It's been interesting to read other peoples views. My aviation friends also fall within this broad consensus. No, that's not a statistically informed poll, but there is a remarkable consistency. I did, during one magazines 'moribund' period many years ago, foolishly take the trouble to write to it's then editor. Far from appreciating the input from a loyal customer, he wrote me a quite excoriating letter for my trouble. Needles to say, I didn't bother to trouble his fevered brow further.
Like most people, I use the web quite a lot. To cast a broad net - pun intended - it's excellent. However, with regard to the specialist subject matter that would interest the readership here, the internet simply does not provide the quality content, so I disagree that the printed magazine is necessarily doomed to extinction. These are not mags for hormonally disturbed teens. It's a niche-market and must play to it's strengths. AH has seen this and seems to have developed a loyal following, so good luck to them with that project. It has a nice familiar feel to it, but for my own tastes, tends to be a trifle
too arcane. Well, we all have our little peccadilloes...
Generically, one aspect of these magazines that has grown is the preservation scene. All very nice - but over the last decade or so it's tended to push the actual history content to one side. Now, I like a good 'News' section, to keep abreast of any gossip that I've otherwise missed, but I buy this kind of material to be educated. Websites can provide up to the minute news much more effectively. If a magazine starts to fill-up with such material, it's an aircraft preservation journal, not a historic aviation journal. I'm sure there are already such publications out there.
As for the contributors, in my opinion they should ideally fall into two categories.
1) Experts speaking autobiographically from direct experience. 75% of articles.
2) For the remaining 25%;- Other trusted writers who are able to research Grade A* original source-material and write cogent, balanced and unbiased articles. Generally, I don't give a flying toss what their opinions are, much less four pages of them. I don't want interpretation or revisionism. Just the raw bleeding facts please. Amazingly, I am able to stir my coffee, wield a soggy chocolate digestive biscuit AND form an opinion without requiring a paramedic or psychoactive narcotics.
'Talking Heads' who fill regular columns in many types of magazines with space-filling waffle don't really sit well in a journal that is concerned, primarily with history. If I want waffle, I'll go and sit in the dentists and read five year old issues of Readers Digest or OK. Nor do I need to see a thumbnail of their ugly mush. Folks read F.D.Bradbrooke for decades and didn't give a fig what he looked like. Reading the pre-war mags it's interesting to see how unaffected the contributors, are and lacking in narcissism.
The original little pamphlet 'Profile' publications have been mentioned. These were lean little gems and well executed examples of precis. All meat and no lard. They were always well researched and a handy size too. I'll never part with any of those. One wonders why these, or something similar, haven't been reprinted to include in normal mags to collect....?
Moving away from negative observations, the question was posed as to what punters would like to see? That's very tough. My own interest lies in 1930's British Civil, but aviation is a very broad church. There has been a tendency for articles to veer-away from the staples of famous well-known machines. At times, these efforts become a little contrived when articles appear, no matter how well-written, covering unsuccessful or boring types.
One-off specials are basically a great idea. I do think an opportunity has been missed though. One-off could also be a platform for looking not just at a given type of a/c, but also at manufacturers or events. A whole series perhaps. Something that will be useful for reference is far more likely to be kept (Just like those old Profile Publications.) and therefore more likely to be purchased in the first place.
I have lamented the passing of those generations that were involved in the halcyon years of aviation, yet there is still much that has not been adequately covered and gaps therefore in the collective hive of knowledge. More than enough scope to print a mountain of magazines....
