Flying (magazine)

Flying (magazine)
source
Title	Flying
Company	Flying Media Group
Publisher	Curtiss-Wright Corporation (former)
Founded	1927
Firstdate	October 1927
Country	United States
Based	New York City; previously Chicago; currently Denver
Language	English

Flying (magazine) is an American periodical focused on civil aviation, general aviation, and business aviation, with historical coverage of military aviation topics and aeronautical innovation. It has chronicled developments in aircraft design, avionics, air transport, and pilot culture since its inception, serving audiences that include private pilots, airline professionals, aircraft owners, and aerospace enthusiasts. The magazine has documented milestones involving figures and organizations such as Howard Hughes, Charles Lindbergh, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Cessna.

History

Founded in 1927 during the interwar expansion of air mail, the magazine emerged as part of a surge in publications paralleling events like the Charles Lindbergh transatlantic flight and the growth of companies such as Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Early editors and contributors connected the magazine to personalities including William P. Lear, Glenn Curtiss, Amelia Earhart, and institutions like National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and Pan American World Airways. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s Flying covered developments tied to the Boeing 247, Douglas DC-3, and wartime production by firms such as North American Aviation and Grumman.

Postwar eras saw the magazine report on the rise of business jets from Learjet and Gulfstream Aerospace, and chronicled jetliners such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. Ownership changes involved publishing houses connected to media companies and aerospace stakeholders, with editorial stewardship passing amid consolidation in periodical publishing exemplified by firms like Ziff Davis and corporate buyers. In late 20th- and early 21st-century decades Flying documented regulatory changes influenced by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and technological shifts including avionics suites from Garmin and engine developments by General Electric and Pratt & Whitney.

Content and Features

The magazine's regular editorial mix includes news briefs on manufacturers like Piper Aircraft, Beechcraft, Embraer, and Airbus, feature articles profiling test pilots, designers, and entrepreneurs such as Kelly Johnson, Edgar Schmued, and Jack Northrop. Technical analysis covers aircraft types including the Cessna 172, Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Beechcraft Bonanza, and business jets like the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Challenger. Flight testing and evaluation articles reference test centers and facilities such as Edwards Air Force Base, NASA, and Mojave Air and Space Port.

Instructional content includes pilot technique pieces referencing procedures and standards promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration, accident case studies involving events like the Sully Sullenberger Hudson River landing and profiles of air safety organizations such as the National Transportation Safety Board. Regular departments include buyer's guides with market data about airframes, avionics, and powerplants by manufacturers like Rolls-Royce Holdings and Honeywell International, as well as photography and historical retrospectives tied to archives from institutions like the Smithsonian Institution.

Circulation and Distribution

Circulation historically targeted readers across the United States and internationally through subscriptions and newsstand sales in cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Distribution channels evolved from print to bundled offerings with trade shows and events organized alongside entities such as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and NBAA conventions. Advertising partners over decades included aerospace OEMs like Lockheed Martin and Textron Aviation, aftermarket suppliers, and flight training organizations. Market segmentation tracked owner-flown piston aircraft communities, turboprop operators, and corporate flight departments.

Editorial Staff and Contributors

Staff and freelance contributors have included editors, test pilots, and journalists with expertise in aviation; notable names historically associated with aviation journalism and industry commentary include authors and analysts who have also written about figures like Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright and companies such as Sikorsky Aircraft and Bell Helicopter. Columns have been written by certificated flight instructors, former airline captains from carriers like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, and technical analysts conversant with certification authorities including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Contributors have included historians drawing on primary materials from repositories such as the National Air and Space Museum.

Digital Presence and Multimedia

Flying expanded into digital formats with online articles, multimedia flight-test videos, and social media engagement tied to platforms and services such as YouTube, Twitter, and digital subscription systems. Video content showcases aircraft demonstrations, instrument-panel walkthroughs, and interviews with industry figures from companies like Textron Aviation and Dassault Falcon. The publication has produced podcasts, webcasts, and e-newsletters integrating reporting on airshows such as Paris Air Show and Farnborough Airshow and coverage of innovation hubs linked to firms like SpaceX and startups in the urban air mobility sector.

Awards and Recognition

Over decades Flying and its contributors have received honors and recognition from aviation organizations, industry groups, and journalism bodies; commendations have highlighted reporting on safety analysis, technical expositions, and historical scholarship touching on events like the Berlin Airlift and pioneering flights by aviators such as Howard Hughes. Features and photojournalism have been cited in museum exhibitions and have won awards from associations of aerospace communicators and trade press organizations.

Category:Aviation magazines Category:Publications established in 1927