Best GA Magazine?
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Best GA Magazine?
I don't wish to stir up a hornets nest or anyone be accused of publicity etc. but for all you GA addicts out there which GA magazines provide the best articles, stories, advice etc.?
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My favourite has got to be the American magazine FLYING, loads of articles on private IFR flying and the like, my kind of stuff. Dont like British mags much PILOT is turning into a bit of a plane spotters kind of mag, with all those nose to tail pics and performance figures, no articles written from the 'heart'in it at all. FLYER is mainly aimed at the VERY light side of aviation, ultralights, paragliding,Kitbuilds etc, nothing wrong with all that, just not my particular type of flying.
Regards. . A happy flyer
Regards. . A happy flyer
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I'm partial to the US publication <a href="http://www.privatpilotmag.com" target="_blank">Private Pilot</a>. Lots of good stuff for everyone from the student to the Learjet owner- tips on flying, legals, product reports, etc. My favourite features are Destination, profiling a specific airfield and the surrounding region, and Flying Art. The only weakness is that it tends to be USA-centric, so most Destinations pieces are about North America and the procedures tips are based on FAA practices. Still, I do tend to read it cover-to-cover, not something I do with the average mag.
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'Pilot' is my favorite (I'm UK-based). Of the other two UK mags, 'Flyer' is good, sometimes very good, but a bit of a 'light read' for my taste. 'Today's Pilot' is improving is still number 3.
The US mag 'Flying' is good if you're into turbocharged IFR transport -type flying. It's not for a grass roots aviator like me.
'Pilot' has some really good stuff (like the 'Lightning' article this month, and Alan Cassidy on power-on spin recovery). I can't agree that it lacks 'from the heart' writing. IMHO one of its main strengths is that is does indeed have lots of such writing.
SSD
The US mag 'Flying' is good if you're into turbocharged IFR transport -type flying. It's not for a grass roots aviator like me.
'Pilot' has some really good stuff (like the 'Lightning' article this month, and Alan Cassidy on power-on spin recovery). I can't agree that it lacks 'from the heart' writing. IMHO one of its main strengths is that is does indeed have lots of such writing.
SSD
Not so N, but still FG
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"Pilot" has been variable in quality lately, is occasionally fogeyish in outlook, and is very old fashioned in presentation, print quality and the like, but I agree with Shaggy that it does have some interesting and heartful stuff. I do not recognise the description above of "Flyer" as aimed at aviation lite. My main criticism of it used to be that it appeared to be aimed at the most unambitious of infrequent GA flyers, but lately it has been improving considerably. I have heard that its current target market is the PPL with a few hundred hours who is quite serious about flying and wants to get better at it. Newcomer "Todays Pilot" has started well although whether the market will bear three similar titles is perhaps doubtful. At least Todays Pilot contains less pointless whingeing about regulators, nimbies etc than do the other two.
It's worth looking at all three, at least initially. After a couple of years, you may notice that the same themes and articles tend to recycle. It's exactly the same with magazines for yachties, climbers etc. Same with Goat Fanciers weekly as well. Oops, wrong forum.
[ 22 February 2002: Message edited by: FNG ]</p>
It's worth looking at all three, at least initially. After a couple of years, you may notice that the same themes and articles tend to recycle. It's exactly the same with magazines for yachties, climbers etc. Same with Goat Fanciers weekly as well. Oops, wrong forum.
[ 22 February 2002: Message edited by: FNG ]</p>
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I like Flyer and Today's Pilot, although both tend to review rare second hand planes at lot. ie. planes most of us will never have a chance to own. Don't really like Pilot. Format & presentation definatly need improvement.
Flyer is by far the best. They printed my letter this month for one thing!
Pilot always seems to contain some load of old rubbish about historic aircraft or flying from Little Marsden to Sydney. No interest.
Flyer also have a very good online presence which the others lack.
Just my humble opinion.
WWW
Pilot always seems to contain some load of old rubbish about historic aircraft or flying from Little Marsden to Sydney. No interest.
Flyer also have a very good online presence which the others lack.
Just my humble opinion.
WWW
Some more money for Capt PPRuNe
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I don't know what exactly the majority of people would like to see but I like plenty of "tales of experience" from the magazines. I subscribe to Pilot as I feel it is more appropiate to my flying (few hundred hrs, PPL) however I do like Flyer's articles.
Rich <img src="cool.gif" border="0">
Rich <img src="cool.gif" border="0">
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Flyer/Pilot - difficult one. Always used to be pilot, but now it's looking a bit more like Flyer. Then again. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure...
Pilot have improved their site: <a href="http://www.pilotweb.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.pilotweb.co.uk/</a> and Flyer <a href="http://www.flyer.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.flyer.co.uk</a> is just as good.
The US ones are all aimed, as someone said above, at the TC IFR lot - not us lower down the scale!!
Pilot have improved their site: <a href="http://www.pilotweb.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.pilotweb.co.uk/</a> and Flyer <a href="http://www.flyer.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.flyer.co.uk</a> is just as good.
The US ones are all aimed, as someone said above, at the TC IFR lot - not us lower down the scale!!
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F****..... . I've said it in here before, and i'll say it again...in my opinion, F**** is the most amatuerish publication I have ever laid eyes on.. . It is riddled with errors, with nobody of any experience writing between it's pages.
Pilot used to be VERY good, but has gone down hill lately. I only buy it after a good scan in WHSmith's free lending library.. . . . As W.W.W said, only my opinion!
Pilot used to be VERY good, but has gone down hill lately. I only buy it after a good scan in WHSmith's free lending library.. . . . As W.W.W said, only my opinion!
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"Pilot always seems to contain some load of old rubbish about historic aircraft "
Hey WWW,they all get old eventually,Its just that some last longer than others.. .I'd swap a Spamcan for a 1940's taildragger anyday
As for the magazines,the Pfa mag "Popular Flyer" has improved tenfold over the last few years although because its only subscription available. .and aimed at a limited market its often over looked <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> some of the strip flying articles & flight tests of rare birds are excellent,much better than your typical "From Wycombe to Portugal in a 172" articles which are obviously aimed at the spamcan market!
It should be mandatory as part of the PPL ,that you've got to have at least an hour in a vintage taildragger,just to see what you could be missing............and at a fraction of the price
Neg G
Hey WWW,they all get old eventually,Its just that some last longer than others.. .I'd swap a Spamcan for a 1940's taildragger anyday
As for the magazines,the Pfa mag "Popular Flyer" has improved tenfold over the last few years although because its only subscription available. .and aimed at a limited market its often over looked <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> some of the strip flying articles & flight tests of rare birds are excellent,much better than your typical "From Wycombe to Portugal in a 172" articles which are obviously aimed at the spamcan market!
It should be mandatory as part of the PPL ,that you've got to have at least an hour in a vintage taildragger,just to see what you could be missing............and at a fraction of the price
Neg G
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If you're of the PFA building/restoring persuasion can I put in a word for Custom Planes.
Spun off from Private Pilot mag in the States it's very hands on and practical. Only thing I can offer against it is usual new products copy seemingly lifted straight from the PR packs provided and the understandable fascination with legalities.
<a href="http://www.customplanes.com" target="_blank">www.customplanes.com</a>
[ 22 February 2002: Message edited by: PPRuNe Towers ]</p>
Spun off from Private Pilot mag in the States it's very hands on and practical. Only thing I can offer against it is usual new products copy seemingly lifted straight from the PR packs provided and the understandable fascination with legalities.
<a href="http://www.customplanes.com" target="_blank">www.customplanes.com</a>
[ 22 February 2002: Message edited by: PPRuNe Towers ]</p>
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A great magazine for homebuilders is EAA's monthly membership magazine Sport Aviation. Lots of articles of general GA interest, history, flying tips etc, but really strong if you're into the technical side.
<a href="http://www.eaa.org" target="_blank">www.eaa.org</a>
<a href="http://www.eaa.org" target="_blank">www.eaa.org</a>
The Original Whirly
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Well, Pilot's publishing an article of mine next month, and they've paid me for it already. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Flyer, on the other hand, recently turned down an article I wrote because the photos weren't good enough.
So I guess you know who I'd vote for right now, but I won't say I'm not biased.
Flyer, on the other hand, recently turned down an article I wrote because the photos weren't good enough.
So I guess you know who I'd vote for right now, but I won't say I'm not biased.
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Welcome to the elite band of us 'Pilot' contributors, Whirley.
However, 'Pilot' are also pretty hot on photo quality - they have to be.
And yes, they pay in advance (on acceptance) for copy, and on publication for photos. And they pay quite well. Not so Flyer, or so I've heard.
SSD
However, 'Pilot' are also pretty hot on photo quality - they have to be.
And yes, they pay in advance (on acceptance) for copy, and on publication for photos. And they pay quite well. Not so Flyer, or so I've heard.
SSD
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WWW! Rubbish....historic aircraft! I had no idea you were a heretic. Those shiny aluminium tubes are obviously doing you no good at all.. .My vote goes to Pilot but I subscribe to all 3 UK mags on the grounds that a years' subscription costs less than an hour's aircraft hire.
[ 23 February 2002: Message edited by: DB6 ]</p>
[ 23 February 2002: Message edited by: DB6 ]</p>
I like Pilot as it has a good diversity of articles, Flyer tends to be a bit pedestrian for me. Flyer's free landing fees tickets are often worth the purchase, although I did have to argue with one airfield that the rules regarding the use of said vouchers didn't exclude RAF aircraft. I was in a Tucano, and the Sqn was running out of money in the operating budget. I won!
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Dan
Just so we've got this straight, the RAF is now using free vouchers from Flyer so that it can afford to land outside of Bessie's property.
Can I have the exclusive to sell to the Sun?
Just so we've got this straight, the RAF is now using free vouchers from Flyer so that it can afford to land outside of Bessie's property.
Can I have the exclusive to sell to the Sun?