MAGAZINE HISTORY, OWNERSHIP, READERSHIP & DISTRIBUTION Washington Flyer Magazine officially took off in September 1989 as the nation's first "in­airport" (as opposed to in-flight) magazine. It is the official publication of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Washington Flyer Magazine is published once every two months, and is distributed on a complimentary basis at Washington Dulles International and Washington National airports, both of which are managed and operated by the Authority.

Washington Flyer Magazine is displayed throughout Dulles and National in racks near baggage claim carrousels, hotel telephone centers, waiting areas, information desks and flight information monitors. The magazine is also distributed on buses operated by the Authority's Washington Flyer ground transportation system and is available in the general aviation terminals at the two airports where private and corporate aircraft are handled.

Washington Flyer Magazine is distributed upon request to most Senate and House offices on Capitol Hill, to select area hotels, embassies, tourism offices and shopping centers. Mailings are sent to a cross-section of the business community, opinion leaders and to subscribers from across the nation and around the world. The magazine's circulation is approximately 180,000 in six issues per year, not including the annual International Washington Flyer, which is produced for year-long distribution in the International Arrivals Building at Dulles International.

EDITORIAL FOCUS Washington Flyer Magazine's goal is to educate and entertain the traveling public with a fresh mix of stories and information. Our style is informal and personal. In every issue, we include a feature on an international destination. The choice of destinations is determined at least six months in advance. The other major feature is on some aspect of life in the Washington region, e.g. golf, restaurants, museums, nightlife and shopping.

SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS The rest of the magazine is divided into seven regular departments. The Business and Real Estate section covers short subjects on local companies or business developments. Travel includes pieces on weekend getaways from Washington. Destinations must be within reasonable driving distance from Washington or accessible via nonstop flights from National or Dulles Airport. Hospitality covers news on local hotels; Airports and Airlines spotlights new developments at our local airports as well as advances in the airline industry at large. Reviews of local restaurants are offered in our Restaurant guide. The Shopping and Offbeat Shopping departments include short pieces on local shops and stores or unusual finds. Finally, our Sights and Events section is a calendar of local theater, exhibits, special events and attractions.

MORE ON OUR READERS Our editorial focus is on travel, business, real estate, transportation and communication. Accordingly, our readers primarily are business travelers who are scattered throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East and several other countries. The Flyer targets frequent air travelers, locals as well as out-of-towners, who pass through the gateways to the Nation's Capital each year.

KEEPING THE FLYER FRESH AND ON TARGET With a bi-monthly publication schedule (January/February, March/April, etc.), it's important that stories remain viable during the magazine's two-month "shelf life." We do not print short stories or personal essays, fiction or scripts. We do not buy newspaper clippings. Our efforts are geared toward informing, entertaining and instructing. Our mission also involves keeping the public abreast of the Authority's nearly $ 2 billion Capital Development Program funding major improvements at Dulles and National.

DEADLINES & OTHER DETAILS Each year, the Washington Flyer buys approximately 60-90 major articles and scores of shorter items. Our annual International Washington Flyer Magazine and associated publications use an additional 10-15 manuscripts. Washington Flyer Magazine is published the first day of every other month. Therefore, completed manuscripts are due at least six weeks prior to publication.

HOW TO QUERY Our editors prefer queries rather than unsolicited manuscripts. Queries allow us to review your article ideas and suggest how to tailor them for our audience before you begin writing. Queries also save you time and energy should we reject your idea. Queries should include a thorough outline that introduces the idea you propose and highlights each of the points you intend to make. Your query should discuss how the article will benefit our readers and why you are the appropriate writer to discuss the suggested topic. Please submit only one query at a time, and allow us 6-8 weeks to review your proposal. Ideas that spark our interest are reviewed by our editorial staff. Queries to Washington Flyer Magazine also are considered for International Washington Flyer Magazine. Hence, there is no need to query these publications separately.

WORKING "ON SPEC" If we like your proposal, we may assign you to do the article or ask to see the piece on speculation ("on spec"). Often, we work on spec with authors who are new to us or whose article ideas are not as clearly defined as we would like. It is also possible that we will ask to see a more detailed query before we make a decision.

PLEASE INCLUDE A "SASE" In order to receive a response, all queries MUST include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The magazine holds no responsibility for any unsolicited manuscripts, photos, illustrations or other material sent by freelancers.

GETTING YOUR SUBMISSIONS NOTICED We buy First North American Rights to original, unpublished manuscripts ONLY. Any piece that has appeared elsewhere will not be considered. Requests for a sample copy/copies of the magazine should include a self-addressed, magazine-size envelope with $2.00 worth of postage per magazine.

GETTING YOUR COPY NOTICED All copy should be clearly typed, double-spaced with a margin of at least 1 inch, on 8 and 1/2 inch x 11 inch white bond paper, one side only. No erasable paper, please. Legible photocopies are preferred (always keep copies of manuscripts you submit for publication). Please include a manuscript that is clean and free of any stray marks; this makes it much easier to input the document into a computer using our document scanner. Writers may also submit work on computer disk, preferably on Microsoft Word or Word Perfect 5.0 or 5.1 formats or on a 5-1/4" floppy disk. Please send a hard copy along with your disk. We will look at good quality dot-matrix printed manuscripts, but we prefer letter quality. Each submission must include your name, address and daytime telephone number.

GETTING PAID The length of regular feature stories is generally 800-1,200, with fees averaging $500 to $900. A higher price may be paid for a piece that includes strong photography, or for other factors as determined by the editors. Suggestions on visuals to accent a story are greatly appreciated. No simultaneous submission, please. Payment is upon final acceptance of the manuscript. Invoices must include name, address, assignment, issue, and Social Security number. Payment is generally made within 30 days.

STYLE SUGGESTIONS First and foremost, know your topic well and be familiar with Washington Flyer Magazine. Confirm and double-check all facts and figures, quotations, spelling of names and places, phone numbers, addresses, etc. Your patience is appreciated. NO telephone calls, please. We receive an large volume of freelance correspondence and, with a small staff, it takes a while to go through every inquiry and respond accordingly.

Washington Flyer
Melanie McLeod, Assistant Editor
1707 L St., NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036
P(202)331-9393
F(202)331-2043