Formationfoto / Ian,
It's encouraging to see that you and your colleagues don't dismiss the points raised. Thanks for that. Also, as you point out, printing issues are difficult to control, and I think everyone understands that.
For me the main issue is a slightly indefinable feeling of unease about the future. There have been management changes, and some of the regular writers have left and now write for the competition. This has happened in the past, and in itself doesn't necessarily cause a problem. When Alan Bramson left Pilot and wrote for Flyer for a few months, Pilot carried on. And Flyer still printed a lot of "flight tests" which were horrendous.... written by the contributor that Shaggy Sheep Driver didn't need to name.
But to lose Philip Whiteman, Mike Jerram, Bob Grimstead (who contrary to Bob Crawley's assertion is published in several GA magazines) and others..... well, that worries people. They were some of the key people who made the magazine what it was, and - some of them at least - have clearly parted company from Pilot on fairly acrimonious terms.
To use an analogy, it's as if your local country pub has been taken over, and all the regular staff either sacked or resigned..... the beer and food may stay the same, but there'll be a nagging doubt that the new managers will turn it into "The Slug and Lettuce", and employ a bunch of 18 year old bar staff! And if the old staff are all working in a pub in the next village, it'll be tempting to go there instead.
As I mentioned above, I do hope that things work out well. I doubt whether anything can be done to mend the bridges that have been broken with the former contributors - but I hope I'm wrong.
Best of luck!
(P.S. to Bob Crawley, if you read this -
please banish to the wastebin that cartoon aeroplane which taught us all how to sideslip last month...
)