AOPA Pilot is the nation’s leading general aviation publication. We maintain a sharp focus on general aviation within the pages of our magazine, and we are interested in reviewing for possible publication only articles that share that focus. If you’re familiar with the magazine and have read several recent issues, you’ll have an idea of the types of articles that fit our editorial mission.
Write concisely; attempt to make every word count. Include enough detail to convey your message without overloading or boring the reader, and keep in mind that too much detail can be worse than not enough. Elaborate on necessary details and omit irrelevant information.
In general, articles for AOPA Pilot should be written in the third person. Overuse of the first person (“I,” “we”) is seen frequently in articles rejected by Pilot. There are times when use of the first person is appropriate, or even required, but its use generally should be avoided.
We receive numerous manuscripts on historical subjects. While many of these are quite good, we seldom purchase manuscripts of a historical nature. Surveys tell us that this material does not appeal to a majority of our readers, and demand for Pilot’s editorial pages is high. Further, we realize that there are several aviation publications that specialize in aviation history topics.
In order to provide a level of consistency among aircraft reports, Pilot generally assigns staff editors to write flight reports and aircraft reviews. Similarly, our editors attend most of the major airshows and significant aviation events, so we do not need general articles on Oshkosh—although a specific experience that you had, somebody that you met, or another specific aspect of such a trip may result in a usable article. Similarly, our editors write most of our issue-oriented articles.
While all submissions are handled with utmost care, AOPA Pilot cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials sent to us. Do not send irreplaceable original photographs or materials unless we have indicated an interest in purchasing your manuscript and specifically request that you send such materials. Instead, send copies—in many cases, standard photocopies will do—or write a brief description of any such materials.
Following are several types of articles that may be considered for publication. It is not necessary to specify for which section of Pilot your submission is intended—and if you specify a section but the editors believe that your manuscript is better suited to another part of the magazine, publication, or medium, we will consider it for use in that location, as well.
Because this is such a frequently asked question, some suggested lengths are offered here, although we are usually reluctant to state length requirements. Most of these lengths are flexible, so avoid the temptation to add extra words (or leave out essential details) in a quest for the perfect word count. In general, however, it is easier for us to cut material than to add it to someone else’s story.
Types of articles include the following:
Features: Features are reported stories that delve deeply into some aspect of the world of general aviation: new or notable aircraft, trends in the GA industry, and other topics of interest and importance to pilots. 1,500-2,100 words.
Pilots: These personality profiles, published on the magazine’s last inside page, are intended to provide vignettes of the lives of men and women for whom general aviation has been a significant activity or who have made considerable, generally unrecognized contributions to GA. Avoid first person. 400 words.
People: This profile runs in the Briefing section in the front of the book. Who is out there enjoying/promoting/living aviation and what’s their story? 500-1,000 words
Musings: These are reflections on a flying life, often written in the first person. 800 words
Destinations/Travel: Introduce readers to cool places to fly and why they should go. Include airport information, pilot tips, and how to get there. These stories may run in the Briefing section of Pilot or online. 500-1,000 words
Rudder and Wrench: In this section of the magazine, articles give insight into a pilot’s flying, whether it is a new technique or advice on ownership. These stories should go in depth into a topic and offer a fresh perspective. Topics include pilot proficiency and technique, maintenance, and ownership. 800-1,400 words.
Never Again: For this department, we look for well-written manuscripts that detail a flight, a portion of a flight, or some other aircraft incident from which a lesson was learned. The significance of the lesson and its applicability to your fellow pilots are important. Use of the first person is appropriate here. Ideal lengths run 1,000 words.
We are not responsible for unsolicited original photographs.
Do not hire a photographer or incur other expenses without specific instructions to do so from AOPA Pilot. The magazine will not reimburse photographic expenses unless it specifically authorized them in advance.
If you are unsure about an idea for an article, you may propose the article in a written query letter or email to AOPA Pilot, or you may call and discuss your idea with the managing editor. This may save you the time and effort of writing the article if it addresses a subject in which we have no current interest; on the other hand, we may be able to offer tips or suggestions that could make your article a better match to our readership.
If we are interested in an article that you propose, we will not commission the manuscript. Instead, we will suggest that you send it to us “on spec” (“on speculation”). Upon submission, your article will go through our normal review process, at the conclusion of which a purchase decision will be made.
Submissions should be typewritten, double-spaced, and may be emailed to [email protected]. Our primary word processing software is Microsoft Word, although we can access computer files in most popular word-processing programs.
Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and your AOPA member number with all submissions. You would be amazed by the number of manuscripts we receive that do not include this important information.
Simultaneous submissions—submissions of the same manuscript to two or more publications at the same time—are not accepted. Submit a manuscript to one publication at a time; wait for that publication to make a decision about the article; and then, if it is rejected, submit the material to another publication. AOPA Pilot will not purchase previously published manuscripts.
Unsolicited manuscripts are reviewed by the editors on staff at AOPA. After each editor has read a manuscript, a decision is made whether to purchase the article, send it back to the author for changes, or reject the piece. Because of magazine publication deadlines, trade shows, and travel required of our editors, we ask that you allow about 8 to 10 weeks for this process. This allows time for our editors to seriously consider every manuscript.
Keep in mind that the rejection of a manuscript is not a condemnation of your work. Few articles are rejected solely for poor content or quality of writing. Many more articles are rejected because they address a topic that we recently featured in Pilot, because we already have an article on a similar subject in house and ready for publication, or because they simply don’t fit the magazine’s current editorial needs.
Payment is made for articles when they are accepted for publication, even if no publication date has been scheduled. Before payment is made, the author must sign and return AOPA Pilot’s standard author license agreement. This contract grants AOPA Pilot first and exclusive one-time international rights to the manuscript, as well as a nonexclusive right to republish the article. This means that AOPA Pilot has the right to republish the article after it has been printed in the magazine, and may republish the article on AOPA Online (the AOPA website) or in another AOPA publication. Certain material may be initially published on AOPA Online instead of in the magazine. In all cases our exclusive rights revert to the author 90 days after our first publication of the manuscript.