# FLYING Magazine vs Observer Local

The clearest difference is rating: Observer Local at 4.8 against FLYING Magazine's 4.3. Observer Local also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12). FLYING Magazine's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (366 vs 4). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FLYING Magazine sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $50.00 per year. Observer Local asks for nothing beyond the download.

Observer Local holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FLYING Magazine has 366 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FLYING Magazine ships an update every 3 months, Observer Local every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and August 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FLYING Magazine | Observer Local |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (366 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flying-magazine/id397992129/reviews) | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-local/id1630254977/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **366** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 17.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flying Media Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1600548072) | [Observer Media Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451288950) |

## What reviewers say

### FLYING Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flying-magazine/id397992129)

Access the latest aviation news, expert reviews, and in-depth articles on flight training, aircraft ownership, and industry innovations. Stay informed and inspired with content tailored for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Aviation news and expert reviews, Flight training and aircraft ownership content, Offline reading capabilities, Customizable reading modes, Interactive table of contents, Bookmarks for saved articles

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flying Magazine \| 1 Year | $50.00 | per year |
| FLYING Magazine | $50.00 | per year |
| October 2010 | $3.99 | one-time |
| November 2010 | $3.99 | one-time |
| October 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| December 2010 | $3.99 | one-time |
| January 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| February 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| March 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| April 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| May 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |
| June 2011 | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 📚 Great content
- 👍 Convenient digital format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate
- 🔒 Login/account issues
- ⏱️ Slow downloads
- 💰 Expensive digital subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to download new issues
- Lost access to previously purchased issues
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Offline reading mode
- Ability to view full-page layouts
- Better organization of past issues
- Improved customer support


### Observer Local

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-local/id1630254977)

Access digital replicas of your favorite Observer newspapers, including the Palm Coast Observer and Ormond Beach Observer. Read the full print layout on any device with this convenient e-Newspaper format. Stay informed about local news impacting your community.

**Highlights:** Digital newspaper replicas, Palm Coast Observer included, Ormond Beach Observer included, e-Newspaper format, Local news coverage, Accessible on multiple devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FLYING Magazine free?

FLYING Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Observer Local free?

Observer Local is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FLYING Magazine or Observer Local?

Observer Local is rated higher. FLYING Magazine averages 4.3 out of 5 from 366 ratings, while Observer Local averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do FLYING Magazine or Observer Local have ads?

Observer Local shows ads; FLYING Magazine does not.

### Which is updated more often, FLYING Magazine or Observer Local?

FLYING Magazine ships an update every 3 months, and Observer Local every 8 months. Most recently, FLYING Magazine was updated on September 29, 2026 and Observer Local on August 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*