Martha?

[Pilawt]

Flying, Plane and Pilot, AOPA Pilot, etc.

Featured articles (on a yearly rotation) "We Fly the Cessna 172", "Aircraft PreBuy Checklist", "Planning a Cross Country", "Best Airport Restaurants", "The Annual Inspection", etc, etc.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

In decades past the magazines were our only contact to the general aviation industry beyond the local airport. In those days exciting new airplanes were announced, photographed and reviewed nearly every month, and every issue was eagerly anticipated.

Now we get industry news daily by e-mail. But new airplane types are few and far between -- we're still flying Skyhawks, Archers and Bonanzas -- and the only significant advances in the industry are in avionics. Somehow ads and articles about new headsets and ADS-B boxes don't have the same visceral appeal.

 

[Tantalum]

The decline in Flying is mirroring the decline in GA. Every year what's left of GA becomes more "elitist". Twenty-five years ago my home airport was filled with Cessna, Piper and Grumman singles. The top of the food chain were those lucky b@st@rds who owned Bonanza A36s. Today the Bonanzas are an "at risk species" around the joint, and its astonishing how many privately owned SR22Ts, turboprop Meridians and TBMs there are. There are even a few privately owned and flown (non-corporate) Citation Mustangs. Not surprising the mag is increasingly reflecting that.

I agree with most of that, but it's a risky positive feedback loop catering to that smaller subset instead of being something that the renters and 16-20something poor student pilots want to read. In our club at Plus One we have a *ton* of members and have happy hours once a month where at least 30 people turn out. I can't think of a single person who subscribes to Flying Mag.. these people are renting the mid '70s Skyhawks and Archers, and for the ones who can afford it rent the 182 or the Bonanza for their weekend trips, etc. No one subscribes to Flying that I know of in the club. So I do feel like there is a conscious (and poorly done IMHO) decision to cater to this elite group

Funny you mention the newsstand thing. You used to be able to find SAIL mag, Flying Mag, Cruising World, and a Ski publication or two at just about every news stand.. I remember this even from just 10 years ago. Now? I can't remember when was the last time I saw any of those. Somehow though the downright filth that is Cosmopolitan, Us Weekly, etc., though stays around

 

[Half Fast]

I agree with most of that, but it's a risky positive feedback loop catering to that smaller subset instead of being something that the renters and 16-20something poor student pilots want to read. In our club at Plus One we have a *ton* of members and have happy hours once a month where at least 30 people turn out. I can't think of a single person who subscribes to Flying Mag.. these people are renting the mid '70s Skyhawks and Archers, and for the ones who can afford it rent the 182 or the Bonanza for their weekend trips, etc. No one subscribes to Flying that I know of in the club. So I do feel like there is a conscious (and poorly done IMHO) decision to cater to this elite group

Funny you mention the newsstand thing. You used to be able to find SAIL mag, Flying Mag, Cruising World, and a Ski publication or two at just about every news stand.. I remember this even from just 10 years ago. Now? I can't remember when was the last time I saw any of those. Somehow though the downright filth that is Cosmopolitan, Us Weekly, etc., though stays around

Well, I try to do my part to help that situation.

When in Barnes & Noble, I pull the subscription cards out of the aviation magazines and tuck them into copies of Cosmo.

I also pull the cards out of the gun pubs and insert them into Modern Bride....

 

[tawood]

Well, I try to do my part to help that situation.

When in Barnes & Noble, I pull the subscription cards out of the aviation magazines and tuck them into copies of Cosmo.

I also pull the cards out of the gun pubs and insert them into Modern Bride....

I thought I was the only one that did that!

 

[MauleSkinner]

Well, I try to do my part to help that situation.

When in Barnes & Noble, I pull the subscription cards out of the aviation magazines and tuck them into copies of Cosmo.

I also pull the cards out of the gun pubs and insert them into Modern Bride....

So THAT’S why I’ve been getting Cosmo and Modern Bride!

 

[Eric Stoltz]

Well, I try to do my part to help that situation.

When in Barnes & Noble, I pull the subscription cards out of the aviation magazines and tuck them into copies of Cosmo.

I also pull the cards out of the gun pubs and insert them into Modern Bride....

So I'm not crazy for putting "Out" cards in "Guns n Ammo"

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Half Fast]

So I'm not crazy for putting "Out" cards in "Guns n Ammo"

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Well, as far as “crazy” goes, I’m not sure. Have you tried putting cards from High Times into Psychology Today yet?

Cigar Aficionado subscription card into copies of Women’s Health is another nice touch.

 

[Sundancer]

Garrison is real world, as is Martha. . .I'm not into "reverse" snobbishness (is that a word?) - Karl appears to have earned his success, and I enjoy his prose. I eon't ever own a turbine, but I like reading about his experiences.

 

[cgrab]

I thought I read that Martha stopped flying a little while after they stopped letting her give instruction after they took away her flight examiner rights. I read her column every month although I will admit that it sits on the night stand for a while before I get to it.