Pro Pilot Magazine - Getting Worse or Running Out of Ideas?

[johnsonrod]

First, let me say that I am generally a fan of Pro Pilot Magazine. However, I have noticed a trend that the articles are getting repetitive and less-interesting by the month. I think I have now read about every law enforcement helicopter unit in the country.

Well, I just picked up a copy of June's edition and the primary subject: Golden Knights Parachute Team (US Army). Whatever happened to profiling corporate flight departments or fractional operators? Have corporate flight departments spurned Pro Pilot?

I'd really like to see one corporate flight department profiled at least every other month (that would be an improvement). Is that too much to ask for? I realize that police helicopter pilots are professional pilots too, but I get the sense that Pro Pilot is just running out of good ideas. Can we see more corporate flight departments (domestic or international), fractional profiles, part 135 profiles, VLJ operator profiles, etc.? Indepth articles about weather patterns in Africa can be interesting, but I'd rather read about interesting aviation jobs and opeartors.

Sorry, rant over now. I hope to see some improvement in the future....

 

[Lou3]

I am eagerly awaiting my June issue (for the salary survey) and appreciate all the work that they put in to the magazine. Hey, lets face it -it is free! In their defense, I think a lot of corp flight dept spurn them as it is a long held belief (valid or not) that to be put on their cover is the 'kiss of death' once the bean counters get a hold of it. It does seem to have some precedence to that concept.

Valid or not though, I do get tired of reading about law enforcement pilots. Yes, they are pilots, but they are cops first and that is an entirely different type of lifestyle than most of us are aiming toward.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

The occasional weather or Intl Operations article is interesting, but the flight department articles are pretty weak...

but as the above poster pointed out, its free.

Get what you pay for with "ProPilot".

AIN is better, and BCA is still the best by far.

 

[Heavy Set]

First, let me say that I am generally a fan of Pro Pilot Magazine. However, I have noticed a trend that the articles are getting repetitive and less-interesting by the month. I think I have now read about every law enforcement helicopter unit in the country.

Well, I just picked up a copy of June's edition and the primary subject: Golden Knights Parachute Team (US Army). Whatever happened to profiling corporate flight departments or fractional operators? Have corporate flight departments spurned Pro Pilot?

I'd really like to see one corporate flight department profiled at least every other month (that would be an improvement). Is that too much to ask for? I realize that police helicopter pilots are professional pilots too, but I get the sense that Pro Pilot is just running out of good ideas. Can we see more corporate flight departments (domestic or international), fractional profiles, part 135 profiles, VLJ operator profiles, etc.? Indepth articles about weather patterns in Africa can be interesting, but I'd rather read about interesting aviation jobs and opeartors.

Sorry, rant over now. I hope to see some improvement in the future....

I couldn't agree more. Sure, the salary survey is useful, but the articles seem to get worse every month. It's either law enforcement or an obscure military unit every month. Whatever happened to the frequent corporate flight departments or even the regional airlines profiled? Do you remember those? I guess the economic situation and reduced hiring don't help matters.

I'd love to see the following profiles:
1. XOJet - explosive growth and yet no profile
2. Netjets/Flexjet/Citationshares/Avantair profiles or at least updates
3. Operators of VLJs like Citation Mustangs and Eclipses
4. Corporate flight departments in Europe and Asia
5. Updates of past corporate department profiles - I am sure most of those flight departments have added or changed aircraft types

It's funny because you see a lot of pilots responding to their monthly surveys from great flight departments - you'd think they could become potential profiles for future editions.

I just keep my expectations low so that each month's profiles don't disappoint me.

 

[CitationUltra]

First, let me say that I am generally a fan of Pro Pilot Magazine. However, I have noticed a trend that the articles are getting repetitive and less-interesting by the month. I think I have now read about every law enforcement helicopter unit in the country.

Well, I just picked up a copy of June's edition and the primary subject: Golden Knights Parachute Team (US Army). Whatever happened to profiling corporate flight departments or fractional operators? Have corporate flight departments spurned Pro Pilot?

I'd really like to see one corporate flight department profiled at least every other month (that would be an improvement). Is that too much to ask for? I realize that police helicopter pilots are professional pilots too, but I get the sense that Pro Pilot is just running out of good ideas. Can we see more corporate flight departments (domestic or international), fractional profiles, part 135 profiles, VLJ operator profiles, etc.? Indepth articles about weather patterns in Africa can be interesting, but I'd rather read about interesting aviation jobs and opeartors.

Sorry, rant over now. I hope to see some improvement in the future....

Pro Pilot Magazine, known in my office as "Clay Lacy Magazine" is getting old and tired. They've never had the best writers in the industry--those are at AIN and B/CA. I think they have or used to have Grant MacLaren, who is good, and one other, the wx guru. Other than that, it's filler, and then, of course, the monthly typings of God's Gift to Aviation Himself.

 

[CFIcare]

Hey it's free, it kills about 45 min of a boring flight and I can read it more discreetly that USA Today. It also makes a good placemat because the covering is practically waterproof.

As far as the content goes...it's like an infomercial. Whattaya expect for free?

 

[CitationUltra]

Hey it's free, it kills about 45 min of a boring flight and I can read it more discreetly that USA Today. It also makes a good placemat because the covering is practically waterproof.

As far as the content goes...it's like an infomercial. Whattaya expect for free?

You're right, of course. It would make a great place mat, or maybe a compact absorbent pad directly under the oil drip beneath your Mercedes.

 

[hawkerjet]

We had this same discussion about a year ago and sent out feelers about coming up with a better online mag and there was no input from anyone.

My question is this; Are there people interested in contributing to an aviation style online rag? We would need someone who can put together the IT and web site side as well as contributing articles. We could start it out as a blog and see what happens. My guess is there are a couple of people on this site talented enough to write articles about aviation, and there are a couple of people on this site with enough computer skills to keep it up and running.
Anybody like to share their .02.............

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Isn't G-200 trying to do this already? LOL.

 

[CFIcare]

You're right, of course. It would make a great place mat, or maybe a compact absorbent pad directly under the oil drip beneath your Mercedes.

Oooooh AWESOME IDEA. Only, my oil drippers are way more fun than a Mercedes.