An Observation On Different Styles

This is for the most part true. But not all ribbons burn the same. It depends on how dry the blend is and the condiments used, as well as casings and toppings. But for the most part, ribbons will burn faster than flakes, etc.

It's normal.
See here: Burn rates and time management.
Pipe geometry plays a role too, the thinner the chamber, the faster the burn.

Wait until you try some Daughters & Ryan tobacco...

Seems normal. Flakes and plugs do seem to burn slower than ribbons. I do vary slightly for some styles, like I'm particularly gentle with a shag. Or I might pack a plug looser than a ribbon. Sort of a feel for what I'm smoking.

kindling vs logs? pretty much that's the analogy here. achieving the optimum pack depending upon each blend's presentation is what we all fight with, some of us have better luck with experience maybe?

Ribbon/Shag style tobacco definitely "tends" to burn faster and hotter than flakes. Many other variables must be considered of course. Over the past 2-3 years I have trended almost exclusively to smoking flake tobacco. I also have tailored my pipes to smaller pieces that burn flake better. I still have big Castello pipes in my collection that I use to smoke my cellared ribbon and shag tobaccos. All new purchases are flake tobacco and smaller pipes.

Definitely flake/plug/coin/rope, in general, burn slower than loose tobacco of various cuts (shag, ribbon, thick, medium, rough, etc.). You can get an average length smoke out of a small pipe with flake/etc. Some loose tobacco really burns fast; I think first of Five Brothers, and to a lesser degree Tabac-Manil Semois (fast but not bad). You should be able to get a full-length relaxing smoke out of most loose tobacco. After all, this is the standard classic form of pipe tobacco, and people have enjoyed it for centuries. As with most aspects of pipe smoking, you have to tinker with it and learn it on your own terms, pack enough tobacco tight but springy -- you need some air in there with the leaf. A char light may be necessary to settle the tobacco. Use your tamper to keep it consolidated but don't jam it down too hard. Some blends need drying, and others do not. And so forth. You should find blends and cuts of loose tobacco that give you a relaxed full-length smoke. Sample around in small quantities. I think pouch tobacco meant for wide sales is often noticeably more "cooperative," and some of it is much better than the over-the-counter packaging suggests.

Much as I love rough cuts, coin & flake are big faves too. When I want a niiiiice lonng smoke, they're my go-tos, especially Erinmore, Navy flake (any), & 3 Nuns. Love 'em, just love 'em.

I smoke flakes, plugs, coins and ropes because they smoker cooler and give me a more enjoyable smoke than a ribbon cut. The slower and cooler the burn the more flavor you can generally get out of a blend. Out of all the blends in my cellar, only one is a course cut and one is a ribbon. Both of these are aromatics which I smoke when company is around.

I'm a flake guy too. I love a 1-2 hour smoke in a medium sized bowl. Last night I smoke some Elizabethan and it seemed to go by in a flash.