Loathe the FSA magazine and really miss Mac Job's Aviation Safety Digest

[Centaurus]

Just received the latest e version of Flight Safety Australia. Is it just me or is anyone else getting frustrated with the complicated stuffing around via various links on the opening page to download the magazine and have a casual read of the contents? After five minutes of trying to work out which links lead to which story, I gave up and deleted the whole bloody thing.

I so miss the pleasure of receiving my copy of Aviation Safety Digest in the mail and reading Mac Jobs wonderful prose. RIP Mac. :sad:

[BPA]

Stopped reading it when they switched over to the e version. Still have a pile of ASD's that I can read anytime.

[gerry111]

I reckon that's just going to be the usual bureaucratic way..

"Few were accessing the FSA magazine so we've now done away with it to save scarce resources."

I started reading ASD's in 1970 with Mac Job's really interesting articles. All good life saving, VFR advice and presented in his wonderfully easy to read way. :)

[Sunfish]

The phrase is "drowning in maple syrup". The magazine, e version or not, is a waste of time.

[Duck Pilot]

The new CASA website is just as bad. Quickest way to navigate the website is to do a google search to get the information quickly.

[Old Akro]

The old ASD had articles you could read, enjoy reading and learn from. The new one has too many articles taken from other journals, airline related material or material designed to support CASA's political line on a topic.

Its a waste of money. I still have most ASD's since the 70's and they are treasured.

[Stanwell]

Like you, Akro, my collection ASDs is treasured.
Every crew room had well-thumbed copies of the 'crash comics'.
Vale Mac Job.
I cannot even be bothered reading the present servings of tripe.

[Jabawocky]

"Few were accessing the FSA magazine so we've now done away with it to save scarce resources."

Well who could not see that coming.

The E version was a pain in the butt to use. I would read despite the lowering content value the old paper one. The E mag was a waste of mouse clicks

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I stopped reading it years ago.

[megan]

Gave up when they introduced the e version. Never read one. The paper one was bad enough. Mac, now there was a man who put out what aviators craved.

[Pinky the pilot]

Gave up when they introduced the e version. Never read one. The paper one was bad enough. Mac, now there was a man who put out what aviators craved.

Likewise! As for the old ASD, I know someone who has every single issue.:ooh:

And he knows that I want them if he ever decides to part with them!!

[compressor stall]

I was given recently a complete set of all the old safety digests. :) Two bookshelves worth!

I remember sitting at the flying school waiting for my lesson reading the crash comics and learned so much from them about what not to do.

And I glance occasionally at FSA to find it vacuous glossy magazine, bereft of meaningful content with the new grad's graphic design abilities taking centre stage. And it's getting worse.

[Centaurus]

And I glance occasionally at FSA to find it vacuous glossy magazine, bereft of meaningful content with the new grad's graphic design abilities taking centre stage. And it's getting worse.


Unfortunately same with the RAAF equivalent of FSA called "Spotlight." All flashy graphic design and a plethora of Human Factors warm and fuzzy stories and so much wasted page space on coloured graphics more suitable for a Superman comic.

[Pinky the pilot]

I was given recently a complete set of all the old safety digests. Two bookshelves worth!


Stallie.......Maaattteee!!!!!:ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

Have I got a deal for you.....!!:ok::ok::E

[triadic]

Yes, I remember back in the 60's learning to fly.. I would hang out for the postman to deliver it - always worth the wait. I was able to obtain some back copies and now have the complete set from #1 which if I recall was in the early 50's and had just a write up of just one accident. I have to agree that the withdrawal of the paper edition was a step back in safety as having it on the various coffee tables etc at the flying schools was as mentioned above a great aid for pilots wanting a read whilst waiting etc.
It is now all about cost and although Margo and her team try their best, the e copy is nowhere near as good from a readers point of view. And I might add not as easy to access...!

Pinky ... I don't know you do I??

[Pinky the pilot]

triadic; PM sent.

[Godot64]

It opens alright on my ipad, but that's probably exactly the platform it's designed for. Design is steadily overtaking substance, though, and the editors and designers seem able to solemnly reproduce articles about the dangers inherent in inconsistent design in electronic flight controls and flight systems, while using wildly inconsistent navigation methods, fonts and pop ups in the same article!

The trend toward heavily academic articles fundamentally misunderstands who should be reading it. Like much of the rest of CASA, the articles are targeted at their peers, not at pilots. Even then, the quality of the articles is pretty poor from an academic standpoint.

[megan]

Wasn't it the FSA that ran a story about an engine failure cause? Spark plugs wouldn't spark because the battery was flat. Or just one of my nightmares?

[Pinky the pilot]

Actually, Stallie and triadic; Both of you are now in the position to do that which I would like to and would do, if I were in your position.

I have had in my mind for quite a few years now the idea that if I could ever obtain a complete set of the old Aviation Safety Digest that I would do the following;

I would consult a Lawyer who specialises in publications copyright etc to find out if it would be legally permissible to have the whole collection scanned
and burnt onto CDs which I would then make available strictly at cost only to anyone who wanted them, and if permission was required from somewhere it would be properly applied for, and any appropriate fee paid.

As various posters have mentioned, back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, copies of the old ASD were always to be found laying around at virtually every single Flying School, Aero Club etc, and were considered compulsory reading for anyone learning to fly back then.:=

I just wonder if my proposal mentioned above is feasible.:confused:

[Centaurus]

Pinky,
The subject of the possibility of scanning the whole lot of ASD has cropped up on Pprune many times over the past 15 years or so. In the end the idea died due to lack of interest when it was realised the huge amount of scanning time and effort needed and the unknown financial costs involved.

Over many years, I have collected Aviation Safety Digest from various sources including just recently spare copies from the Civil Aviation Historical Society Museum at Essendon where they have occasional doubles.

Where I had doubles I would occasionally visit local flying schools and leave them on the crew room desk for student and private pilots to read. I found I was wasting my time. Most were more interested in gazing at their smart phones. In short there was a marked lack of interest. The ASD's were regarded as quaint relics of times long past rather like National Geographics and Readers Digests in doctors waiting rooms.

When I saw old copies of ASD's that I had left in flying school crew rooms tossed into corners, I would gather them back and bring them home again. Like many Pprune readers of my era I enjoy nothing more than opening my shed and sitting down with a nice cuppa going through my ASD collection. Have been doing this for years and hopefully will continue to do so.

With all the good will in the world, I very much doubt a CD of all the ASD series would sell to the now generation of pilots. Sad really but a fact of life.

The Civil Aviation Historical Society museum at Essendon Airport has a magnificent private library including a copy of every ASD published.

[gerry111]

Centaurus wrote:

"With all the good will in the world, I very much doubt a CD of all the ASD series would sell to a new generation of pilots. Sad really but a fact of life."

I reckon that you're right, Centaurus. They would need an 'app'. (CDs are so old fashioned, after all.) And with no G1000 or EFB info, they'd become rapidly bored?

So there will continue to be wealthy; young; low hours pilots that have access to high performance aircraft such as the Cirrus. But sadly, a few will still make the same fatal VFR into IMC mistakes that Mac Job wrote so well about.

[compressor stall]

In reality once they're PDF'd onto a CD, they will end up in the net unfettered eventually. So keep it easy and circumvent that step.

What's needed is just each year scanned as a PDF file and just put on a website somewhere. Or just collated in a zip file that can be emailed around.

If someone can sort out copyright, or permission for this with the now ATSB, I'm happy to scan some. If we all pick a few years each then it will be easy.

[Tinstaafl]

How I wish I had a complete collection of ASDs, even as .PDFs. The few hardcopies I have (they've followed me around the world) I've used here in the US to show things to students and instructors, and the articles are universally applauded.

As for FSA: a piece of crap from it's very first issue in 199x.

[dhavillandpilot]

I'll buy a set on CD

But then I'm an old fart who would probably print them off to read with my morning coffee

[rjtjrt]

I would also volunteer to scan some if anybody or group wanted to do this.

[Bomber ARIS]

Count me in - I'd buy a set

[Captain Dart]

I would suggest that they would be worthy of inclusion in the National Archives. In fact, I am surprised that they are not there already.

[rjtjrt]

Also, i'd buy a cd set.
Surprised they have not been digitised so as to preserve them in case of loss of the reference set in CASA.

[Tinstaafl]

What make you think CASA still has any? Way too informative for CASA to want to keep.

[Godot64]

The full set from issue 1 to issue 150 is held in the National Library of Australia. With any luck, they'll have them digitised and online soon-ish.

[Frontal Lobotomy]

I had a look at doing this last year. Came to the conclusion the easiest method would be to have a set where the spine of each digest was cut so they were loose pages and then put the loose leaf pages through a document scanner with a sheet feeder. Centaurus you may recall our discussion on this matter.

Obviously this method requires a sacrificial set of ASDs. The other option would be to get them done professionally.

I sent an email to both CASA and the ATSB seeking a contact for copyright approval and did not receive a response from either organisation.

[Kooka]

The best way to get the old Safety Digests online would be through the Australian National Library's Trove service.
Home - Trove (http://trove.nla.gov.au)

[Frontal Lobotomy]

I agree Kooka. Just logged an online request asking Trove if and when they may plan to digitise the ASDs. Also asked if they could provide details of the holder of the copyright.

I would be willing to assist in scanning if Trove is not an option in the foreseeable future and copyright can be sorted.

[Pinky the pilot]

Struth!! Looks like I might have started something!!:eek:

Just to give further info re my original idea; What would have happened is that each and every edition of the ASD would have had the staples holding the pages carefully removed. Each page would then have been carefully and properly scanned to copy an identical page.

This would then have been collated to be put on disc with each page in its correct order. The Person I had/have in mind to carry out these operations is a personal Friend who has the necessary equipment and archival experience.....and myself! (I'd be removing the staples etc:O)

The above would have been done at NO COST! The only costs involved in the final run would have been the cost of the CDs, printing of suitable labels/dust jackets etc and eventual postage. ie the operation would have been essentially, revenue neutral!

However, I am yet to discover and obtain a full set of the ASDs. But with any luck, as previous posters have alluded to, all my plans may yet become unnecessary!:ok:

[Frontal Lobotomy]

I did one as a test a while ago on a flat bed scanner. They are thin enough that you don't need to remove staples, just fold them back over and scan each page without any obvious damage.

If the pages are scanned in order they are in order in the PDF created. I did them in colour both 200 and 300dpi. They get a bit chunky. Dropbox could be an option.

[Capt Casper]

"Loathe the FSA magazine and really miss Mac Job's Aviation Safety Digest".
I agree!
The problem is that the digest was written dispassionately, accurately and with the intention to educate. FSA is a trite diatribe of ATSB/CASA sentiment published because they can [and probably ticks a box in their education policy].
Waste of money.
Waste of resources.
Waste of time [for both reader and publisher].

[Capn Bloggs]

This would then have been collated to be put on disc with each page in its correct order.
Rearranging PDF pages is easy with the full version of Acrobat, and no doubt other PDF creators.

[Biggles78]

Instead of a flatbed scanner there is the option of using the scanning app in a smartphone. With practice the result can be almost as good as the flatbed scanner and each issue can be scanned to a single PDF. Once you have the scanned PDF, they can be converted to various formats for the variety of tablets and readers like the Kindle, iPad and Android powered ones.


The finished files can be uploaded to Dropbox or other Cloud storage sites for downloading. Depending on the finished size, they could be spread over several site. I have 15GB of unused Cloud storage if that would be of use.

[gerry111]

It sounds like a job for our grandchildren..:)

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Below is a condensed version of Trove's response to my enquiry:


"Thank you for contacting Trove about digitisation of the Aviation Safety Digest.

At this stage the National Library has no plans to digitise this publication under the selective digitisation stream.

The National Library does also work with external parties who wish to fund digitisation of selected materials from the Library’s collection - more information on this is in section 6 of the Policy.

I did a search in Trove’s Journals, articles and datasets zone to see if another institution who contributes to Trove has digitised it but the only records in Trove for this publication seem to be for the print format"

I suggest there are now three options:

- Hope a benefactor engages Trove on a fee for service basis to digitise the ASDs.

- Resolve copyright and scan the ASDs via volunteers as mention in previous posts.

- Do nothing.

I might have another go at trying to sort out copyright unless there are any better ideas.

[Pinky the pilot]

I might have another go at trying to sort out copyright unless there are any better ideas

Bottleinfrontofme; Er...sorry bout that:O (there is actually, and a nice 2014 Shiraz it is too!:D) let's try that again...

Frontal Lobotomy; I have amongst my acquaintances, a Lawyer who once upon a time as a side issue, studied copyright issues.
If I happen to run into him over the Christmas break I shall ask him if he can give any advice re this problem.

[NZ Flyers]

Thought it was just me, can't be bothered with the complicated mess, and anyway the articles are often not worth reading.

[Stanwell]

Frontal Lobotomy,
Good stuff.
Please keep on the case - posterity will thank you for it.
I might even buy you a beer or two myself. :ok:

[Lead Balloon]

Why on earth is anyone worried about copyright?

[gerry111]

I'm just looking at a 2000 copy of FSA.

"Colour separations and printing by Offset Alpine. Copyright 1999, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Australia; unless copyright is indicated, reproduction for educational purposes is permitted, providing Flight Safety Australia is acknowledged as the source."

I don't have a copy of ASD handy.

(Ah, Offset Alpine! What a story in itself after the print works mysteriously burnt down on Christmas Eve 1993.)

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Still waiting for formal notification but it looks like pre 1988 has no copyright and 1988 onward is with Dept. of Infrastructure and Regional Development. I will advise when I get a definite answer. All parties so far have been very helpful.

BTW thanks Stanwell. I just like reading them.

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Got the nod today up to the end of 1987. I think this will cover up to Digest 130. Details below:

"The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development can provide approval for the General Aviation Community to make the Aviation Safety Digest available online up until 1987.

After 1987 it was transferred to the Civil Aviation Authority in 1988, so approval to use from 1988 onwards should be directed to CASA."

I am chasing approval for Digests 131-150.

I did the two files available via this link (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bgayg2dtmjftj6b/AAAbsOFS1L2796TCB84wPsooa?dl=0)a while ago. I reckon 200dpi is fine on an iPad etc. Maybe not so good on a large PC monitor. 300dpi is twice as large as 200dpi (20Mb v 40Mb). Looking at around 3-6GB of online storage dependent on how it is done for the 150 ASDs.

Still need to investigate PDF compression and optimisation unless we have some gurus in that area.

[Allan L]

Not wishing to be a nay-sayer (but a nit-picker) i see the words "...can provide approval..." - but have they provided approval??

[Capn Bloggs]

Lobo, I did a "Save As Reduced Size PDF" on your No 166 to "Acrobat 10 or later" compatibility and she came down to 12mb from 21mb. :ok:

The 200DPI looks OK on 'puter monitor.

I think black and white pages could be scanned in Greyscale to further reduce the size; I've just tried scanning one page as GS then the next as colour and Acrobat didn't complain.

[dhavillandpilot]

Thanks it triggered memories just how good those magazines were.

Especially love the last page on the first. I think it was Bathurst for the October Car races. So many F27s from Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.

We as a social/professional group needs to support your efforts to produce a complete series. If CASA were at all serious about safety they would do it themselves as the lessons taught haven't changed. Then send a copy to every GA pilot. The cost probably around 30,000. When you think just one SAR search can cost 500,000 it would be a very pro active activity that would actually get brownie point for them, instead of brickbats.



Just read the article about survival in the out back, the advice sis the same today as in the 1970's.

[BPA]

Great work and 200DPI is fine on the iPad.

[Frontal Lobotomy]

200dpi it is then.

Thanks for the tip Bloggs. I'll get that sorted.

DHP I agree it should be done professionally but I doubt that is going to happen. Be refreshing if it did.

Just did the oldest one I have. It is a bit out of shape in the middle but I will fix that. May need assistance in sourcing the really old ones. Great article on Tigers.

We may need to consider somewhere appropriate where they can be copied to as they are scanned and then made freely available.

If anyone else has some ASDs and would be prepared to scan a few please PM me so we can work out who has what.

[Frontal Lobotomy]

They will be appearing here (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9wo9qzdor57lfkl/AACvKqXSW5EXrwEM0LzdqhYva?dl=0) as they are done.

[gerry111]

Thanks so much for posting all that, Frontal. It will be my holiday reading. :)

[rjtjrt]

Well done that man.
A man who knows how to get things done.

[Stanwell]

Beautiful .. a superb job on those ones.
Yer a legend, Frontal.

[IFEZ]

Well done Frontal..! Really appreciate the effort you've put into this. Keep up the good work. Plenty of great reading ahead for me over the xmas break! Thanks again http://cdn.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Is anyone having issues viewing the dual page scans on an Android tablet? They seem fine on my iPad once you adjust the single page image to match the screen size of the iPad.

I have gone with two page A3 scans as there are many graphics which cover both pages and it takes half the time to scan an issue.

If having dramas please let me know before I do any more.

Thanks

[Capn Bloggs]

FL, the main issue is having to resize, then slide across to get to the right hand side of the page after reading the left. Not a biggy but would be nice to just have a single page. I do take your point on pages that go across both sides.

For the masses, would PDF bookmarking of the article headings in each mag be beneficial?

[Frontal Lobotomy]

Thanks for the feedback Bloggs.

Back to the thread topic: interesting interview with Mac Job in the Human Factors Digest on page 18.

[Frontal Lobotomy]

I need a hand to finish scanning the Aviation Safety Digests (ASDs) and posting them online. Currently 79 are available via this link (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9wo9qzdor57lfkl/AACvKqXSW5EXrwEM0LzdqhYva?dl=0)

Another 15 (the last 15) are right to go but I am negotiating copyright with CASA. I require 56 of the earlier ones to complete the collection online. There is a folder under the above link called missing. It details which editions I require.

If you have access to ASDs number 82 and below and are willing to assist please PM me.

I would really like to wrap this up if possible.

Thanks

[Chronic Snoozer]

Big thanks for the scans of ASD. Cheers, great read! So much has changed and yet so little has changed.

[compressor stall]

Great work! I'll check my lot to see if I can help.

We haven't invented many new ways to crash in 65 years have we? Maybe except for data entry on MCDUs.

[Bevan666]

The Engineering Library at Melbourne University had many many of them (in the early 90s when I was there). They could be a source for the missing ones.