Flypast

[Britman]

Cancelled my subscription today. I have been pondering for a while and the April issue that came in the post yesterday made the decision easier. As I already take Aeroplane I found too much repertition and several pages of 15 best fighters of WW 2 rather crass with illustrations that would put me off any book , strange selection of "fighters" as well. Adverts as nausium . Just disappointed really as I have bought it since it's introduction and for me was the best restoration and recovery news magazine. Aeroplane will do for now and I have replaced Flypast with AirPictorial News .

 

Keith

[Des]

Always expected that the two titles would eventually amalgamate once they were both under the Key banner although what to call it . . . .  Aeropast ? . . . . .  Flyplane?

[mick b]

Sadly, those halcyon days of rarely seen photos and newly researched articles of aviation history ceased along time ago in both these magazines.

 

Mike

[dogsbody]

I stopped buying magazines a number of years ago. For what I was spending I wasn't happy with the content. Like you say, too much repetition of topic and photos.

 

 

 

Chris

[Paul Bradley]

28 minutes ago, Des said:

Always expected that the two titles would eventually amalgamate once they were both under the Key banner although what to call it . . . .  Aeropast ? . . . . .  Flyplane?

 

A band-aid solution would be Aeroplast......

[FalkeEins]

 

AirPictorial News, Keith?  I guess its getting a bit like that....

I once had a conversation with Stephen Bridgewater who at the time was editor of 'Jets' 
" ..Key purchased us last September. Personally I think it's a great thing..." 

of course 'Jets' was quickly wound down and 'amalgamated' into 'Aviation News' who'd already amalgamated Air Pictorial...  I still haven't got over the closure of 'Air Enthusiast' (Quarterly)  Was 'Aircraft Illustrated' that became 'Aircraft' and then 'Classic Aircraft' one of theirs too ?

A friend keeps haranguing me to try 'The Aviation Historian' but if Mortons are going to keep 're-packaging' their best bits I'll stick with that ...

 

[Des]

2 hours ago, FalkeEins said:

Was 'Aircraft Illustrated' that became 'Aircraft' and then 'Classic Aircraft' one of theirs too ?

A friend keeps haranguing me to try 'The Aviation Historian' but if Mortons are going to keep 're-packaging' their best bits I'll stick with that ...

 

 

What had once been Aircraft Illustrated ended up withy Key and was absorbed into their relaunched Aviation News which currently provides well balanced coverage of multiple eras and subjects.

 

Aviation Historian definitely worth it and not just for the 'best bits' , well researched and written throughout and I find myself reading about subjects I would just flick past in Flypast/Aeroplane.

[Farmer matt]

Hi, sorry to join in abit late, but I am glad its not just me who has noticed a catastrophic decline in what was once a worthwhile title. 

The recent revamp brought acres of white page, along with reduced and seemingly 'informal' rather than 'informative' text.

The Greatest Fighters feature struck me as just lazy page filling, ditto the readers photos ( mostly "nothing" shots that you wouldnt delete, but not trumpet either) and the quiz.

I think the duplication between titles must occur because of simply using a press release verbatim rather than writing a piece around it. Again, lazy, and often the same accompanying pics.

Anyway, rant over, and saves a fiver a month now.

Regards, Matt

 

[Graham Boak]

This may not be a matter of being lazy but of maximising use of minimal personnel.  If you don't employ anyone you can't send them out to do journalism.  People are expensive - proprietors see it better to cut numbers of people rather than have to put up with, and pay for, all the bother of employment.  If the quality suffers, that doesn't matter until it affects the bottom line, and if enough people keep on buying it then .it never will.  This isn't unique to Key Publishing.  That's why dedicated quality productions (such as The Aviation Historian, for example) cost so much more per pound (oops, kilogram).

[FalkeEins]

7 hours ago, Farmer matt said:

 

The Greatest Fighters feature struck me as just lazy page filling, ditto the readers photos ( mostly "nothing" shots that you wouldnt delete, but not trumpet either) and the quiz.

 

fast becoming more like a kid's comic than a 'serious' aviation magazine - perhaps that's the aim. 

[Paul J]

I have become very disappointed with all the aviation(and modelling)magazines  except Aeroplane Monthly which I only buy occasionally now .  It was very sad when Key took over Aircraft Illustrated/ Classic Aircraft  as it  was my  all time favourite. I once had very single copy from start to end but with a house move looming a couple years ago that did not  happen thanks to covid, they all went to the local tip with the exception of the first two years worth that I saved.

[Sabrejet]

Flypast was a real treat when it started, but the awful format (text across pictures etc), garbage paper quality and repetition did it for me many years ago. There are many really good car-related magazines out there (Road Rat; 000; Automobilsport; Curbs etc) but I can't think of one aviation magazine that comes anywhere near these in terms of content and/or quality. It's a great shame but maybe an opportunity for someone with real imagination.

[DaveJL]

Although not Flypast, I subscribe to both Combat Aircraft and Air Forces Monthly. I have to say, the content of the former has been bordering on poor for some time now. AFM is superior now in my opinion. Might be time for me to review my subscriptions!

[Robin-42]

I had every one from the beginning, but stopped a long time ago. When I gave them away, I was struck by how many of the cover aircraft had subsequently crashed, usually for completely preventable reasons, mostly by pilot ego leading their talents. 

[bentwaters81tfw]

Not got my copy yet, but I have been bordering on cancellation for several months. If this edition is as poor as it seems, it will be my last.

[FalkeEins]

28 minutes ago, DaveJL said:

 AFM is superior now in my opinion.

 

 I was looking forward to their Ukraine coverage - and was well disappointed. My Aerojournal subscription just arrived (French bi-monthly - ' the history of the war in the air') and even though its in French they devoted 16 full colour pages to the war.   Top stuff! Perhaps Key should up their cover price (s), go bi-monthly - and give us some 'real' content!

[bentwaters81tfw]

Key have upped their cover price twice this year already, and gone downhill.

[Nigel Bunker]

I came across the first edition of Flypast in the early 80s and have bought it ever since - until now. I tried the 'new improved' version but didn't like it so I've stopped buying it. What with no longer buying SAMI & MAM I must be saving over £16 a month - that covers some of the energy cost increases.

[Agent K]

Agree with a lot of the statements above, I have bought it from day 1 and of late it seems to be more akin to a comic than a serious historic aviation journal. The quizzes, the frankenplane thing, poor and unprofessional editing and writing. Why change something just for the sake of it, no news stories at the front of the magazine any more, lots of white space, I suspect Ken Ellis will be aghast at what has happened.

[Wafu]

The top 10 aircraft that won the Falklands war, who on earth sat down and composed that? An email to the editor is being typed. Everyone will have an opinion on their top ten and even as an exWafu, to miss out BN and show a Wessex 2 in the description and not the Wessex 3 or 5 is lazy or ignorant journalism.   
 

Types that I feel were overlooked include Sea King 4 for medium lift of the Royal Artillery 105’s, VC 10 for transportation to Ascension of so many things, Gazelle and Scout for battlefield scout and casualty evacuation and I’m not sure if this was included in the article but the Victor tankers.

 

Rant over, returning to station. 

[T-21]

After  having this magazine since 1982 I've just stopped buying it.  Lack of factual stories ,varied subjects. It just seems intent on Spitfires and photography, just lost interest and also the cost. Get Aeroplane Monthly which is very good . The IPMS magazine is streets ahead of many modeling magazines on the market.

[John B (Sc)]

I tend to agree 'wafu' - I thought that listing pathetic and actually the whole  'list' notion stupid.   Why a Wessex, not only of the wrong mark but the wrong service.  What about Humphrey, there are plenty easily available photographs of that machine.

 

Missing out the battlefield helicopters & the Chinook was sadly typical, as was overemphasizing the Vulcan sorties. (Yes, they helped, mostly psychologically). 

In terms of value and sheer guts, the low level sorties by the unarmed Nimrods off the Argentinian coast checking for Argentinian ships surely deserves more credit.  It's all been kept very quiet still,  bit I suspect at times they were actively searching, which made it much more dangerous for possible interception.

 

(Mind you, re-reading the Sea Harrier saga really annoys me even after all this time. The premature withdrawal from service of one of the most effective fighters (and the last all British fighter) followed so soon by the light blue mafia betrayal of the entire Harrier operation was an appalling waste.   Grrr !)