A reader did send me a email regarding the watch. I posted the remarks on page 1 of the thread.
I've also ordered another 200 watches - that's 420 in total.
If you need a watch it's a good offer. If you don't it's not. It isn't an act of desperation - it's an act of taking advantage of a great deal when it was presented. As I said earlier - Pilot doesn't need to gift subscriptions but this was too good to miss. No apologies for that!
As for comments about the mag - I prefer to hold focus groups and chat to people at clubs/events to find out views. It's more personable and easier to communicate those types of views one on one or in a group than via the written word from your home or office. I don't dismiss the comments but I would like to explore them further. Im at all the events (FLY/Aerofair/GVFW/PFA/PFA Scotland/Old Buckenham) and would love it if people came and gave feedback there.
I dread to think what new avaitors might think from reading this thread!
Please don't take that as dismissing your views - I value them- but I would like to explore them in more detail - Including the positive ones.
It's very subjective. Sometimes it can be very easy to think that the good old days were much better but having been down to the vaults and gone through copies from 1971 onwards I can't see it.
There are some real classic issues (YAK 18T on the front - 2001) is one of my favourites but when you go through them on mass I have to say that on balance I prefer Pilot as it is now. The Nanchang edition is a classic.
In the end we (magazines) either listen or die. Those that feel the need for improvement - please email me or call me. Maybe we could set up a Ppruners focus group?