VFR Flight Following -- What's going on here?

Exactly. I mostly lurk here to learn something from time to time. I post
rarely but used to do it under my real name which brought me grief from
someone. I'm also the victim of identity theft, so I became a little
paranoid. I then posted under the name "lowflyer" and more recently as
"RomeoMike" (only as a lark when I got a new computer and switched to
Thunderbird). There are other usenet groups that have no problem with
trolls or incivility, even though pseudonyms are used. This group has a
problem with trolls at least partly because people, including respected
posters, choose to respond to them. And also because some here are easy
to goad into a feud. I can't prove it, but my impression is that,
compared to 5-6 years ago, there is less hard core aviation discussion
here and more chit chat amongst a group of friends, but I digress. Just
a point of view from an anonymous poster who has never trolled the group.



Matt Barrow wrote:


In this day of stalkers, identity thieves, etc., anyone who posts all their
personal info has got to be nuts.

Besides, what damn difference does it make if someone posts under their
birth name or as "Joe Blow"? Does it give their arguments one more gram of
credibility or one less?

Damn it, learn to judge the argument by it's logic and factual basis, not
the wrapper it comes in.

On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 16:48:07 -0600, RomeoMike
wrote in ::

I can't prove it, but my impression is that,
compared to 5-6 years ago, there is less hard core aviation discussion
here and more chit chat amongst a group of friends, ...

It can be proven, but it's pretty obviously true. It could be that
those serious about aviation who would like to participate in sober
and thoughtful discussion are driven away by the frivolity and
indecorous conduct unbecoming responsible airmen that occasionally
occurs in rec.aviation.piloting currently.

A while back, there was a suggestion for the creation of a new
newsgroup for those who on occasion preferred to participate in
'hangar flying' rather than exchange _information_ relative to
piloting. I have to agree, that the chit chat seems to dilute the
"hard core aviation discussion." I would support the creation of the
proposed new newsgroup, but someone else is going to have to carry the
ball to see that it gets chartered.

There also seems to be a good deal of discussion about EAA revenant
issues, that is an arcane subset of piloting discussion, and may be a
candidate for its own newsgroup as well.

How about these suggestions as seeds for proposed newsgroup charters:

rec.aviation.hangar-flying

Discussion among aviators, and those interested in aviation,
about aviation related topics, events, and tangential political
issues. A friendly place for chit chat, camaraderie, and jocular
inanity. Anonymous identities gleefully accepted.

and

rec.aviation.EAA

Discussion among Experimental Aircraft Association members, and
others who have an interest in the activities of the EAA,
concerning EAA issues, events, and philosophies.

rec.aviation.EAA

Discussion among Experimental Aircraft Association members, and
others who have an interest in the activities of the EAA,
concerning EAA issues, events, and philosophies.

Isn't that what rec.aviation.homebuilt is substantially about?

Although I have noticed a sub-strata of homebuilders who absolutely (and
inexplicably, IMHO) despise EAA.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("RomeoMike" wrote)
[snip]
I can't prove it, but my impression is that, compared to 5-6 years ago,
there is less hard core aviation discussion here and more chit chat
amongst a group of friends, but I digress. Just a point of view from an
anonymous poster who has never trolled the group.


You and Larry are using words like somber, serious and hard core do describe
a newsgroup you would favor. Hell, Larry even used a word I had to look up -
Indecorous ...I went with flying too close to the sun??

Here's your "proof" RM. I poked around and found little difference, but
that's me.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...piloting/about
(rec.aviation.piloting ...About this group - goes back to 1992)

Post more often RM, it would be good to hear from you, plus maybe all of us
could learn something from you.


Montblack

RomeoMike wrote:

I can't prove it, but my impression is that,
compared to 5-6 years ago, there is less hard core aviation discussion
here and more chit chat amongst a group of friends, but I digress.

I remember the days before "Highflyer" had to use a pseudonym, when the fish we
do not name was a scourge, and .....

Let's just say it was a long time ago. ASAIR, the number of postings per day
seem to be about the same and the percentage of true aviation discussions to
off-topic seems to be the same. We don't have some of the acrimony and hostility
that existed back then (no regular has been kicked out for at least a decade),
and the trolls today are a bit tame compared to one Texan I remember about 1989.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 09:31:52 -0500, "Montblack"
wrote in
::

Here's your "proof" RM. I poked around and found little difference, but
that's me.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...piloting/about
(rec.aviation.piloting ...About this group - goes back to 1992)

That data seems only to address the number of articles posted to the
newsgroup. It looks like it peaked in 2003 and is declining
currently. Unfortunately, the data are unable to provide insight into
the informational content of the articles.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 12:58:40 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
4KSve.109836$nG6.98760@attbi_s22::

rec.aviation.EAA

Discussion among Experimental Aircraft Association members, and
others who have an interest in the activities of the EAA,
concerning EAA issues, events, and philosophies.

Isn't that what rec.aviation.homebuilt is substantially about?

One would expect so. But there seems to be quite a lot of EAA Air
Venture chit chat on rec.aviation.piloting lately. Granted the new
product debuts and piloting that occurs incidental to the show are on
topic here.

But EAA isn't entirely about homebuilding, it's also a fraternity of
aviation buffs who may or may not be pilots. Some EAA members are
creative and many are talented, however I don't think their ranks
represent the pilot community generally, but I could be wrong.

Some more serious minded pilots may find the ethos of some of the
current participants in rec.aviation.home built off putting, IMO. So,
to the extent that that ethos spills into rec.aviation.piloting, it
may drive away more serious minded piloting discussion.

Perhaps a simpler solution to the decline in serious piloting
discussion in rec.aviation.piloting would be to create
rec.aviation.piloting.serious or rec.aviation.professional newsgroups.
:-)

Although I have noticed a sub-strata of homebuilders who absolutely (and
inexplicably, IMHO) despise EAA.

I was unaware that that sort of sentiment existed toward the EAA.

Although I have noticed a sub-strata of homebuilders who absolutely (and
inexplicably, IMHO) despise EAA.

I was unaware that that sort of sentiment existed toward the EAA.

Really?

Paul Poberezny (the founder of EAA, father of the current president, Tom)
has started a competing group (whose name I can't recall -- Homebuilders
Aircraft Association? Sport Aircraft Association?) because so many EAA
members have felt disenfranchised by the direction the group has taken in
recent years. It is apparently growing steadily.

Go to the AAA (Antique Aircraft Association) fly-in in Blakesburg -- of
which Paul Poberezney is a regular attendee and a member -- and they can
barely speak of EAA without spitting.

What does this say about Paul's attitude toward the direction his son is
taking EAA?

To me it's totally bizarre -- as if aviation isn't small and fragmented
enough? -- but apparently there are truly some hard feelings out there.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Thanks for the encouragement. I usually find that there are people here
who knows more than I on a given topic, so I don't add to the chatter
unless I have a question or IMHO misinformation has been posted.

Post more often RM, it would be good to hear from you, plus maybe all of us
could learn something from you.


Montblack

Paul Poberezny (the founder of EAA, father of the current president, Tom)
has started a competing group (whose name I can't recall -- Homebuilders
Aircraft Association? Sport Aircraft Association?) because so many EAA
members have felt disenfranchised by the direction the group has taken in
recent years. It is apparently growing steadily.

Go to the AAA (Antique Aircraft Association) fly-in in Blakesburg -- of
which Paul Poberezney is a regular attendee and a member -- and they can
barely speak of EAA without spitting.

What does this say about Paul's attitude toward the direction his son is
taking EAA?

After being an EAA member for roughly 20 years, this year I got the
renewal in the mail, looked at it unopened for a minute, and chucked
it in the trash. The EAA I knew died when Paul P left the helm. It just
took me several years to bury it. And by then, it was smelling
awfully foul.

I've heard this, over and over, from (usually gray-headed) long-term EAA
members. Some of them quite vociferously.

Yet, for the life of me, I can't get ANY of them to tell me what, precisely,
they are so ****ed about. I'm not sure even they know -- it's almost a
gut-level frustration that can't be described.

I've been a member of EAA since 1983. I've seen Airventure grow
exponentially, year after year, until it's now the premier
fly-in/convention/air show in the world. I've read Sport Aviation every
month -- that's 264 consecutive issues -- and (although I must admit to
being bored with many of the topics) it has improved many orders of
magnitude since the Reagan Administration.

Annual dues are cheap. The museum in Oshkosh is incredibly beautiful, and
well done. Local EAA chapters are almost always fun, lively, and filled
with good people who are in love with aviation. Kids are welcome, and Young
Eagle flights are the best thing that has happened in GA since the 1940s.

So WHAT is there to hate about EAA? I just don't get it.

IMHO, General Aviation is so small that we simply can't afford to become
fragmented into little competing groups. Not if we want to survive.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Nomen Nescio" ] wrote in message
...
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From: "Jay Honeck"

Paul Poberezny (the founder of EAA, father of the current president, Tom)
has started a competing group (whose name I can't recall -- Homebuilders
Aircraft Association? Sport Aircraft Association?) because so many EAA
members have felt disenfranchised by the direction the group has taken in
recent years. It is apparently growing steadily.

Go to the AAA (Antique Aircraft Association) fly-in in Blakesburg -- of
which Paul Poberezney is a regular attendee and a member -- and they can
barely speak of EAA without spitting.



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