'PAST ISSUES
A dedicated section to past issues of Popular Flying and Light Aviation. In due course we hope to have a proper reference facility to past articles.'
just browsed a few of my back issues -lots of interesting/ useful stuff there which I'd forgotten. Is there anyone out there who has created and index to past issues? If not is there a plan to create one? All we need then is a complete set of back issues at HQ from which a copy service could be provided
index to popular flying
Moderators: John Dean, Moderator
What a good idea josher - there is a huge resource within the pages of Popular Flying, but fairly difficult to tap it.
This is probably a silly question - I'm rather fond of silly questions - but... Light Aircraft Assoc - so its about light aircraft, I get that, but the magazine is Light Aviation, so it must be about more than aircraft, OK, but not Light Aviation Assoc? What's in a name eh?
This is probably a silly question - I'm rather fond of silly questions - but... Light Aircraft Assoc - so its about light aircraft, I get that, but the magazine is Light Aviation, so it must be about more than aircraft, OK, but not Light Aviation Assoc? What's in a name eh?
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Brian Hope
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- Location: Sheerness Kent
Hi Josher, to my knowledge there has been no indexing of the magazine during the time I have been involved with it. It would be a pretty laborious task I suspect.
We have recently been thinking about making the previous year's magazines available on CD, you could then use a search facility to find specific references. No decision has been taken though. What do members think of the idea?
We have recently been thinking about making the previous year's magazines available on CD, you could then use a search facility to find specific references. No decision has been taken though. What do members think of the idea?
I have to say that given the value of the technical content in PF particularly to the builders who have been the raison d'etre of the organisation it's staggering to me that the magazine has never been indexed. Having said that I've just had a go and its taken me all evening to do the first eight issues I recieved so its no easy task - that did include the odd diversion to read something of particular interest!! If ten of us agreed a basic index and took two years worth each we could probably have it done in a month - any volunteers?
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Phil Burgess
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- Location: Lincolnshire
Granted, indexing past issues of PF would be a big task.
How about starting the indexing from the first issue of LA onwards - PF could be added later if there is demand. The editorial team could simply add to a template that would essentially be a live document that is searchable on line. Not too onerous a task if done one issue at a time, and I'm sure there would be an easy way of automatically extracting the relevent sections of text from the magazine's existing contents page into a suitable list format. The document would grow into a valuable resource with time and could prove to be a money spinner if it helps to sell past issues of the mag. I think this is along the lines of what Pilot magazine and others do.
How about starting the indexing from the first issue of LA onwards - PF could be added later if there is demand. The editorial team could simply add to a template that would essentially be a live document that is searchable on line. Not too onerous a task if done one issue at a time, and I'm sure there would be an easy way of automatically extracting the relevent sections of text from the magazine's existing contents page into a suitable list format. The document would grow into a valuable resource with time and could prove to be a money spinner if it helps to sell past issues of the mag. I think this is along the lines of what Pilot magazine and others do.
Brian,
Im looking eagerly forward to receiving the first issue of the new "Light Aviation" - it always takes a long time to arrive in Switzerland. The contents of PF were on par with, if not better than the more "commercial" aviation publications serving the private pilot market.
I think the idea of making past issues available in electronic form ist great and might also provide some additional income to LAA. A potential snag might be that especially for older issues the authors might have given publishing rights only for paper publishing. Photographs and drawings can even be published in greater quality in electronic form than in a comparatively cheaply printed paper magazine.
Depending on the format in which previous issues are available, the indexing can be done via computer and not manually. Even for older issues a paper copy can be scanned and the text extracted with OCR. If Original material like drawings or photographs are still available all the better.
If I can be of any help I'd be glad to lend a hand in such an endeavour.
Toni
Im looking eagerly forward to receiving the first issue of the new "Light Aviation" - it always takes a long time to arrive in Switzerland. The contents of PF were on par with, if not better than the more "commercial" aviation publications serving the private pilot market.
I think the idea of making past issues available in electronic form ist great and might also provide some additional income to LAA. A potential snag might be that especially for older issues the authors might have given publishing rights only for paper publishing. Photographs and drawings can even be published in greater quality in electronic form than in a comparatively cheaply printed paper magazine.
Depending on the format in which previous issues are available, the indexing can be done via computer and not manually. Even for older issues a paper copy can be scanned and the text extracted with OCR. If Original material like drawings or photographs are still available all the better.
If I can be of any help I'd be glad to lend a hand in such an endeavour.
Toni
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Brian Hope
- Posts: 1271
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:28 pm
- Location: Sheerness Kent
Hi Toni, thank you for your kind comments re the magazine, I hope when your copy of Light Aviation arrives you will similarly enjoy it.
We have several years of the magazine already in pdf format, whether we went to the trouble of scanning issues beyond that is a moot point. As I say, no decsion has yet been taken but it is currently under the spotlight.
We have several years of the magazine already in pdf format, whether we went to the trouble of scanning issues beyond that is a moot point. As I say, no decsion has yet been taken but it is currently under the spotlight.