About the Wingspan
The Wingspan is the official inflight magazine for a fictional airline called Northwings, S.A. I don’t get to travel as much as I want, but that has never deterred my love of travel or wanderlust. From spending hours wandering the streets of Macau on Google Street View to working my day job as a hospitality industry digital marketing manager, I’m fascinated by travel.
This is my love letter to the faraway destinations I hope my wingspans will reach someday.
The Thought Process
I’ve always been told that as a creative, I should have something: a meme Instagram, stan Twitter—just something that’s not personal that I can own. And around the time of the downfall of Twitter as a prestige platform, people were jumping ship to newsletters. I thought of several ideas to build a newsletter around: Pokémon, retro video games, cityscapes…
But I didn’t think I could build an audience, generate content consistently, or provide a unique value proposition for people to stay interested. So, I went back to thinking about my favourite retro video games. Actraiser, Aerobiz Supersonic… And then a spark hit me like a lightning bolt.
In this game, you are the new CEO of an airline company aiming to become the industry leader in the world’s seven regions. What if—what if these airlines had an inflight magazine? Then it all came together: I’ll create the brand, publish a digital magazine and show off the aesthetics on Instagram.
My Inspiration
The Wingspan was also inspired by the countless Hemispheres (United) that I hoarded over the years and fueled by my insatiable desire to create.
In 2023, vinyl sales overtook CD sales for the first time since 1987. Independent creators are publishing the Drunken Canal and County Highway, both print newspapers. So I envisioned a return to a time when you could pick up a magazine in the front seat pocket to keep you entertained for your 8-hour flight.
Maybe one of these days, an issue will make it to print. Or I’ll have affiliate links and sponsored posts that supplement my income to take my Maltese pup Leah to the groomers more often. Or it could always be a fun side project for me. Regardless, you can be here to watch it all unfold.
The Wingspan will always be a work in progress where I hone my editorial skills. You can help me through my mad experiments by subscribing to this newsletter and following The Wingspan’s Instagram account at @the.wingspan.nw.
