I'm not quite sure what the problem is here....
If I started a thread discussing my three favourite aircraft and three most hated ones, everyone would happily join in. If in the first sentence I mentioned I'd flown X number of types, people would consider this useful info, not a reason to knock me. And they might or might not agree with my opinions, but so what - we're all different.
Now, I could then decide to turn that thread into an article and send it to one of the mags. If I had any sense I would - after all, they pay, and I write far too much for free anyway.
And my opinions would be published. But all that would mean is that they reached a wider audience. Getting one's opinions in print doesn't make them gospel - and no-one thinks it does. And it wouldn't make me anyone special...and everyone should know that too.
Bob Davy wrote an interesting, entertaining, and informative account of some aircraft he likes and some he hates. "Interesting, entertaining, informative", note. That's what mags try to do - get a balance between those three. They're not textbooks or Pilots Operating Handbooks, and nor do they want to be. And if you personally didn't find his article interesting etc...well, like I said, we're all different.
For £3.50 or so you have a choice of glossy aviation mags....or you can get about one and half cups of coffee at Starbucks, or a minute or so of flying, or 1% of a Breitling watch. It's your choice.
So what's all the fuss about? And if by any chance it's jealousy creeping in, I know for a fact that most of the aviation mags need more contributions.
Then you too could get flamed on PPRuNe.
