Relevance??

[frank marriott]

I wonder if anyone (or at least many) considers relevance of many subjects being debated here. It looks like a Facebook type discussion on anything a lot of the time, at least to me, my interest in this site being aviation related topics??????

 

The Recreational Flying site provides resources and supports an on-line community for everyone having an interest in recreational flight, whether they just continue to dream or turn their dream into reality. Accordingly, to benefit both pilots and aviation enthusiasts the objectives of this site are to:-

 

• Improve safety and safety-awareness by enabling the sharing of ideas and experiences in a friendly, non-threatening atmosphere.
   
   
  
• Improve maintenance skills and practices by providing information as well as forums in which questions can be answered and experience shared.
   
   
  
• Improve pilot skills by supporting an informal continuous learning environment, in which discussion and knowledge sharing can flourish.
   
   
  
• Provide help and advice for people seeking knowledge about, or participating in recreational aviation.
   
   
  
• Provide an on-line community in which aviation enthusiasts can communicate, discuss and enjoy sharing their passion with others.
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

[gareth lacey]

Frank, I agree and choose only to read the posts that are relevant to flying (and some of the funny,s) BUT unlike Facebook you can discuss other topics and usually not get blasted by other users ,we agree here to disagree

 

Cheers Gareth

 

 

[microman]

I also totally agree with your sentiments Frank - this is an aviation site - not a forum for bigoted, left-wing, right-wing religious nuts who insist on airing their views on everything under the sun. In the end it becomes utterly pointless as extremists from both ends of the spectrum will never agree on anything so why even have the discussion?

 

 

[Yenn]

Whatever people post here allows us to have an insight into what they think, so the extremist bigots reveal themselves and we can ignore their poorly thought out views on aviation as well as life in general. The site seems to me to be mainlt related to aviation and it is easy to avoid the rubbish, so why worry. The good thing is that there is very little bad mouthing or denigration going on.

 

 

[old man emu]

Frank,

 

As a prime contributor to non-aviation topics, I accept fully that a lot of the posts here wander off topic. These are the threads that usually get a lot of activity for a short time, then die. Like a flash in the pan. If you note the tones used in most of these wandering topics, you will see that most of it is friendly banter, most of the time. Like blokes sitting around a pub table talking bull over a few beers. However, there is also a lot of gems amongst the spoil. The topics that stay on track usually are taken seriously by all.

 

Following this site is like choosing your TV shows. You ignore the ones that you don't like, but fight tenaciously to see the ones you do. You have been a major contributor for longer than most, and I don't recall your having lowered to tone in any of your posts. Perhaps we show a lot more interest in your final point than in the other three.

 

Please don't you go wandering off. You are needed here.

 

OME

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Frank, who is stopping you from sharing?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I also totally agree with your sentiments Frank - this is an aviation site - not a forum for bigoted, left-wing, right-wing religious nuts who insist on airing their views on everything under the sun. In the end it becomes utterly pointless as extremists from both ends of the spectrum will never agree on anything so why even have the discussion?

Because flying is limited in topic, other items keep people coming back which is good for the forum and flying. I agree that some 'out there' posts and threads should be nipped in the bud earlier or removed completely, personally I just try to inject a bit of humour into them to help keep them light.

 

And of course checking your input into the forum, it's very low and self serving, that is actually quite normal for sanctimonious people who complain about how other's post.

 

I would like to see more build/tech stuff discussed here myself, there's some clever Members here.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

The Recreational Flying site

Well I disagree Frank, I just looked at the front page and there's the guitar clip and the Farmers hay charity run and all the rest are 100% aviation on topic.

 

That's pretty typical of Rec Flying I believe.

 

Yes, the Aethist thread and immigration thread get a fair bit of air time but they are easy to ignore. I would hate to see the joke threads get canned.

 

 

[rankamateur]

And of course checking your input into the forum, it's very low and self serving, that is actually quite normal for sanctimonious people who complain about how other's post.

Spit it out Bex! Why don't you come right out and say what you really think.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Well I disagree Frank, I just looked at the front page and there's the guitar clip and the Farmers hay charity run and all the rest are 100% aviation on topic.That's pretty typical of Rec Flying I believe.

 

Yes, the Aethist thread and immigration thread get a fair bit of air time but they are easy to ignore. I would hate to see the joke threads get canned.

The objectives of the site are not my input, just pointing what is written - take them as you like.

 

 

[microman]

Because flying is limited in topic, other items keep people coming back which is good for the forum and flying. I agree that some 'out there' posts and threads should be nipped in the bud earlier or removed completely, personally I just try to inject a bit of humour into them to help keep them light.And of course checking your input into the forum, it's very low and self serving, that is actually quite normal for sanctimonious people who complain about how other's post.

 

I would like to see more build/tech stuff discussed here myself, there's some clever Members here.

Perhaps thats because I only contribute when I have something relating to aviation which I think may be of interest to others - instead of mouthing off on political/religious issues. And yes - I like the jokes too!

 

 

[robinsm]

I think you will find that the topics mentioned are in the other forum in the off topic area. Most of the other posts are fine. How about mentioning the forums that you have a problem with and dont generalise about them all. I for one, have found most of the topics in the other forums of varying intereest and if I dont want to read about politics/religion/ islamic invasion etc then I dont read that forum. Easy.

 

 

[Jabiru7252]

It's the same for all forums. I'm a member of Ham radio forums, computer programming forums, science forums and the behavior is the same. Must be part of the TCP/IP suit but I am not sure which layer it's at.

 

 

[Nobody]

Go have a read over on Vansairforce.com some time. Over there off topic threads are not permitted and are quickly deleted by the moderators. That site has a great group of knowledgeable people who freely share their knowledge and experience with others.

 

There are a lot of people in Australia who have given up on this site and left or only infrequently post because of the off topic drivel that is posted here.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

forums generally are on the decline. most of the bike forums which where busy 10 years ago are dying and lots gone forever.

 

 

[dutchroll]

I have no objections to off-topic forums in principle, but they do spiral out of control sometimes.

 

I admit I'm quite guilty of being suckered into reading them here sometimes and giving into my "dark side". The side of me which reads a post trying to "prove" something using BS statistics or a completely discredited reference dredged from the rotting bowels of an extremist website, or just a silly argument which contradicts itself. I can't help myself in responding and pointing it out rather bluntly. My wife (a highly educated professional herself) often says, while shaking her head in amazement, "Why do you bother? They'll never change their mind no matter what the reality is!" She has a good point!

 

The VAF forums are good aviation forums, except of course it's quite USA-centric. If you can get around that, they're really helpful.

 

The Aeroelectric forums (on the Matronics forum list) used to be a favourite of mine too, but unfortunately Bob Knuckles despite his absolute wealth of aviation experience talks verbosely and in riddles, and getting a straight and understandable (for the layperson) answer to a question from him can be hard. So I gave up on them.

 

 

[Yenn]

It is good in my opinion to read the silly responses and queries that sometimes appear here. It shows the standard of aviation about. the other good thing is the good responses that appear here.

 

I am tempted to rate the people who post here frequently and see if the stupids outnumber the geniuses. But thatw ould take the fun out of it all and it is fun that keeps me fit to fly.

 

 

[facthunter]

It would be a good thing if everyone felt free to ask a question without fear of looking a bit silly. Sometimes not responding indicates a lack of knowledge or interest or perhaps not wanting to be jumped on by the experts. Everyone starts at the beginning. Getting people to think is a good start. Nev

 

 

[Geoff13]

We are brought together by a common interest. Flying. That does not mean that we can't have other common interests. There are many here who ride for example.

 

I find it really simple. if a topic does not interest me I don't read it. Its a bit like hangar talk I guess we go to the hangar because of flying, however once we are there we talk about everything and anything of interest.

 

I think of this place as my virtual hangar for when I can't get to the real one and as such am happy to discuss anything until the owner of the site tells me not to.

 

 

[dutchroll]

It would be a good thing if everyone felt free to ask a question without fear of looking a bit silly.

I totally agree.

However I hope members here don't confuse "asking a silly question" with "making a silly assertive statement and not being interested in whether or not it's right".

 

The problem with the off-topic forums is that a minority of people get on there and make silly assertive statements, rather than ask silly questions. Silly questions are benign, and easy to answer in an explanatory way which doesn't belittle someone. Silly assertive statements are driven by ignorance (often deliberate) and heavily biased misconceptions, which are much harder to respond to in a moderate, neutral way because the individual frequently isn't interested in having the fundamental flaws in that statement pointed out. It's hard to get around that.....except maybe ignore!

 

 

[greybeard]

Just think of it as the internet version of 'Crackerjack' (the movie)

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I am shocked that Frank actually wants us to be "politically correct" on this forum. shocked

 

 

[frank marriott]

I am shocked that Frank actually wants us to be "politically correct" on this forum. shocked

I never said that. Merely pointed out the aims as listed for the site. Just I don't come to this site to read rubbish having no revevance to aviation.

I have never been accused of being politically correct.

 

Hey, if the non aviation guff is supported, so be it, I can adjust my involvement without affecting anyone else - I just pointed to the aims, maybe that has changed - ask Ian, purely an observation on my behalf - some people agree some don't, Really it depends where you want the site to end up.

 

 

[old man emu]

Merely pointed out the aims as listed for the site. Just I don't come to this site to read rubbish having no revevance to aviation.

Fair comment, and we all defend your right to say it. We might not fully agree, but it gives us pause to consider if it is polite to send a "serious" thread off on a tangent. We are lucky to have Off Topic and Aviation Laughter to post drivel. Perhaps we should be disciplining ourselves as to what and where we make replies.

 

OME

 

 

[dazza 38]

forums generally are on the decline. most of the bike forums which where busy 10 years ago are dying and lots gone forever.

Advrider is still huge.