Would that not be akin to him hitting your ignore button and then disparaging you on a thread with no form of recourse?

Well, he was quite happy to do that as well.

What goes around comes around.

Good riddance.

I don't think anybody cares who Guppy was, and nobody should, because every half savvy person tries to maintain online privacy, otherwise anybody doing a google on a full name will dig out all kinds of stuff which some people would prefer an existing or prospective employer or customer not seeing.

Sure one can locate most posters here, with some detective work, but I don't think they particularly care. It is the above mentioned trivial reverse lookup which most try to stop working. That is why I am not on sites like Face book, LinkedIn, etc, and if I was I would not use my full name, which defeats the whole point of e.g. LinkedIn which is principally a business/favour/job networking site.

The "SNS3Guppy" name itself is some oddball transport plane for oversized loads. You can find it on google.

"Good riddance"
I had more respect for his posts than for most on this site.

I am tempted to make one comment as it is not Mr Guppy specific.

I think we are all fascinated by threads where the writers purport to relate to first hand experience. Inevitably we take a certain comfort when we feel or know it is something they have done, rather than read about, been told about, or, in the extreme, made up.

Experiences are what seperates reality from theory, and we all know that in all sorts of subtle ways theory is usually not exactly the same as reality. I think we also feel that a friend telling you a story is one thing, but inevitably something is lost in the telling; recounting a story is not quite the same as being a character in the story.

The trouble is so much is written and discussed in the public debate that it is easy to blur the distinction between a first hand and a second hand account of events should you wish to do so.

Where is my post leading - well I am not sure really. Does it matter - again I dont really know. Should we be any more or less comfortable or take them any more or less seriously when someone posts an account and we believe their account is based on first hand experience?

I am inclinded to think that actually it doesnt really matter because we have plenty of time to consider whether anything we might take from their post is useful and whether we dare use it in the real world.

I have flown with quite a few pilots. You can usually tell within the first 5 minutes if they know their business. You have got a pretty good idea whether it is going to be a relaxing flight way before the aircraft ever gets off the ground. Often with the written word you are able to form the same impression. Their are subtelties in the things people write that make you suspicious of whether they are just talking the talk.

However sometimes people are very good at talking the talk, which words enable, but real life flying rarely doesnt.

Do I want to be in the same cockpit with someone who in reality doesnt know what they are doing - probably not; am I any more or less interested in reading posts that claim to be first hand accounts but are not - I am not sure. Am I suggesting that Mr Guppy falls into any of these categories - no I am not.

I think it does matter.

I think the main reason why most of us more "higher-hour" pilots post on these forums is not as a chest beating exercise; it is done to help out others.

Other smaller reasons will be stuff like looking for info, etc. Or just boredom / distraction from work :)

It is important to be reasonably sure that somebody claiming to have done something has actually done it, because unless you have also done the same yourself you can't tell whether the info is accurate or not.

I think in the main most answers to questions simply reflect the poster's experiences and who could ask for more. What I got from SNS3Guppy was a depth of experience which allowed him to step into the mind of the poster asking the question and give appropriate tailored advice.

The 'right' and 'wrong' of it can be extremely contextual.

Who's best suited to answer questions about a CAA exam? Probably the 12hr pilot who sat it yesterday and scored 100%. The debate from high hour pilots on what it means, meant to mean or whether it is relevant though interesting probably doesn't help to answer the original question. Mr Gups seemed to cut through most of that.

Compare it to somebody asking for advice on improving landing. How often does a tailwheel pilot jump in with 'advice' which is subtly different and simply reflects their own experiences rather than the information required?

I didn't think it was too difficult to find out SNS3Guppy's post actually do pan out with a little internet searching, I did that more from interest as I had faith in what he was saying and it has helped me in the past. Like many I found his posting style abrasive at times, I rather think he doesn't suffer fools gladly and is rather 'old school' but his knowledge was useful.

In all I treat PPRuNe as an extension of the flying club bar. It's a little easier there to figure out who talks the talk and who walks the walk, but for me 'real' flying isn't about spending a fortune to have the mission capability of a scheduled flight. It has rather more to do with stick and rudder skills and planes that belch oil and have 'interesting' handling characteristics - GPS strictly optional ;)

Good useful info or not - why always come out guns blazing, shooting everyone and all down? Even people who quickly realised that a fight with him couldn't be won - not because he was right necessarily, but because he never backed off. Even when they tried to agree and make friends just to stop the bloodied jaws from chasing them, he would never accept it. That's just mean. How about being a human being and a mensch and accepting a reached out hand?

For me, it's a bit like dating a woman and then finding out she's rude to waiters. After that I can't continue, no matter how good looking or fun she is, as it's so far removed from who I am and how I want people around me to be.

You are ultimately judged by how you treat others.

But this is much bigger than Guppy - half of the posters here on PPrune I wouldn't want anywhere near me in real life if they behaved like they do here. That's true for most anonymous forums. I'm a member in other forums where you have to reveal your identity, and they're much calmer and better behaved. Granted, you'd never hear the same gossip or rumour on one of those, so there's a case to be made for both types.

All I know is my name is real I won't hide behind anonymity and I aspire to treat people like I'd like to be treated here. I certainly don't have Guppy's experience, if it was true, but I can go into any restaurant in this world and get clean food;)

I bet he can't.

CG, you raise an interesting point. If it was that easy for you to find the information on the internet how easy do you think it would be for Guppy to do the same, add his little slant to it and proclaim it as his own?!

Just asking.

You don' know what he is like in real life though. Some people are completely different on forums, some are not. Perhaps he got very tired of people undermining what he was attempting to put across, who knows?

After being ousted off a forum at one time, meeting the guy was one of the most revealing experiences I've ever had. The fact I had allowed a complete nobody to affect my life totally changed how I treated people who try to pick a fight on an internet forum. I simply stopped meeting them half way and acting the idiot myself.

I think it would be easy. I could be a flight simmer who googles everything I post. I'm not, I'm a low hours PPL with a love of old aeroplanes. (who also happens to use a flight sim as a training tool).

I've an almost encyclopedic knowledge of WWII aircraft for example - though I know a 14 year old kid with a bit of experience on google could easily tie me in knots if they wanted by checking every 'fact' posted etc etc.

The point was I took a browse around to satisfy myself, I found what I was looking for. So regardless of the guys personality, for one I'm satisfied he was passing on his own experiences.

I have met up with loads of pilots, UK and even more abroad, who I had previously "met" electronically. I do this quite a lot.

Obviously I would have never tried to meet up with somebody who was previously obnoxious to me in their online persona (in fact I try hard to avoid going anywhere where one might meet up with those types) but those I have met have turned out to be, with about 2 exceptions, extremely decent people.

Regarding picking fights with some types, there is a saying: never fight with a pig, because you both get covered in sh*t and the pig will love it :)

IO540:

"I think the main reason why most of us "higher-hour" pilots post on these forums is not a chest beating exercise........"

Could you please give us a clue as to what you might consider a "higher-hour" pilot?

I think he is quite misunderstood...but you just can't make that stuff up:rolleyes:
try 'googling' some of my posts...you wont find anything:E --like I said once about the sadly departed Bob Welliver:( you don't have to agree but it's in your best interest to at least listen...I really think he's been read all wrong...hje's just emotional and passionate about flying...he's a rare old soul type...:)


;)

Last from Pugilistic Animus
 

Well said Sir - you have cut through the self indulgent cr*p of recent posts and hit the nail on the head.

Neither do I, but I make every attempt to not assume that any person is a fool, untill well proven. Being a fool in unrelated to experience. As I received several Guppy flamings on subjects where I can assure you I am no fool, I resented being assumed to be, and treated like one, in the absence of any evidence....

In aviation I recognize several "fool" related pilot types: We have new pilots who could be fools, or not - inexperienced either way. Fool pilots can gain experience, and become less foolish over time, though at varying rates. Eventually in aviation, being a fool can be fatal. Very experienced pilots (sorry JW411, a number does not come to mind - but I hope I get there one day) eventually become nearly foolproof (though they can still behave badly).

Like any industry, we are dependant upon new people entering to sustain us, and carry on traditions. I am carrying on tradtions, and inspiration offered to me as long as 40 years ago (and before that, The Thunderbirds!).

So why would I not want to be seen to be a person who can present some wisdom, while remaining "nice", and inspirational? No added cost to that. If I'm going to invest hundreds of hours here exchanging information which I hope would be well received, why would I undermine that by alienating my intended readers? It's like opening a club, and putting a sign in the window saying "new members not welcomed". What's the point?

I had the great pleasure of meeting yet another PPRuNer for the first time yesterday. A super person, every bit the serious, experienced, and polite person I expected I would meet. I don't recall this PPRuNer ever flaming anyone, and he is very well qualified to do so, should he be so inclined!

My mom told me: "If you haven't got something nice to say, don't say anything at all." I don't always manage, but I'm still aiming that way....

Adam sorry cannot agree. I posted concerning engine failure in twins a long time back.

Guppy shot me down in a number of areas where my knowledge was not as good as his.

We exchanged a few E mails and since then he has been the first to jump in and support some of my own postings.

I dont know if he is real or not real or a mixture of the two but he does know his stuff and added a lot to these forums.

There are many Egos here who post as fact and we need someone like Guppy to shoot them down and get the truth.
As for googling information you will always see a mistake or hole in those people Guppy didnt make mistakes or holes.

Pace

I don't disagree with you PilotDAR it's nice to be nice.

Fact is as a very low hours pilot a few things strike me.

The best teachers are those who will fully admit they are still learning even if they have 20,000+ hrs.

I like this as with less than a hundredth of that I at least know we are in the same boat (cockpit :))

Nowt is fixed in stone. For every 'right' way of doing something, somebody will give a good argument that it is the 'wrong' way and will bite your bum one day.

Often we revert back to what we are first taught in difficult situations - I'm keen to question what I was first taught and wonder, 'is that right'.

Regardless of hours I simply always wanted to be a good pilot and strive to be just that.

My view is simple, I'll take advice from where I can get it and Mr.Gups was a good source.

I have no personal axe to grind so just miss his contributions, that's all.

Conventional gear

I agree with all you say which is well thought and written.
I will add that it takes all sorts to make a world.
Guppy was one type.
In the same way you use an Alsation as a guard dog not a miniature poodle..
Guppy kept us supposed know it alls on our toes hence the friction as the know it alls don't like being exposed for mistakes.
Would still love to know what he has done or who's cage he has rattled to be banned like that.
Maybe he just took the huff and removed himself?

Psce

It got heated in the parachute drop thread and one of the moderators was a participant. But here's the thing: it wouldn't have been so heated had Guppy not gone in to it guns blazing swinging his c**k around.

http://www.pprune.org/non-airline-tr...-dropping.html

Good Lord.

That thread, if nothing else, profoundly confirms my preconceptions about people who throw themselves out of aeroplanes for fun.

I think I may have found him here.
 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/z...r/IMG_1388.jpg

From Bournemouth today, I couldnt resist the photo.

Sadly put out to pasture, and seen better days. ;)