself working to pay for a college education. I fell into automotive restoration as a way to have fun, make good money and pay for school. When I was finished with college, I became part owner in a high-end classic car restoration shop that thrived during the 1980’s collector car boom. Being a business owner left little time for models, so I downshifted into R/C Sailplanes and flew on weekends as a way to decompress.
In 1992, the lights went out on the restoration game and I left the industry to pursue other interests. That change landed me in my first editorial position for a golf magazine. The publisher found out that I was a pilot and had a lot of aviation knowledge and made me one of the Editors for his other publication, Plane & Pilot magazine. WOW! Now I could fly, play golf, shoot pictures, write about it all and get paid to do it. Life was good.
After a few years, I was head hunted by Petersen Publishing Co. They wanted to start up a new magazine for their Automotive Performance Group targeting air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiasts. They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, so off I went and founded VW Custom and Classic Magazine.
While working in publishing I became interested in the advertising and branding side of the industry. I left the corporate publishing world to build a small advertising and brand development firm in California. There is where I honed my skills as a graphic artist, industrial designer and new product developer. For the last 15 years I have worked with companies designing new products that fit directly into their brand image and marketing strategies.
About five years ago, my aeromodelling life came full circle. I was in my workshop building a 3-D design study for a sailplane and my oldest daughter (she was six at the time) came to me, curiosity piqued, and asked what I was doing. “Building a model of an airplane,” I replied. She asked if it was going to fly… and so it all started over again! Both of my daughters wanted to build and fly model aircraft. So I helped them. Then, they wanted more and more and more. Next thing you know… I wanted more and more and more. And as they say, “the rest is history”.
Here I am, more passionate about modelling than ever and the new editor of AeroModeller Magazine. I welcome you all to the world of AeroModeller Magazine!
Steve Higginson
Editor
Welcome, Steve.
Hope you are editing from the Sunshine State, and don’t have to suffer our wetness of the UK.
Good luck and hope the job is good for you.
Cedric
Hi Cedric,
Actually I am editing from the Golden State, Southern California to be exact. I love the sun but September was mad hot with temps settling in the low 100s. Thermals were great! But, I lost three planes and two had D/Ts on them. Thanks for the well wishes.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Hello there,
When will you have the name of the editor for the British edition of Aeromodeller?
Frank
Hi Frank
Rest assured we have a number of UK based contributors so there will be plenty of UK content, although we do aim to cover the whole world in terms of content…
Aeromodeller Team
I DO wish you luck but hope that the mag doesn’t have the typical American financially based formatted layout (My goodness I’ve bought enough of them over the years!). This is where the articles are split up randomly throughout the magazine so that readers are ‘forced’ to look at the adverts (with the thinking of our USA cousins). In the UK most of us enjoy looking at the adverts, anyway, without subjecting us to this ridiculous irritation.
I have no problem whatsoever with world coverage (why would I? and in fact I have always enjoyed that as there always was overseas coverage, even in the 50s when I was a lad). For such a niche, within a niche, hobby interest it obviously needs international appeal for survival…especially as there are those of us will die and cease to subscribe! :).
UIltimately though, I still have to admit to being somewhat surprised and disappointed that, for such an historic British magazine, a British editor could not have been found.
I’ll certainly give it a go but will be surprised if the British character of the old magazine survives….perhaps that’s a good thing?
However, as long as the magazine is really good, that’s all that matters in the end. After all I’ve said I HAVE subscribed to various American magazines over the years including the excellent ‘Sport Aviation’ ; mouthpiece of the EAA.
Kontent is king.
Good Luck
Frank
And another thing! Steve seems slow off the mark. I was designing and building tissue covered balsa wood models at the age of two and a half years! I was them by the time I was four!!
Frank
Edit!
And another thing! Steve seems slow off the mark. I was designing and building tissue covered balsa wood models at the age of two and a half years! I was KITTING them by the time I was four!!
Frank
Hi Frank,
I am a little slow off the mark with regard to answering my emails. I hope you will accept my apologies. Building the new book is a little time consuming and I do have to admit, adjusting to the time difference and gathering U.K. is indeed a challenge. I appreciate your candor and wit. Thank you for your kind words. I promise to do my utmost to make AeroModeller something that everyone can be proud of.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Welcome Steve and the best of luck with the new job.
If you have any influence over editorial policy I would ask that the number of articles etc on radio control model flying in the new Aeromodeller be limited. I acknowledge that this is the most numerically popular aspect of model flying, but there are already a myriad of magazines dedicated to this branch of model flying, so I’d personally be quite disappointed if this became a major area of interest in the new Aeromodeller.
Cheers
Simon
Hi Simon,
I share your view. R/C is covered sufficiently by other publications. We are indeed dedicated to the traditional Free Flight and Control line model builder and flier. The farthest we will move into R/C will be with regard to simple R/C assist systems that are gaining in popularity in some F/F and C/L designs. The enthusiasts we want to keep happy are those of us who have balsa dust in our veins.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Please could you add basic dimensions ( wingspan and engine or motor size) to your plans and Kits?
Thanks,
Ken
Hi Ken
We are working our way through the plans lists trying to add more detail, will take a while though. If there are any specifics let me know and I’ll get back to you.
Regards
Alan Harman
aeromodeller@adhpublishing.com
Hello Ken,
To second Alan’s response, I am a bit of a detail nut. When plans omit the essentials, it irritates me as well. I’m a pretty experienced builder and can usually figure things out but, plans that do not include basic instruction and details will not be published.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Hi Steve.
I will be interested to see how Aeromodeller turns out. I am sure that the fears that one will have to turn from page to page to follow an article will be unfounded. was always frustrating.
I didn’t start as young as you did…But I did start modelling in 1953. Started selling plans to Aeromodeller in 1974 and to American mags a year or so later.
I still like the odd control liner so you might get the odd design from me in the future.
We will be using the UK style for layout so there will be no searching around the magazine for articles to continue… Aeromodeller is being produced, printed and designed in the UK and we will use our normal style.
Hi Pete,
Even as an American, I am irritated by “jump heads” as we call them over here. The UK style will be adhered to so as to keep our articles convenient. I will look forward to and welcome your contributions in the future.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Hi Steve,
Like many others i wish you success in your new venture as editor of the ” reborn” Aeromodeller,ailthough i too would have wished for a british editor,as we did have one in the editor of Aviation modeller International,so i do hope you can continue in the same vein.Obviously you wont be able to meet brit modellers or attend thier meetings as was done in the past,this was a most important part of the old Aeromodeller.
As others have made clear,there are a miriad of magazines that cover R/C modelling and plastic,ready made things,so i’m hoping you will not lose the essence of one of the oldest aeromodelling magazines ever !
Hi Bryan,
Thank you for your kind words. If it helps any, I do have British blood in me and my ancestors did come over on the Mayflower. I do hope to make it over the pond to meet with as many enthusiasts and modellers as I can in the near future. The essence and heritage of AeroModeller is very important to me and it is my aim to keep that alive within the pages. I also intend to bring good design and content from wherever it may come throughout the world. I am not a fan of plastic, RTFs, ARFs (BARFs: boxed and ready to fly), Foamies, etc. I recognize their place within the hobby and understand their place and following, but they are just not my cup of tea. In a nutshell, that’s why I’m hear.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
What’s wrong with having an editor from the colonies anyway? The best always come home!
I would hope to see more practical articles, there are too many designs in the model press that rely on buying in components or parts. We need more building advice,”how I did that” type of articles and less “checque book” modelling. Another trend that is starting to irritate is the recent inclusion of “full size” reports and personality based personal reflections. Old war stories from National Service days have no place in a model magazine,(I name no names). Especially when we all use the same old stories!
Hello Gerard,
Here here! I couldn’t agree more with you. Buy-To-Fly products do have their place in the hobby for those who don’t have the time or the talent to build and prefer only to fly. For guys like us, we enjoy the “complete” modelling experience. We are the inventors and creators of cool flying machines. AeroModeller is a builders magazine and should remain as such. A few well-chosen anecdotes within an article can ad colour and interest, but an entire article, in my opinion, gets a bit boring.
I will do my best not to disappoint.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
OOPS! Spelling!!
Hi there over the pond, can we hope to have available (re)issues of the late and lamented Aeromodeller plans service, both scale and flying? THAT would make the difference compared to the ARF, RTF, even FBU (“fly before unpacking”:) models and their reviews in the current run-of-the-mill mags (I am harking back to the “checkbook modelling”quip above, indeed:-). Martin
We are working on that Martin – more info to follow…
Hello Martin,
The new AeroModeller will NOT cater to ARF, RTF, even FBU (“fly before unpacking”:) models. As in the past, we are dedicated to the “Traditional” builder. That being said, the key word is builder. We will embrace new materials and methods, but we feel that us “real” modellers have been ignored long enough.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Aeromodeler, how English can you get ? An American editor ? me thinks not. I will not subscribe. Nothing personal you understand ?If i want an American mag i will by one.
A big team working on Aeromodeller, produced and printed in the the UK but yes with an enthusiastic Editor based in the US… you’ll be missing out!
Hello Annoymous,
I respect your opinion and understand your feelings completely. As Editor and an American, I personally regard aeromodelling as an international hobby and sport. I always embraced AeroModeller as a fine modelling magazine back in the day and the information I was able to absorb through it pages made me a better model builder and flyer.
When AM disappeared, I, and uncountable American modellers, were greatly saddened and felt that an era had ended and a voice for the traditional builder had been lost. ADHs efforts to relaunch AeroModeller are seen as an effort to regain that voice. I, as Editor, have every intention to keep to AMs U.K. heritage alive and have no desire to make AM a U.S. magazine.
In my mind, the world of the traditional builder is evaporating and I for one am not going to let that happen. The education that aeromodelling has to offer through it’s art and science is too precious to let fade away.
I hope that you will give the new AeroModeller a look see before casting your vote. We certainly have a lot of supporters from both sides of the pond who are rooting for our sucess.
Thank you and regards,
Steve Higginson,
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
My best wishes with the new Aeromoddeller, I look forward to seeing how it develops in the future and will no doubt face various challenges. As a contributor and designer to other publications and a fan of traditional building although my interests are now primarily rc I hope a fresh perspective brings the success the title deserves.
Lindsay
Thank you very much Lindsay,
It has been busy getting the new magazine into shape. The level of quality of the AeroModeller from the 1950s, 60s and 70s is certainly a high standard to live up to. It is my goal to achieve that very thing and I believe that with the help of the excellent contributors that have come on board and future contributor still to come, we have a great chance at seeing those goals fulfilled.
Thanks for the kind words.
Steve Higginson
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
G’Day Steve,
Congratulations from down under on your appointment. I am sure you will have all our “want’s” at heart. In this day and age it matters not a cracker where you come from. Let’s not get too serious about it guy’s….and galls….we just want to have some fun enjoying the hobby many of our fathers taught us, and would like to continue down the line. In Australia we get magazines form all over the globe and most contributors are not on the same continent as the publisher….Good Luck mate!
Thanks David,
It’s been a lot of work but also a whole lot of fun so far.
Thank you and regards,
Steve Higginson
Hi Steve,
Well, a magazine with a rich heritage like Aeromodeller, spiced with some American flavour (or will that be flavor?) sounds like the best of both worlds to me. As a contributor to the late AMI, I look forward to the new mag – good luck with it, and keep bashing the balsa,
Stephen
==
Thanks Stephen,
That’s exactly the way I feel. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with how the British and American ways of approaching the same modelling challenges differed. I learned a lot of different techniques that led me to be a better modeller. Now that the footprint of the traditional builder seems to be getting smaller, if feel strangely driven to not let the art disappear altogether.
There are an awful lot of us all over the world that find the full-spectrum of the aeromodelling hobby to be quite fulfilling and I personally do not know many other activities that combine so many facets of art, science, technology, mental sharpness and creativity all in one.
Thank you and regards,
Steve Higginson
Thank you very much Lindsay,
It has been busy getting the new magazine into shape. The level of quality of the AeroModeller from the 1950s, 60s and 70s is certainly a high standard to live up to. It is my goal to achieve that very thing and I believe that with the help of the excellent contributors that have come on board and future contributor still to come, we have a great chance at seeing those goals fulfilled.
Thanks for the kind words.
Steve Higginson
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Steve,
I too enjoyed the wide open spaces of Sepulveda Basin in the 60’s,couple that with flight test with Lockheed and life was all fun. My start was with free flight[and Aeromodeller] in N London in the 1930s and it is still my love. I note a feature of the advice you are getting is to go light on the RC and plastic kits. I agree with that. Lets see encouragement for designing and developing ones own models, how to trim a rubber powered model and why down and side thrust. I can admire the magnificent RC models that enthusiast spend hundreds of hours creating but really isn’t the flying rather boring. Only so many things you can do and at nonscale speed with whining engines. Anyhow its clear us old Brits, including me, wish you well. Ian
Hi Steve, are you looking for contributions in the way of building/tips/etc/how to’s/etc etc.
If so does one send them to you or to Aeromodeller offices here in blighty?
Best wishes for the future.
Regards.
Mike Alexander.
Ian,
I will second many of your thoughts here and assure you that the only articles we will publish with regard to R/C is in the instance of R/C Assist which is becoming more prevalent in F/F and C/L as a means to activate D/Ts, moderate direction control and triggering arresting hooks. Rest assured, plastic kits will not be featured unless they are in the form of dummy engines or detail bits. Of course, in some kit reviews there may be some plastic for realism sake.
Thank you for the well wishes. I’ll do my best.
Steve Higginson
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Hi Mike,
I am always looking for contributors with fresh ideas, style and new insight into the world of aeromodelling. On this website there is a pull-down at the top called essential info. Within that link you’ll find “Contributor’s Guidelines”. That is where all the pertinent info for contributions are found. Once you have reviewed that information, send me a proposal outlining what you have in mind and we can take it from there.
Thanks and regards,
Steve Higginson
Editor, AeroModeller Magazine
Dear Steve,
Hearty congratulations on the relaunch of AeroModeller! I’m looking forward to the first issue!
Warmly,
Don DeLoach
Editor, NFFS Free Flight Digest
Hi Don,
Thanks for the well wishes. Congrats to you on your fine performances at Geneseo and keep up the great work on NFFS Digest. Just finishing up editorial on the first issue, so as you can imagine, things have been busy. I greatly appreciate your support of the relaunch and anticipate a warm welcome when AeroModeller returns here in the States. When things cool down a bit, I would welcome more in depth communications between us.
best regards,
—Steve
Hi Steve, I found the guidelines straight after dropping you a line! I was not paying attention so therefore not only had I to go & stand in the corner but also a thousand lines ‘I must stay awake at all times & read everyfing put before me’. Hmm!
Best wishes for now.
Mike (will catch you later).
Excellent Mike. I hope this will shed some better light. Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and regards,
Steve
Best wishes to you Steve for your commitment to real aero-modelling…and as you open the throttle and ease back the stick on the revived mag! I forgive you the golf…just think what amazing flying sites all those golf courses would make! (we desperately need sites here in UK)
Hi Peter,
As much as I like Golf, I have to agree, when it comes to flying, golf courses would indeed make great sites once you got rid of the trees. With the rate of development here in California, many of our great sites are going the way of the Doddo bird. To fly large free flights, I now must drive 2-3 hours whereas when I was young, I could walk 20 mins. or drive 30 mins. to get to a prime area.
Thanks you for the well wishes.
—Steve
I sincerly hope that senior management will require the American editor to use British termnology & British spelling in this most British of magazines. A great shame that a British editor could not be found. I am not anti American but I regret the creeping Americanisation of our language & way of life. I will not be renewing my subscription if we have US “English”.
Dear Peter
Thank you for your comments, we also have a decent sized team here in the UK and former Editor from the 1980’s Martyn Cowley on board so we aim to use British English at all times…
Regards
Aeromodeller
Hi Peter,
The boys in the UK have sent me a copy of the QED for me to brush up on. Martyn Cowley is doing a bang up job to get me in shape as well. The British heritage of A/M is very important to me and I have no intention of Americanizing the new AeroModeller to the point of losing that heritage. Back in the day, I used to get my hands on copies of AeroModeller and found the differences between British and American methods to be very educational. As an avid modeller, I found that education to be very beneficial.
Please continue to post your comments and opinions as we continue. I’m the type who likes to know if I get out of line and need to get back on track.
—Steve
Steve,
There are many of us who are owed the new Aeromodeller in leu of subscribed issues of the late lamented AMI.When are we likely to receive the first edition of Aeromodeller ?
Regards Bryan Passey
Hello Brian,
I am told by the publishers that issues of the new AeroModeller are going to pick up where the old AMI left off. The first issue (number 919) is to be released on the 13, December, so I imagine you should start receiving yours sometime soon after that.
Thanks for your continued interest.
—Steve
I hope you will be able to find room in the mag for articles on traditional model aero engines, including flying them in vintage style models, as well as building engines from scratch.
Making your own engine is becoming a new area of interest for some modellers following recent articles in other aeromodelling publications.
Hi Chris,
I am indeed running articles on traditional model aero engines and even have an engine construction article in my archives right now. I know there are a fair number of enthusiasts who build their own and this coverage will be of high interest. I can’t give you an exact issue when this article will appear but, please keep your eyes open.
Thank you for your suggestion,
—Steve
Aquestion i have asked recently————-when will subscribers of the now defunct AMI who are owed copies of the new Aeromodeller get thier first issue ?
First issue of new AeroModeller is published on December 13th, subscribers will be mailed their copy on 6th December.
Regards
AeroModeller
Steve – Welcome
Wishing You all the sucess .
Tell me — or Your ADH Administration can – the following .
WHY — given all the whipped up July 4 fervour and all the proposed innovative revamping of Old with the New , perpetrating the Future with Past ideas and innovations —————– why could all of this NOT been syphoned into the AMI.
Your namesake strived for a long time with regular columnists whom were true modellers to make an intersting magazine which ostensibly had its plug pulled .
Why do ADH think that the new revamped AEROMODELLER is going to succeed given that all these current ideas of content could have used here .?
Why was the purpose in having a Stand – alone Aeromodeller apart from trying to preserve the oldest Magazine and all the nostalgia ?
Publishing as is most biz all about making money . If it doesnt shut it .
What is bizarre about the whole thing is that Publishers and their respective Mags rely on circulation — the very people out there whom perhaps conveniently do not get informed as well upon Publications demiseas well as perhaps the louder noises of startups .
I am no doubt echoing the thoughts of many many othere whom read my missive but
in no way take my comments as destructive as I genuinely wish You et al the best for the future .
Hello Vernon,
Thank you for your well wishes. What you are saying is very true. The old AMI did very little to uphold the high quality that AeroModeller once was. Much of the material in modelling magazines has been told before in many different ways. The thing us old modellers lose sight of is there are always new enthusiasts getting involved all the time. In a sense, what is old is new again because new eyes and minds are seeing it for the first time. Designs and technology changes. Methods for construction changes also. But, the need within man to invent and create mechanisms that function and defy the laws of gravity will never change.
You are also correct that the purpose for publishing is to make money. First and foremost, a magazine is a vehicle for marketing. In our case, for marketing the hobby and industry of aeromodelling. This vehicle has to be wrapped in a manner to make the content informative and entertaining for the reader/enthusiast to get much-needed information to further his or her own interest within the hobby. It seems to be a vicious circle that indeed has more of a purpose than just making money.
Thank you very much for your comments,
—Steve
Steve, as a subscriber I’m looking forward to receiving my first copy of the “new” Aeromodeller. However I am a little dismayed at the apparent dismissive attitude to R/C. I came back into the hobby in the late ’70s after a break of many years when I walked into a shop and picked up a copy of AM just to see what was in it. What was in it was a Free Plan for a very simple Piper Cub designed by Jack Headly which could be built as F/F or 3 Ch. R/C. I built the R/C version and am still here thirty odd years later still building R/C, and some F/F, models in the traditional way. I agree that the RTF and ARTF area is already very well covered by the other mags and good luck to them but they just don’t interest me. I think you will be missing a slice of the potential readership if you confine your coverage to R/C assist. There is a difference between R/C fliers and R/C modellers.
However best of luck with the relaunch.
G’day I have just subscribed. I am an ancient aeromodeller of 80 and still fly C/L a couple of times a week ,weather permitting,so I hope there will be a bit for those of us who hang on to a couple of wires. As you may have guessed I am down in the land of the kangaroo so we get our mags. a bit late but hopefully worth waiting for. I don’t have a problem as to where you come from so long as your a modeller. Best of luck, Norm
I admire your commitment to preserving our shared heritage of building and flying our creations from balsa, paper, glue and Spit!
Yes I have licked my share of wing tips and stabs to remove / impart warps for correcting observed flight pattern discrepancies – and you can’t get that out of an ARF box from China! keep the balsa dust piling up in the corners of your work bench!
My modeling fever led me into a career in full scale aviation also, and my background served me well in becoming an accomplished A&P ( Fitter / Engineer for our UK brothers) and had the great pleasure of visiting the Rolls-Royce Engine works in Derby UK while there for training.
God Luck and much Success with the revival of Aero Modeller!!
Hi All Concerned,
I have just received my copy of the new AeroModeller via my subscription, a superb effort, really enjoyed the Engine article and the Control line twin Profile scale model etc.
Good luck for the future.
Regards David Smith
Congratulations on an impressive first issue, Good range of articles, lots to interest all aspects of the hobby. My only (minor) observation is that in one article,on Eaton Bray, the typesetting(if that is still used these days) had slipped in two or three areas, some sentences being printed out of sequence. Not that it detracted from a great read. Normally I finish off the average “ARTF toy” mag in about 10 minutes, Aeromodeller took two days! Well done, roll on the next edition
Gerry York.
Having bouight the first issue I intend to subscribe. You are doing a fantastic job, producing a a magazine which is very much for the 21st century while still having plenty to offer an old timer like me. I am very impressed.
Yesterday when walking my dog at a local field where we often test new models. I told a follow testing a new model, you always reject any comments about the BMFA. He suggested since our only local model shop no longer stock or sale magazines.When in W H Smiths. picking up something to read we should not consider Aeromodeller since there’s plenty of others. They all need us more than we need them. Every dog has it’s day.