To discuss anything which relates to the FLYER Airportal or the magazine
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By flyguy
#1799862
Just looked at the Press Gazette article that GBLEW pointed to - wow, complete carnage. Have no doubt that many will be following FLYER's digital only lead - assuming they continue to survive.

I've always preferred printed copy for leisure reading, but I'm getting used to the screen version. It's been helped by what I perceive as a higher quality product as well - good work guys. 8)
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By ChampChump
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800237
I prefer by far the print version, but am keeping the subscription for the time being. As others said, it is a way to support the forum.

My personal quibbles apply to content. American input can be interesting, but seems to me to rather too regular: I Get Paid For This, First Solo, plus Mr Hirschman sometimes line up to replace our own people, of whom we are not that short, are we?

I have a few proof reading quibbles too, as ever. Pulling on the yolk sounds messy, even if it works.

I've had no problems reading the digital version, either in the the rustle as you turn the page or the scroll down format. I miss the paper magazine and curiously, passing on a copy to someone on the periphery of flying feels more effective than pointing him or her at the free download. One they'll browse, the other...maybe not.

Sorry for the negativity on a miserable weekend.
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By Pete L
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800333
(Thread drift) At least our paddock is reminding me of where I grew up - it's doing a great impression of the Essex marshes. Nostalgia is an OK cure for damp days :D )
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800507
I have just struggled through the first ten pages of the latest Flyer on my 14 " laptop;

The tiny print means I have to read each page separately and while on each page, scroll up and down to read it all:and referring back to something which would normally mean a finger stuck in the appropriate page becomes a faff.

It is impossible to read on my iPadMini and as my laptop is connected to many systems it sits permanently on my desk.
Ergo, there is no reading Flyer in bed or at ease in the lounge, just upright at my desk.

Sorry I tried- but I'm giving up and will concentrate on paper publications. However at £2.50 a month the Forum remains excellent value, which I will continue to support.

Peter
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#1800588
I have enjoyed Flyer over the last ten years or so, it has been my aviation magazine of choice up until now.

I have had no problem downloading the magazine, but as I spend most of my life in front of a bank of computer screens, the last thing I want to do is spend my leisure time in front of one as well. I have not read a single copy since its gone digital, I am sure the content is as good as ever, but until the time when I can get my copy safely soggy in the bath with a nice glass of red then I am afraid that I am defecting to the paper opposition.
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By T67M
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800601
Sadly I'm in much the same position - since Flyer went digital-only, I've not read a single copy. I downloaded them all over the weekend and gave it a serious try, and whilst I just about managed to get a comfortable setup using a large-screen convertible laptop in "tablet mode", scrolling through pages was not a pleasant experience, with a constant need to zoom-in to make the text readable, scroll around the follow the text, then zoom back out again to move to the next "page" - the multi-column layout needed in a print magazine doesn't work well in electronic format. The ISSUU reader tries to give a single-column layout sometimes, but fails abysmally and was absolutely awful in several other ways too so I gave up within five minutes. The PDFs were much better (and very easy to file for future reference!) - until you got to a full-page advert which tried to link to the advertiser's website every time I touched the screen when trying to move to the next page. I think I managed to get through about two issues before I gave up completely - which is a great shame since the content is still excellent - it's just the digital presentation which lets it down even on a large "tablet" style device.

Of course, even with a tablet, you won't get quite the same "soggy" effect whilst reading in the bath... :wink:
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By Nick
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800632
I disliked the digital publication from the start and said so. Sorry I upset you @G-BLEW I have kept my subscription going but I do wonder for what! Yes the forum is worth it but I just can't be bothered to sit at the desk and read Flyer. And even then it doesn't really work, so consequently I am not bothering with it. Should I continue to stump up £2.50 a month when others are getting a free copy and the forum? Perhaps the forum and Flyer magazine should be charged for together or it should all be free!
I need convincing it's worth continuing, I am very close to giving up on the whole thing!

Nick
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By G-BLEW
Boss Man  Boss Man
#1800643
Nick wrote:I disliked the digital publication from the start and said so. Sorry I upset you @G-BLEW I have kept my subscription going but I do wonder for what! Yes the forum is worth it but I just can't be bothered to sit at the desk and read Flyer. And even then it doesn't really work, so consequently I am not bothering with it. Should I continue to stump up £2.50 a month when others are getting a free copy and the forum? Perhaps the forum and Flyer magazine should be charged for together or it should all be free!
I need convincing it's worth continuing, I am very close to giving up on the whole thing!

Nick


Hi Nick

If it doesn't work for you then you shouldn't pay. You will still be able to enjoy the forum and the free version of the magazine without landing fees etc.

The only risk is that if too many people consume everything for nothing, there will be nothing left to consume.

Brgds

Ian
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800647
I do wonder about some people's attitudes. The object of the exercise is to pay money to keep flyer going because it provides a range of benefits to the flying community. Flyer also seeks to minimise the contribution needed and frankly it's peanuts in the grand scheme of things.

Their courage and creativity have certainly attracted my admiration and I'm slowly changing my habits to adapt, which is an interesting learning experience for an old f@rt.

The content remains wide ranging and interesting and while I'm not a natural Ipad reader and I've never even considered a Kindle I am now able to settle on the sofa and read the mag on my Ipad mini.
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By Nick
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800686
Hi Nick

If it doesn't work for you then you shouldn't pay. You will still be able to enjoy the forum and the free version of the magazine without landing fees etc.

The only risk is that if too many people consume everything for nothing, there will be nothing left to consume.

Brgds

Ian[/quote]

Thank you Ian. But, I feel guilty taking something for nothing and that is why I have continued with my subscription and, why I started with it in the first place. I have only ever used a couple of landing vouchers, the first one I presented, was met with a rolling of eyes, the second was taken and promptly screwed up and dropped in the bin, I've not used any since. Perhaps I am too sensitive!

I also wonder how you can encourage people to subscribe. Perhaps six months free and then you have to pay up. As you say someone has to!
There seems to be a growing attitude of wanting/expecting everything for nothing! Is it a Snowflake thing?
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800691
I've just rectified my guilt at not being a subscriber for a few years as I never managed to get through the mag due to often not having it with me when I had tiime to read it... :oops:

Having read the last couple of digital copies on an iPad Air on Issuu, I'm happy with the format but if there are improvements on the way, even better! Seems a bargain to me!
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By T67M
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1800777
T67M wrote:Sadly I'm in much the same position - since Flyer went digital-only, I've not read a single copy.


For the avoidance of doubt, I am a Flyer subscriber and intend to stay so - these forums alone are worth my (financial) support. The sad thing is that the current digital delivery format means that the excellent work Ian and the team do in writing the articles is not being fully appreciated. The point of my post above is to simply give feedback to the team that a few relatively simple changes to the PDF format (such as not making full-page adverts into full-page links, and making the PDFs easier to find) would IMO be a step to winning back at least some of the lost audience.
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By G-BLEW
Boss Man  Boss Man
#1800813
The point of my post above is to simply give feedback to the team that a few relatively simple changes


Thanks T67. The current delivery method is an interim step, there will be changes but they take time (and money) to implement.

The good news is that FLYER is currently read by more people than ever before, and significantly more than any other UK GA magazine, but that just makes us determined to continue to change, adapt and improve.

Ian
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