The Gorilla

I am the only one who thinks that this forum has gone downhill rapidly over the last few months?? I am well aware that a large proportion of the posters are not "Real Military Aircrew" I discussed this forum with a number of genuine and local Ppruners today. The idea has been mooted that we should maybe apply to the powers that be here on Pprune and request that the forum be closed to all who are not professional military aircrew. There are many posters here who pretend to be that which they are clearly not.

I appreciate that a lot of useless whinging goes on here, but we also get a lot of good info about whats going on in the wider Royal Admin Farce. The VC10 court martial thread is one such example.

What does every one else think??

Tiger_mate

I would second your proposal for a closed Forum, but have reservations about who would "Police" it.

The appeal of the forums is that free speach is available without watching your back. I know of a JR photo int who was invited to blunt city for a career interview, although he was trying to sell the members of JARIC UK to the arabs at the time!

If someone here got a rodding from the system about a post they had written, the whole forum would descent into b0110cks.

That said, you have a fair point about inputs from non mil readers without our unique sense of humour.

Wonder if OBL is reading the latest here.

Regards

TM
Mk1 Genuine military aviator, noise making for the use of.

BEagle

NO!! IT MUST NOT BE A CLOSED FORUM!! Sorry about the shouting, but if it did become closed, users might be restricted and, ipso facto, might be viewed as a subversive group by those who would dearly like to strangle this forum. It is effectively self-policing and we should leave it as it is, in my opinion.

FJJP

It must stay an open forum. As for policing, Danny is first class. On a couple of occasions, I have e-mailed him to warn that a particular subject was getting close to a security breech, whereupon he immediately deleted the subject. That's all we need.

Low and Slow

My pure motivation for reading this forum is the banter and humour - which I miss - and the input of the "real" old-style aircrew - whom I grew up with.
I'm not ex-military aircrew. I am ex-military, but so what?
I've got no problem with you closing this forum to me- except it'll be crap.
There are a lot of very smart people out here - talk to us.

Brian Dixon

Where would a closed forum leave those of us, who are not aircrew, yet are fighting for the reputations of two of your deceased colleagues?

I am proud to have served my country for 12 years.
I am DAMN proud about fighting for two of my friends.

PPRuNe has been invaluable in the campaign for justice for Jon Tapper and Rick Cook. Would you deny them that opportunity?

No offence intended by this post - just a point made.

Brian
"Justice has no expiry date" - John Cook

Art Field

For those of us ex military aircrew and my impression is that there are many of us, this forum gives us some contact with the present day service, warts and all. It may be arrogant to say that we can sometimes contribute valuable opinions and remind our successors that the wheel was round even then. It also seems to me that contributions from those without the appropriate background sticks out like the proverbial and can easily be ignored. Please don't exclude us, we would miss you greatly and I think you would miss our efforts too

pana

Open forum, of course!!! How would you imagine me to login here? With RAF ID, or what? Don't say that you don't want to hear some different opinions! It would be boring isn't it?
Superseagull pilot

OldBonaMate

I'll drink to that, Art Field. .... when I get home tonight.

OBM :

[ 24 September 2001: Message edited by: OldBonaMate ]

Didntdoit

Well,

I've been vilified on this site with the best of them by the best of them and I've never prentented to be who I'm not, but it would be very easy to do so.

Goes back to the football team analogy. One player may score, but he can only do it if everyone else plays a part.

I thought we were one team. Some primates clearly beg to differ.

the funky munky

Yes, I admit that I am not "Real Military Aircrew" but I am a member of the MOD and so read this and other forums with professional interest.
Should this be a closed forum is a question that only Pprunes moderators can and should answer. BEagles comments make a great deal of sense.
I have only started to add my comments recently after reading this forum and others for many months.
I have a great deal of respect for you Military Aviator fellas.
I will only respond to postings that I feel strongly about or where appropriate can make light of. I do not believe in wasting other peoples time.

64av8or

Keep it open and if I'm not mistaken this a forum for all military Aircrew not just the RAF!

Trash 'n' Navs

64av8or Well said. I thought the forum was open to all military aicrew and not just the chaps of the Royal Air Farce.

If the chaps want to have their cup o' tea and spotted dick or crumpet whilst complaining about the poor showing of the English cricket team, then perhaps they need their own forum?

[ 25 September 2001: Message edited by: Trash 'N' Navs ]

Mach the Knife

Keep the forum open, we can police it ourselves by not responding to some of the bollox posted. The tossers will soon get bored and sod off elsewhere if they don't get the reaction they want.

15/15 flex

England cricket team......poor showing? I must have been away a while.....no, hang on, maybe not....Pimms anyone?


Keep this thread for serious military topics only.

Martel

If we are going to keep it open to all lets have a BIT of pride shall we. Royal Admin Farce? That kind of crap is best kept in house thanks big chimpy fellah.
Military Aviator, Royal Air Force. Lest we forget...........

Wholigan

Definitely, absolutely, positively OPEN. Apart from the nonsense of having to prove entitlement by producing service number or some such thing, we have a great number of non-military supporters and friends who love to come in and see what we are doing. Moreover, they frequently have some very good points to make and some searching questions to ask. Furthermore, those who talk bollox in here are not limited to the non-military!!! It's good, don't change it, we can moderate ourselves by ignoring or giving idiots and numpties a hard time.

henry crun

I would be disappointed if it were to be a closed forum.

For many of us ex's it is about the only link we have with what is going on in the service.

The Nr Fairy

Absolutely NOT - outside of JB, some of the funniest / most farcical threads appear here.

Surditas

Keep it an open forum. Folks in the outside world are interested in what we do, plus those that have left the services like to keep in touch.
Oh, and don't forget it is for military aircrew, not just RAF. That way we get to talk about the Wallabies, Oz cricket team, the weather etc... (all in a military context, of course.)