Pilot Magazine
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I'm not sure about Pilot contributions currently but several years ago I was thinking exactly the same and stopped buying a lot of the aviation magazines in general as I thought the articles were not really up to scratch and weren't talking about what I wanted to see. Following a discussion with my wife (of all people - she noticed a reduced spend in WH Smiths and was curious why!!) she basically said "Well if you think you can do better write something yourself"!
So I did.
It was rejected outright by Pilot but I enjoyed the writing so much I (eventually) got several articles published on historic aviation and got paid along the way (and the odd one that wasn't but I'll not say which publisher that was...).
I'm not sure whether Pilot currently takes unsolicited contributions (I'm guessing from the articles they may use writers from their other magazines??)
So I did.
It was rejected outright by Pilot but I enjoyed the writing so much I (eventually) got several articles published on historic aviation and got paid along the way (and the odd one that wasn't but I'll not say which publisher that was...).
I'm not sure whether Pilot currently takes unsolicited contributions (I'm guessing from the articles they may use writers from their other magazines??)
I had a "Flying Adventure" published in Pilot a few years ago. More recently I submitted another article, and they didn't even bother to acknowledge my submission (this is since the new Editor, Philip Whiteman, took over). I have since un-subscribed for the same reasons many people mention here. The US magazines are far better quality.
As good as Pilot was under Gilbert, it should be remembered that he had no competition. Anyone can win a one horse race - all you have to do is finish.
As SSD observed, it is a very different world these days.
I'm also a little surprised by all the support for Flying, as I imagine it has little of interest to UK GA pilots. I also take it, and although Goyer isn't as bad as McClellan, its still unusual for the mag to flight test aircraft worth less than a couple of million. I have the last two issues in front of me - the covers are the Phenom and Piaggio Avanti. I doubt that many of the posters who profess support for Flying are likely to ever fly such machines. As least the GA mags tend to test aircraft that the average reader might actually fly.
Just my two cents worth.
As SSD observed, it is a very different world these days.
I'm also a little surprised by all the support for Flying, as I imagine it has little of interest to UK GA pilots. I also take it, and although Goyer isn't as bad as McClellan, its still unusual for the mag to flight test aircraft worth less than a couple of million. I have the last two issues in front of me - the covers are the Phenom and Piaggio Avanti. I doubt that many of the posters who profess support for Flying are likely to ever fly such machines. As least the GA mags tend to test aircraft that the average reader might actually fly.
Just my two cents worth.
Last edited by Thud105; 28th May 2012 at 19:29.
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it should be remembered that he had no competition. Anyone can win a one horse race - all you have to do is finish.
As for 'winning the race', I think 'Pilot's success was that it just a very good mag, competition or no. You can't slate it for not having competition if it's intrinsically done to a high standard (and Gilbert's 'Pilot' was).
Agreed - it was an excellent mag, but having no competition certainly helped, especially in the ad dept. Example - say Gilbert's Pilot had slagged off the latest Piper. Piper would still have placed an ad with the mag, because there was nowhere else (in the UK) to place it. I remember (I was living in the UK then) that he really got the hump when GASIL and GasCo started running ads - he even mentioned it in his editorials.
Ich bin ein Prooner.
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I have subscribed to Pilot since it was 'Pilot and Light Aeroplane', which, if memory serves me correctly goes back to the late sixties-ish. (Please don't pillory me if I am half a decade out. 'Tis only a roughtimation!)
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the opinions being expressed here, and increasingly, it seems that it might fall victim to the Annual Zark Towers Pecuniary Review, come next subscription time!
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the opinions being expressed here, and increasingly, it seems that it might fall victim to the Annual Zark Towers Pecuniary Review, come next subscription time!
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I can echo the comments made so far, and here is my 2p worth too....
I've been reading Pilot magazine for a good few years now, but stopped buying it last year - as a helicopter enthusiast/pilot, I found that the magazine concentrates far too much on fixed wing. Many months can go by without a mention of helicoptering news/articles. I feel like i'm in a minority - like when I goto a restaurant and there is only 1 vegetarian 'option' to chose - erm, there is no choice when there is only 1 dish!
I did buy this months issue as it features an article on the new Cabri G2 helicopter with the front cover headline of "Robinson beater?" but the article does very little to compare the 2 machines directly. At the end of it, he mentions that an R44 owner should seriously consider it.... erm, what about an R22 owner?
I think the number of adverts in the recent issues, together with the non-aviation adverts in this months issue (such as the fancy car leasing, arthiritis cures, etc..) are signs that I won't be subscribing again, perhaps flicking through it at WHSmiths and occassionally buying it if there is something helicopterish in it!
Likewise with 'Flyer' magazine too... not even a single helicoptering thing in it this month, so it stayed on the shelf!
Cheers
David
I've been reading Pilot magazine for a good few years now, but stopped buying it last year - as a helicopter enthusiast/pilot, I found that the magazine concentrates far too much on fixed wing. Many months can go by without a mention of helicoptering news/articles. I feel like i'm in a minority - like when I goto a restaurant and there is only 1 vegetarian 'option' to chose - erm, there is no choice when there is only 1 dish!
I did buy this months issue as it features an article on the new Cabri G2 helicopter with the front cover headline of "Robinson beater?" but the article does very little to compare the 2 machines directly. At the end of it, he mentions that an R44 owner should seriously consider it.... erm, what about an R22 owner?
I think the number of adverts in the recent issues, together with the non-aviation adverts in this months issue (such as the fancy car leasing, arthiritis cures, etc..) are signs that I won't be subscribing again, perhaps flicking through it at WHSmiths and occassionally buying it if there is something helicopterish in it!
Likewise with 'Flyer' magazine too... not even a single helicoptering thing in it this month, so it stayed on the shelf!
Cheers
David
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Magazines ain't what they used to be....one of the reasons is PPRuNe! we get our fix and then some on flying gossip and advice without having to shell out, and we get to answer back (mods permitting)....
As for selling your airplane, I tried various listing services, couldn't bring myself to shell out the money for a reasonable ad when everybody else's ads looked so juicy.....so I sent a poster by snail to all likely flying clubs, and lo, it worked!
The only other excuse for reading the flying mags used to be to read about the accidents, and thereby learn from other people's mistakes... well, that's on the net as well. Newspapers are feeling the pinch badly. Nobody reads the Oxford Mail any more....
As for selling your airplane, I tried various listing services, couldn't bring myself to shell out the money for a reasonable ad when everybody else's ads looked so juicy.....so I sent a poster by snail to all likely flying clubs, and lo, it worked!
The only other excuse for reading the flying mags used to be to read about the accidents, and thereby learn from other people's mistakes... well, that's on the net as well. Newspapers are feeling the pinch badly. Nobody reads the Oxford Mail any more....
I tend to enjoy History of Flight, Aviation, Space Exploration | AirSpaceMag.com - though it's even rarer that there's anything there I'm likely to get to fly.
I don't always want to read solely grass roots stuff and I find Martha really entertaining. She should publish a book of her articles. A bit like a Dick Walker book I once had which was just 100 superb articles from Angling Times.
Agree there is a lot of hot IFR stuff in Flying but the two previous issues featured the 172 (still relevant after all these years) and the Cirrus. There are also interesting and informative pieces from Peter Garrison.
Pilot and the rest of the UK stuff are just staid with the same story told every month, just change the name of the featured airport.
Agree there is a lot of hot IFR stuff in Flying but the two previous issues featured the 172 (still relevant after all these years) and the Cirrus. There are also interesting and informative pieces from Peter Garrison.
Pilot and the rest of the UK stuff are just staid with the same story told every month, just change the name of the featured airport.
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I bought my first copy of Pilot in 1983 (still have it somewhere!). I then bought it pretty much every month until 'that Bloom' character became editor. Over the last 6 or 7 years I have never bought a copy - inspite of browsing hundreds of airport magazine racks!
I disposed of my magazine stock a few years ago - it was very noticeable that I had at least two and sometimes many more 'flight tests' 'trip reports' 'destinations' amongst those old magazines. It was equally obvious how the general quality of the writing and particularly the accuracy of information dropped off over time (could n't help but check what I was throwing out!).
Now I get the LAA mag and do not buy any flying magazines - apart from the occasional Flying - where the writing is still more important than anything else. If printed magazines are to survive that is the only thing which will swing it. Advertising helps particularly in the short term - but people only buy what attracts them and what they value and that means the UK flying magazines probably have little future as they are.
I disposed of my magazine stock a few years ago - it was very noticeable that I had at least two and sometimes many more 'flight tests' 'trip reports' 'destinations' amongst those old magazines. It was equally obvious how the general quality of the writing and particularly the accuracy of information dropped off over time (could n't help but check what I was throwing out!).
Now I get the LAA mag and do not buy any flying magazines - apart from the occasional Flying - where the writing is still more important than anything else. If printed magazines are to survive that is the only thing which will swing it. Advertising helps particularly in the short term - but people only buy what attracts them and what they value and that means the UK flying magazines probably have little future as they are.
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To be fair, it's tough selling a magazine when there's so much free stuff around - Pprune has some great technical information and some very informed contributors, amongst a lot more drivel!
Why not state ten articles you'd like to see in a magazine, as it's probably very difficult to fill it each month!
Why not state ten articles you'd like to see in a magazine, as it's probably very difficult to fill it each month!
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The future of the printed word.
I suspect that there is room for a monthly article from each of three types of pilots; a new ppl holder, a seasoned pilot and an instructor.
The nine writers could be recruited from rotary, microlight and spam-can drivers. With a georgraphical and age spread to mix things up.
Each contributor need only write once every three months, although it would make sense to have some stuff in the safe for rainy days.
So, nine pilots who can write, and a magazine prepared to give three pages per issue to real world flying stories.
All the stories would be current, more of a "what I did this month" than the "I learned about flying from that" kind of thing. People would realise what is happening in their own neck of the woods and we may find that there is more to do than we currently get involved in.
I'm sure that a great many readers would align themselves with a magazine that seemed to be more about real stuff than with what is becoming a Transair catalogue with a price tag.
Should this format prove to be popular, it could be expanded to have the nine of them contribute each month and there would be three stories, one from each stage of the experience spectrum, per discipline, each month.
That would surely have something for everyone.
The nine writers could be recruited from rotary, microlight and spam-can drivers. With a georgraphical and age spread to mix things up.
Each contributor need only write once every three months, although it would make sense to have some stuff in the safe for rainy days.
So, nine pilots who can write, and a magazine prepared to give three pages per issue to real world flying stories.
All the stories would be current, more of a "what I did this month" than the "I learned about flying from that" kind of thing. People would realise what is happening in their own neck of the woods and we may find that there is more to do than we currently get involved in.
I'm sure that a great many readers would align themselves with a magazine that seemed to be more about real stuff than with what is becoming a Transair catalogue with a price tag.
Should this format prove to be popular, it could be expanded to have the nine of them contribute each month and there would be three stories, one from each stage of the experience spectrum, per discipline, each month.
That would surely have something for everyone.
Last edited by airpolice; 29th May 2012 at 16:25.
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Sounds great to me. I used to like the practical flying tips (a la Alan Bramson), flight tests of unusual aircraft, especially oldish types, and buyers guides to aircraft (not DVDs and watches, for pete's sake).
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Story goes: Pilot magazine sent one of their top tester writers to fly in the newest motor glider at Booker, round about l985 or so.
Admired all the equipment, the instruments, the excellent vis through the generous canopy. They took off and flew a few maneuvers, and then the demo pilot turned off the engine......
Story has it that the top test writer completely lost his cool at that point! First time he was ever airborne when the PIC shut down the donkey; he really didn't like it at all and couldn't quite grasp it was NOT an emergency, but normal practice.
I'm a little sad that your plan for the great new magazine does not include those of us that have no engine at all....and yet do vast cross country flights, cluttering up your airspace!
Admired all the equipment, the instruments, the excellent vis through the generous canopy. They took off and flew a few maneuvers, and then the demo pilot turned off the engine......
Story has it that the top test writer completely lost his cool at that point! First time he was ever airborne when the PIC shut down the donkey; he really didn't like it at all and couldn't quite grasp it was NOT an emergency, but normal practice.
I'm a little sad that your plan for the great new magazine does not include those of us that have no engine at all....and yet do vast cross country flights, cluttering up your airspace!
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Sailplane and Gliding covers our needs well enough Mary. I understand the need for something for powered pilots that isn't 99% ads and 1% trillion dollar dream machines.
What about calling it 'Wreck Monthly: The Magazine For The Club Heap Renter', with inside stories of how to start that 2500 hr Lycosaurus that throws a fit if it's not clap cold; or 'How To Fly IFR Safely when your Vac Pump and Turn Coordinator go Tits At The Same Time. Again.'
What about calling it 'Wreck Monthly: The Magazine For The Club Heap Renter', with inside stories of how to start that 2500 hr Lycosaurus that throws a fit if it's not clap cold; or 'How To Fly IFR Safely when your Vac Pump and Turn Coordinator go Tits At The Same Time. Again.'
Last edited by thing; 29th May 2012 at 20:13.
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Try Loop
For those with an iPad, try Loop - it is free and, apart from being large to download each copy, actually rather good. You have to get past the annoying interface quirks (basically, scroll left and right moves between sections, up and down within sections) but the writing is good and the topics interesting.
Gives you a good idea of the post-magazine age that will use digital a bit more effectively (including the adds!!)
Alex
Gives you a good idea of the post-magazine age that will use digital a bit more effectively (including the adds!!)
Alex
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I subscribed to Pilot from 1978, bought two aeroplanes through the small ads and gave up buying it when Nick Bloom took over, I just found there wasn't room in my reading for his ego. I always enjoyed anything by Bob Grimstead, but found super pilot Blooms articles too full of him and not enough about flying, in fact one instructor I know who loaned an aircraft to Pilot for a test said he didn't recognise the flight Bloom wrote about!
Some of the best ever articles were by Brian Lecomber, who really should pick up his typewriter again, and all of the tests by Branson. Stephen Wilkinson's letter from America was superb as was his series on building a Falco (he is sometimes found on PPRUNE as StepWilk) Bernard Chabbert's letter from france was a great example of true love of aviation, and even Peter Underhill who I had many a personal run in with and who in daily life I shared a mutual contempt with wrote passionate and fascinating articles.
Pilot also had useful technical items in the James Allen days, articles on how VOR, ADF and DME worked explained them to me far better than any text book and made understanding them for ATPL exams far easier.
These days if I buy a GA mag its' flyer, and the LAA mag arrives and is devoured with great pleasure.
Shame about Pilot, it was the first and for a long time the best, now its' a bit of a sad old dear with too much make-up and too many memories of past conquests.
SND
Some of the best ever articles were by Brian Lecomber, who really should pick up his typewriter again, and all of the tests by Branson. Stephen Wilkinson's letter from America was superb as was his series on building a Falco (he is sometimes found on PPRUNE as StepWilk) Bernard Chabbert's letter from france was a great example of true love of aviation, and even Peter Underhill who I had many a personal run in with and who in daily life I shared a mutual contempt with wrote passionate and fascinating articles.
Pilot also had useful technical items in the James Allen days, articles on how VOR, ADF and DME worked explained them to me far better than any text book and made understanding them for ATPL exams far easier.
These days if I buy a GA mag its' flyer, and the LAA mag arrives and is devoured with great pleasure.
Shame about Pilot, it was the first and for a long time the best, now its' a bit of a sad old dear with too much make-up and too many memories of past conquests.
SND