On the Airbands - Aust Aviation - A bit lacking?
 

Just had an aviation mate of mine and his wife (both tech crew) from the UK staying with me recently and having given them a copy of Aust Aviation they commented on how droll the "on the airbands" column was.

Having read it I had to agree and found little comical banter between both aircraft and controller or aircraft respectively but rather it catered for "space cadets" or those that spend their leisure time/life listening to aircraft/company frequencies on scanners etc or trying to intercept and decrypt ACARS messages.

Now the Brits are masterful at witty retorts and even the occassional yank but very rarely do we read of the many quality gems that resound on our airwaves.
Sure I understand that readers must contribute but this must be what is becoming a very boring column to read.

I know of others that have contributed very colourful and funny stories but quite often these have been vetted and made very politically correct and rendered humourless - unnecessarily.

Anyone else have the same problem because I am thinking about bypassing this column altogether.

In fact, the whole issue was more suited to a kids play group than the aviation industry as a whole.
It leaves a lot to be desired.
Perhasps they just had a bad month.

Yeah - every month is a bad month!

Almost as rivetting as reading 'Australian Flying' aka the kiddies comic!

Now why dont these guys take a leaf out of the page of the US publication "Flying" ?

They have everything from columns by respected aviation individuals (ex Airline pilots,technical pilot to answer questions,an ex FAA chairperson,an experienced FAA examiner,GA instructors and others just just love to fly) etc etc etc.

And also pilot reports on flying everything from passenger airliners down to business jets/turboprops.

Alot more professional,better presented and it doesn't have the standard military piston trainer as a centrefold! :yuk:

I think you answered your own question there TIMMEEEE, it is entirely reliant on contributions from the readers et al.

I too have heard some humourous stories over the air, but nothing I would put my name to. As to the general observation of the magazine, I guess we've seen a fair bit of turmoil before during and after the AN collapse. A time when some of us would read every single word to be "updated". Perhaps, as the local scene settles down, it all seems ho-hum in comparison.:confused:

Stuff the Magazine. Maybe we should start a real one in this Forum.

There are many gems heard out there every day.

I know my feelings about this column depend greatly on whether they have posted any of my stuff lately or not. Is this also perhaps Timmeeee's problem? The time he said "poo" to Melbourne Flight Service on 118.6 in 9BC deemed less interesting than a freq for the Keflavick VOLMET???

I like the actual bloopers, clangers & comebacks, but would no more tune in a scanner on my days off than eat bark. I suppose I can see such information would interest a wannabe though.

1013, at least half of the Oz "Flying" isn't just jam packed ads..... with the "good stuff" (columns), right down the back.

A lot of the US "Flying" is either "aftermath" kinda spiel or flight reports from 30 years ago. Something to learn, but hardly new.

1013,

Ahh yes 'Australian Flying', pull out the 20 page catelouge and your left with a few pages worthy of a coaster.

Better off paying more for the US mags or try Aircraft & Aerospace Asia Pacific, better articles just without the pretty pictures.
;)

On visiting Brisbane a few times I have heard the following.......

A/C: Bne Ground Sunstate ..... taxiing for bay 6,
ATC: Sunstate..... taxi behind the virgin using the middle finger ( centre common user teminal at Brisbane I assume).

I admit I have a dirty mind, it made me laugh.

And another.........

ATC: Sunstate....... cleared to taxi alpha 4 between the Virgin and Qantas 737's.

A/C: Slip in behind the Virgin, Sunstate.......!

Naughty Naughty Naughty.:p

What's "Australian Aviation" and "Australian Flying"? got to do with professionals? :yuk:

The last time I read them, they were more pitched at the "enthusiast" rather than the professional......Sort of like AOPA.
:}

Sure Servo - a great conversation (especially the middle finger quip) but this would be deemed politically incorrect and thrown on the scrap heap.
This is the point I'm trying to make - someone with a sense of humour and willing to portrait a really funny story is required.
I dont know anything about the humourless guy that writes the column but I do know he's as funny as a rank fart in an elevator.

Hugh Jarse - despite what you may say I have spent alot of hours in crew rooms around the world over the years and guess what?
I always seem to find an old copy of Aust Aviation somewhere!
You mightn't read it Hugh but bet your left jatzcracker your pilot mates do!

Stupid Piss ant replies like...........

VH-DIK "ahh yess tower very sorry , thought I was a jumbo jet!!!!!!!!"(canned laughter)

or

This one comes from a dork that listens too much to his scanner.
Johhnno from Bass Hill.

VH -SUK :Ahh tower this is Kwantas 667654 we have a light on in the cockpit we are returning to the gate"

Tower: "someone ought to turn off the dome light!"

Yes very funny one from dork johnno and a very worthwhile read, thanks to all that contributed.

or

This one from Doogle that happens to like his scanner very much , he tells me its a CXDf76534h8756 from Casio he won it at his local Air League fly in. He was overhearing a C152 that has a rough landing at Morrabbin.

TOWER: "seems a bit gusty huh"????????
VH-WAK "Ahh yes the students current for
another 90 days "............(canned laughter)

Yes very funny Ddoogle thanks for that lame addition to On the Airbands.

Next month more dull dork contributions from dudes with zippered shoes and oversize keyrings on their chord brown jeans.

Spot-on Lukey.

If this column was a cow I'd shoot it in the head and put it out of its misery.

Rather than conveying humourous anecdotes this site caters to space-cadets with scanners and the occassional story with all the personality of a used contraceptive product.

Does anyone know the guy that writes this column (and I use the term loosely) and what is his background?

HI TIMMEEEE AND EVERYONE ELSE.

This is my first post to pprune.

If you go to the Australian Aviation website, there is profile of all the writers which includes the writer of the column u r talking about.

With small print runs of between 10K & 20K - it is no wonder Australian Aviation & Australian Flying have few talented resources to draw from.

I guess that's why both mags are so expensive as well.

A US based pilot can have a 1 year sub to Flying for US$12!. I subscribe to Flying (as well as AA & AF) and it costs me just A$39 per year for 12 issues incl post to Austraslia. By comparison, AA costs A$72.60 per year for 11 issues (a little cheaper for a 3 year commitment).

As for a mag filled with advertising - both publications are run as businesses, if they could fill the pages with ads - they would!.

In any case, like the mags or not, both AA & AF are great supporters of the industry and I do look forward to getting the mags every month (or two months for AF).

As mentioned by TIMMEEEE, I don't think there is an airport crew room, tea room, toilet, office or workshop that is without a few dog-eared copies about.

Hey Tim;

Perhaps you are preaching to the converted here, why didn't you post this on the GA post.

A bit of what is wrong with aviation in this country, the "Pros"
(as in professionals), appear to be prostituting the sector (space cadets), who are the "grass roots" of aviation in this country.

If it wasn't for the "enthusiasts", where would you be now?

Let me guess, another armchair democrat with asperations to one day take over "mad Mick's" Job.

Blokes like you with your "holy than thou attitute" give me the sh*ts and I think I have run across your type of attitude before when in the air and on the ground.

I've seen GA pilots with a similar attitude to ultralights.

If you love flying, you'd fly a door with an engine.

And huge Jarse, what's your beef with AOPA?

Perhaps you should be expounding your theories on the GA AOPA thread.

BUGGA, DIC*HEADS, STRUTH:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Axiom sounds like you carry somewhat of a chip on your shoulder old son!

Reackon your being a bit hard on Mr Tim here Axiom but like myself I used to think Aust Av was a publication that catered not only to GA but also to us "pro's" as you call us.

I reackon the magazine can do a much better job also and consider 'on the airbands' a bit of a joke that could be done alot better.
I can be critical because I subscribe all the way from HK and think the entire magazine needs a complete makeover.
Over the years I have come to expect more especially after having compared it the othre magazines from around the world and not just Oz.

Timmee,I have to agree wholeheartedly when you speak of the success of American Flying and their format that has everyone in the USA from airline execs to 'pro's' and down to those in GA reading that mag and enjoying a good ol' read that caters to everyone.

Having a number of columns from individuals spanning the gamut of the aviation spectrum is outstanding and professional as well.

Aust Aviation take note.
What would I do to make it better?
Well making it appeal to a broader range is a start.
AA will find that their distribution may be greater than just 20,000 per month or whatever it is.
And have it sent out every month instead of every two months on occassion.

A complete rebirth is the key and getting rid of "On the Airbands" or changing its format would be a good start.

Sorry Axiom - its just a little childish to me and it could be done so much better!
:E

Where's the beef?
 

Axiom, I don't have a beef with AOPA.I'm not a member anymore. Why?

Because membership of an association is just like any other consumer product: If it fails to meet your needs you don't buy it...

When I started flying as a recreational pilot, I found that AOPA membership was very useful and informative. The magazine wasn't bad, either.
However, as I eventually made my way into aviation as a professional pilot, I found that membership became less relevant to me. The organisation was not growing in its area of interest to meet my needs as a professional. Sure, I wrote a few letters, but they remain unanswered to this day.

I came to the conclusion that AOPA was not really interested in professional pilots, so I did not renew my membership.

That was around the same time and for the same reasons that I did not renew my subscriptions to AA and AF.

Scooter wrote an excellent analogy, which could be applied to any product or organisation. Just change the name :)

Gotta be with you there as far as AOPA is concerned Jarse......... An organisation that can't run itself ain't getting my money to play with as well.......

If you have some constructive criticism about the magazine, tell Doug Nancarrow (Ed) at Yaffa publishing. I am sure he is grown up enough to accept it in the spirit in which it is given.

What you are doing by ridiculing this aspect of the magazine is DESTRUCTIVE not CONSTRUCTIVE.

As far as the "space cadets" go, you are also ridiculing them, and, I say again, they are the grass roots of aviation in Australia today.

As HJ says, when something becomes superflous to your needs, you didcard it.

A lot of country flying clubs live and die by these rules, suck the flying training, ground schooling and then grow up into a taxi or bus driver. Worse still many buy their own A/C and discard the clubs trainer and social activities. The system goes full circle until the next lot of "enthusiasts" rekindle the club and away we go again.

I guess AOPA is in a similar pickle because of pilots with HJ's attitude.

I do have a chip on my shoulder, but I don't hold a grudge. I hope you take my criticism in the spirit in which it is offered.

There is too much in aviation in Aust today that needs serious and critical attention to get bogged down in the likes and dislikes of one aspect of a very good magazine on the whole, that if it doesn't appeal to all, appeals to many.

:p

And Dale, please think again about AOPA,

Aviation in Australia needs a cohesive and powerful lobby group and I believe they are trying to run a ship right now under very demanding circumstances.

They need your support, you may need theirs one day. :( Go to the AOPA needs our help thread on D&G general aviation and have a say there.