Totally agree with that.

Like all the other contributors I mentioned, Maxi has the ability to put the reader into the cockpit to 'live' the experience.

I remember a wonderful article he wrote in the late 1970s when he flew his Zlin 526 out to West Germany to fly with Ladi Bezak, a legend in aerobatics who isone of the Czech team members who developed the Lomcevak maneouvres in the 1960s.

A wonderful story, we knew more about the legend and we got a flying lesson as well.

KZ8

I agree, the articles in Pilot by Maxi Gainza always interest me. Well written and interesting subjects. Lets hope they get him writing again.

Its difficult to put my finger on why the magazine has become less interesting. They did a big market survey some time ago. Maybe they just aimed at the lowest common denominator.

I think they have taken a step towards the student pilot end of the market and many of the articles seem very basic. I don't buy it every month now, I just scan it at Smiths and buy it if there is something that catches my eye. I used to subscribe.

I had thought it was me but it seems I am not alone. Shame, because I always used to look forward to reading it.

I've just let my subscription to Flyer run out. It's probably the best one in the UK but for me, 10 minutes' reading isn't worth £3.50.

I've just received my (free) copy of Loop.
Produced by many ex pilot people... so thats where they all went

Go to www.loop.aero to subscribe for a free copy.

I've just received my November issue. Can I suggest that you go down to the newsagent & grab a sneaky peek at the double-spread photo on P4-5.

And then answer this simple question.

How many spark-plugs were in the picture?

Pilot
 

I stopped buying it when James Gilbert sold up.
It was bound to go downhill when a Norwich newspaper group took over. As Alan Partrige discovered Norfolk is the graveyard of media ambition.

I think they have run out of ideas and the novelty of running a flying mag has worn off. Flyer seems to have signed up all the talent.

Today's Pilot seems to have improved of late too.

Like any commercial organisation, the Archant Group (the graveyard of media ambition - yet the most successful/profitable publishing company in the UK), took over Pilot magazine because they recognised the potential for a good return.

They continue to get that return, but equally recognise that unless they maintain standards, (which hasnt happened) they will lose customers (which has happened).

The owner of the group, himself a highly experienced pilot and aircraft owner, has made various changes which he is confident will convince me and others that the magazine is worth buying.

If those changes don't work, the magazine will fold - his words, not mine.

Problem is that if Archant hadnt made the changes they did when they took over Pilot, then it would be a much better magazine today, so they wouldnt need to make more changes!
I see that Flyer is improving, now that it has Phil Whiteman as editor, now wasnt he at Pilot once! And hasnt Pilot gone down hill in the last couple of years and become a bit like the Flyer of old!!!
hopefully there will be improvements now!

I think the magazines should carry occassional articles about advanced avionics, instrument flight, and stuff like that.

I know many people would veto that, on the grounds that it is utterly irrelevant to their 1930 fabric covered aircraft, or their C150, but it would be something for pilots to aspire to.

The very successful American mags carry that sort of stuff, yet much of the American GA fleet is as decrepit as the UK stuff. They do have a much bigger IFR pilot group but not enough to support the circulations they have.

I've seen a few such articles appearing but they tend to be dumbed down to the point of being of no use to anyone.

There is a limit to how many articles a mag can carry on carb icing, and all the standard stuff.

I’ve been reading Pilot, on and off, for twenty years and I still have some Gilbert vintage ones lying around, so I picked one up and flicked through it and either I’m missing something or I’m a bit thick – I really don’t know what you’re talking about.


OCT 2005

1. Editorial
2. Red Bull Air Race
3. Airfield News
4. Aviat Husky Pup
5. Mountain Flying
6. Headgear Tests
7. Readers Letters
8. News from AOPA
9. African Safari
10. Helicopters – A 2nd Career
11. Cirrus (by someone who owns one)
12. Coastguard Flying
13. Engine Management
14. 6 Old Timers Articles
15. Safety Matters
16. Airfield Pull-Out Guide
17. Six Free Landing Vouchers
18. Calendar of Events
19. Yak 52
20. Wood Repairs
21. 5 Book Reviews
22. 8 Product Reviews
23. 4 DVD Reviews
24. How Air Brained Are You
25. Flight Sim Review
26. Hundreds of Adverts
27. ILAFFT
28. 20 Odd other news items
29. 122 Pages


OCT 2000

1. Opinion
2. WAC 2000
3. No airfield news
4. Lake Renegade
5. Baltic Tour
6. No equipment tests
7. Page after page of readers letters
8. Another page of opinion
9. Australian Safari
10. Helicopters – Buying Time
11. Trinidad (by someone who doesn’t)
12. Police Aviation
13. A Profile of Xavier de Lapparent
14. 19 Old Timers Articles
15. Safety Matters
16. No airfield guide
17. No free landing vouchers
18. Calendar of Events
19. Curtiss Helldiver
20. No articles on self-maintenance
21. 3 Book Reviews
22. No product reviews
23. 5 Video Reviews
24. How Air Brained Are You
25. Flight Sim Review
26. Hundreds of Adverts
27. ILAFFT
28. 30 Odd other news items
29. 122 Pages

So, what's going on? Are people wearing rose-tinted Raybans or is the old Pilot better than the new Pilot in the same way that the 1930s were better than today - what with rickets and high infant mortality and all that? I can only see that Pilot was better under Mr Gilbert if you flew amphibious warbirds - is that such a huge market?

Not going mad after all !
 

Having the day off and not much to do, I was pleased to see Flyer mag turn up on the doormat this morning. I don't always get a chance to read the mags thoroughly, so with some pleasure and armed with a large steaming mug of Yorkshire's finest brew, I settled down for a pleasant interlude ...

I'd got as far as "Adventures of Pilot X" or whatever it's called, before I started to wonder if the years of overwork and (legal) chemical abuse were beginning to take their toll on my marbles. I could have sworn I'd read this one before ...

A quick flick through last month's mag revealed the sad truth : same article, word for word !

Perhaps a new column is in order ? "Edit like a professional" ? "Proof read like a professional" ? ;) ;) ;)

FF :ok:

Hmm yes, I notice that the answers on the last page didn't match the article for 'That worst day'.

I've been reading aviation magazines for the last 14 years with a couple of breaks in between. One of the really noticeable differences between the magazines these days and the ones I bought many years back is the amount of small (and large!) mistakes that seem to find their way to final printing!

I'm now in my mid twenties and feel that I am part of a generation that has grown up willing to compromise and accept lower and lower standards. But the decline in standards in general is now starting to get ridiculous! I mean you can't even telephone a person about a utility bill anymore, you have to talk to a machine that can only handle a certain number of situations. Getting back to the case in point: I know its only a £35 annual subscription but the least that could be done is some thorough proof reading for glaringly obvious defects. Have some pride people!

splatt

PS. To be fair, I have copied this message to the flyer forums.

For a relatively small fee (equivalent to perhaps four hours flying costs per month) I'll volunteer my services to proof-read the magazine cover-to-cover. I'm already a subscriber so they'd just have to send my copy a month early...!

While you're at it, you might want to have a look at the review of the Breitling Chrono Navitimer in November's Pilot mag. The photo bears no relationship to the text......"set into the face are three sub-dials". The picture doesn't have one. Not good.

Thanks for all of the kind proof reading offers, alas in this case it was nothing to do with proof reading, more a techinical ***k up.

See here for the gory details.

Ian

Spelling errors are one thing; what really gets to me is when a magazine prints a letter from a reader, containing really clear errors of fact, for example concerning license privileges.

Occassionally one sees this in a feature article. Implicitly this is presented as fact, when in reality it is no more than the writer's personal opinion (and he should have presented both sides of the argument). This is much worse, but even the letter mentioned earlier should not have got printed (well not without a clear correction from the editor).

There is SO much bull, incorrect information, occassionally disinformation (particularly concerning foreign licenses/ratings/registrations where so many people are grinding axes) going around GA that the magazines have a serious responsibility to get things right.

I have on occassions felt like writing in, but it's like these online forums (fora?). If one dived in every time something factually incorrect gets posted, one would spend hours a day online. As indeed some people do..... but those that do tend to contribute the least to knowledge.

Did you have something specific in mind?

Ian

I can't complain about magazines on the above issue since I can't get some clear facts concerning license privileges from the Italian CAA which is meant to be the beholder of truth :(

AE

It was clear, fairly quickly, that the Breitling reviews and Breitling illustrations were switched; hardly unusual in publishing these days but below the standard we've come to expect in that magazine. I used to rate Pilot very highly for its above-average production values; now I'm reserving judgement until a new Editor is named and given time to settle in. But wait - what's this? Mr Bloom IS editor in one of his comments....

Both - or indeed all three - magazines have something to offer, usually beyond the free landing vouchers, but I fear to get the best reading when one's grounded a subscription to each is required, thus ensuring triple doses of the latest machine going the rounds.:zzz:

Subscription renewal time will be interesting around here. I admit to enjoying Flyer at present because I won a year's worth at a CAA Safety Evening.:D :D