New 'Classic' Aircraft Illustrated

[phantom2430uk]

My understanding is that Aeroplane has had the biggest circulation for a specialist aviation mag for some time, followed by Flypast. It must have therefore been attractive to IA to target the historical area as one which would boost sales. To do so however you're going to have to either produce a better product or one which is sufficiently different to persuade people to buy AI in addition to their regular read. Is the new AI either? Apparently not reading most of the comments on this thread.

Wrong way round there. Flypast sells around 6,000 more a month than Aeroplane and has been the UK's number 1 for many years. Aeroplane is 2nd according to ABC sales, it switches places with Airliner World, currently 3rd.

[fairford_fan]

Just terminated my subscription too

After giving the "revamp" a chance, I too have now joined the long list of EX subscribers to "Aircraft".

What was once a great mag is now not worthy of toilet paper....


Combat Aircraft from now on.

[chrisward123]

Just terminated my subscription too

After giving the "revamp" a chance, I too have now joined the long list of EX subscribers to "Aircraft".

What was once a great mag is now not worthy of toilet paper....


Combat Aircraft from now on.

totally agree on that one.
Now a Combat Aircraft fan!

[Manonthefence]

Seeing as Ian Allan publish both CA and Aircraft I dont think they'll be too worried.

[expat1]

I too am very sad that the old Aircraft Illustrated has now gone. Effectively replaced by two specialist titles, the all round Aircraft Illustrated is, judging by the comments on this board obviously dearly missed. I'm sure Ian Allens' (not just Mr Dunnell, but higher up as well) thinking on this was, 'why sell one 'all-round' aviation magazine every month when we could be selling two specialist magazines and be making double the money'.
IMHO this is a mistake, Not only because it smacks of a rip-off. But why choose the worst recession in living memory to try it? In better times I'm sure many would have been willing to spend the extra cash but in the current economic environment people are having to cut back on their expences rather than doubling them. I hope I.A. look at this thread (and sales/subscription figures) and are big enough to admit this was a wrong decission and go back to the original 'all round' format.
If not, I think (and hope) they are going to lose out big time to Air-International which has every opportunity to step up and be the number one choice. Again, IMHO, the recent articles, news stories and the photography are on a par with anything Aircraft Illustrated used to produce.
Keep it up Key Publishing, and good on you for continuing to give us what we want - A good quality all-round aviation magazine at a reasonable price.

[urkles]

I have given the 'new' magazine a fair run and though some articles were of interest it is not a patch on the magazine I subscibed to. I have bought Air International the last 2 months and that will be my magazine of choice in the future, and actually it is quite a good product!

[Jet320]

As a former regular Aircraft Illustrated reader.I have just taken out a 12 month subscripion to Air International.I look forward to it coming out each month like I used to for Aircraft Illustrated.I was really pleased Air International was there to take over and have enjoyed reading it.I hope they can keep up the standard..I wish Aircraft magazine all the best for the future.But it's not for me on a regular basis...I'm not a pure classic buff!

[EMarsh]

Well I really enjoyed the latest edition. The 2009 airshow review was a good read, covering both the positives and negatives (a reminder of what has been an excellent season) and the Shuttleworth article was informative and accompanied by some lovely photographs. The innovations planned for the 2010 Old Warden season left me with a strong sense of anticipation, glad to see people taking the initiative to do something a little different to the norm.

The 'review of the year' also touched on some of the wider airshow issues, such as innovation and ground entertainment. It was refreshing to see some more thorough analysis of the scene, which is absent from the majority of magazines.

Add to that some beautiful Sea Vixen photographs and a few more worthwhile articles and you have a top notch issue, in my opinion.

[Lomcevak26]

Well I really enjoyed the latest edition. The 2009 airshow review was a good read, covering both the positives and negatives (a reminder of what has been an excellent season) and the Shuttleworth article was informative and accompanied by some lovely photographs. The innovations planned for the 2010 Old Warden season left me with a strong sense of anticipation, glad to see people taking the initiative to do something a little different to the norm.

The 'review of the year' also touched on some of the wider airshow issues, such as innovation and ground entertainment. It was refreshing to see some more thorough analysis of the scene, which is absent from the majority of magazines.

Add to that some beautiful Sea Vixen photographs and a few more worthwhile articles and you have a top notch issue, in my opinion.

Agree 100% with each and every comment E - a great issue this month isn't it?! There's also some pretty magnificent old VL Air Day images - worth the cover price alone imho!

[EMarsh]

Well I really enjoyed the latest edition. The 2009 airshow review was a good read, covering both the positives and negatives (a reminder of what has been an excellent season) and the Shuttleworth article was informative and accompanied by some lovely photographs. The innovations planned for the 2010 Old Warden season left me with a strong sense of anticipation, glad to see people taking the initiative to do something a little different to the norm.

The 'review of the year' also touched on some of the wider airshow issues, such as innovation and ground entertainment. It was refreshing to see some more thorough analysis of the scene, which is absent from the majority of magazines.

Add to that some beautiful Sea Vixen photographs and a few more worthwhile articles and you have a top notch issue, in my opinion.

Agree 100% with each and every comment E - a great issue this month isn't it?! There's also some pretty magnificent old VL Air Day images - worth the cover price alone imho!

Most certainly is, the VL images are drool-worthy!

I must have different enthusiast DNA to the majority as I've really enjoyed each edition of Aircraft since the change. I actually look forward to reading the mag; something I can't say for many magazines, with the exception of Empire. Sure, Aircraft isn't perfect, but it ticks all of my boxes.

[Manonthefence]

Well I really enjoyed the latest edition. The 2009 airshow review was a good read, covering both the positives and negatives (a reminder of what has been an excellent season) and the Shuttleworth article was informative and accompanied by some lovely photographs.

Photographs aside I have to agree that it just keeps getting better.

[collywobble]

Well I really enjoyed the latest edition. The 2009 airshow review was a good read, covering both the positives and negatives (a reminder of what has been an excellent season) and the Shuttleworth article was informative and accompanied by some lovely photographs. The innovations planned for the 2010 Old Warden season left me with a strong sense of anticipation, glad to see people taking the initiative to do something a little different to the norm.

The 'review of the year' also touched on some of the wider airshow issues, such as innovation and ground entertainment. It was refreshing to see some more thorough analysis of the scene, which is absent from the majority of magazines.

Add to that some beautiful Sea Vixen photographs and a few more worthwhile articles and you have a top notch issue, in my opinion.

As a reader of Aircraft Illustratrated for donkeys years I packed in with the mag about 5 years ago as I thought it had lost its way (jack of all master of none). The new look magazine is by far superior, the articles are more indepth and great photos to accompany the articles.

I personnely prefer less with more (if you get my meaning).

My enthusiasm is now heightened in our hobby because of the new mag. I will again sucscribe to the mag.

Thanks
C

[81TFW]

Got the February issue of Combat Aircraft today, there's a comment from Jamie Hunter stating that the US accounts for 60% of CA's sales. Wonder if this has any bearing on what's happening with Aircraft?

If CA's sales are rising but Aircraft Illustrated in it's old format were in decline, that may be why AI was 'repositioned' I think they call it!

Personally I'm all for the new situation; Aircraft is the best 'historical' magazine on the market for me, and I get all the news I need from CA. I've read enough WWII/Korea tales now, I'm much more interested in what was going on in the 60s/70s/80s.

I never was interested in civil/general aviation, though, which was a strength of the old AI, and I'm fortunate in that I can get both Combat Aircraft and Aircraft each month.

[Nick NZ]

I bought a copy of the 'new' (i.e. Old, just altered) Aircraft (Illustrated) as I fmissed the old AI so much and wanted the 'new' Aircraft to somehow have ressurected itself. Sadly I was wrong. Though I have to admit, the quality of the magazine is still very good, the content is somewhat spoilt, by (I suspect) reprinting old features, but labelling them as 'classic'.

I will not say that I may on occassion buy the 'new' Aircraft magazine, though it is not a shadow of it's former self. But what I do really object to is the way the faithful AI readership has been foirced into either buying BOTH AI AND Combat Aircraft to satisfy what one magazine had previously provided.
So thge readers have been hoodwinked, or 'scammed' into buying 2 magazines instead of one, where they have a general interest.
Nobody at Ian Allan has stood up and declared "Mea Culpa", whether it be an editor who now is showing examples of nepotism. or anyone else.
The 'faithful' have been given the choice of accept it , or "bu**er off'.
For better or worse each reader has made their choice. Ian Allan's indifference means that I feel they deserve to suffer for their greed.

[mrshu]

After 30 years, 360 magazines, a walk every month to my local newsagent in all weather's to pick up my "pristine" copy of Aircraft "ILLUSTRATED" magazine, I've finally given up on my "favourite" mag after 8 months of deep thought about what I want from my monthly aviation magazine! I've emailed the editor, Ben Dunnell, on several occasions via this forum to request that he re-instate the 8 or so pages dedicated to bringing us the current civil and military news but alas, to no avail! I'm sorry to be going as I honestly thought I'd be buying this magazine for another 30 years. January 1980 aged 13 until March 2010 aged 43!!! That's a very long time to support a single magazine!
Why did it have to change? I think the results below speak for themselves!


I want AI back! 102 = 74%
I like the new 'Classic' Aircraft format - Keep that 16 = 11%
I don't care 19 = 13%
Total votes : 137

Ben, if you read this message then please let me know if you go back to the original "ILLUSTRATED" format! After all 3 out of every 4 appear to want it back!!!
It's too late for me now as I've just subscribed to "AIR INTERNATIONAL" Magazine for two years and saved myself nearly £30 in the process!!! £73 for two years against £102.70! And how cunning to introduce a 13th issue a year to allow you to charge even more!

[EMarsh]

Ben, if you read this message then please let me know if you go back to the original "ILLUSTRATED" format! After all 3 out of every 4 appear to want it back!!!

Respect your decision not to carry on buying, but whilst 3 out of 4 people on this forum may want it to revert to the old style, the greater reaction is what matters to the publishers and those involved with Aircraft.

If the market reaction is positive and figures rise or remain steady, why should they change? If the 100+ people here who want Aircraft Illustrated back are a reflection of the feelings within the community as a whole, then sales will drop. I'm sure I read somewhere (possibly in this thread?) that sales have actually increased since the format tweak! Subsequently, I very much doubt the complaints of a handful of people on an internet forum are of much concern to the Aircraft team... but I'm covering old ground here.

Meanwhile, I've gone from glancing over Aircraft Illustrated to religiously reading the whole mag. I must be the odd one out.

[Peelie]

I think after a while a lot of magazines run out of steam, I subscribed to Air Pictorial/Aviation News since 1950 it was 9d in them days but I stopped last year it had lost its way for me anyway.
I started with Aircraft in December last and I like it the next stage will be a subscription I also subscribe to Fly Past but now after reading the News section it stays on my desk unopened

Peelie

[Lomcevak26]

Meanwhile, I've gone from glancing over Aircraft Illustrated to religiously reading the whole mag. I must be the odd one out.

You're not, mate!

[AlexC]

I'm sure I read somewhere (possibly in this thread?) that sales have actually increased since the format tweak!

Come on now, it's been far more then just a 'tweak'! If it had been just a tweak I dare say I'd still be buying it.

[AMB]

Thought I would add my 2 cents worth to this thread. For years I browsed Aircraft Illustrated on the news stand, but rarely bought it, as, for me, it rarely had any archivable information or articles I was interested in.It was frequently a mag full of arty air-to-air photos from the same US contributors. Now the new-look mag has good and interesting historic articles worth reading and keeping for reference. There are too many magazines out there fighting for photos of the latest aircraft or latest livery and many end up publishing the same shots. Now we have rare old photos being showcased that probably have never been published before, accompanying well-written and interesting articles, with a good mix of civil and military and still including current news. Well done I say and it certainly gives the other two 'classic' mags a run for their money.

[MoshNine]

Looks like the vast majority of us were were right in the end and voted with our feet. What a waste of a good magazine that disappeared just because of the whim of an editor.
However, I'm happy to say that I now subscribe to Aviation News and think it is very good (used to buy it 30 odd years ago when it was a newspaper.) Well done - and don't change it !