The CL44-O Skymonster is hardly in the 'Guppy' class. Despite its pretensions it is no more than a hopeless wannabee. The real Guppies were all developments of the B-377 Stratocruiser.

The 'Pregnant' Guppy -

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Guppy_NASA.jpg

the 'Mini' Guppy,
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Mini_Guppy.JPG

and the 'Super' Guppy
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ppy-F-BPPA.jpg

On reflection, however, perhaps the CL44 wannabee is a more appropriate analogy for our late departed colleague after all.
http://www.allaboutguppys.com/cl44/cl44.htm

Well at least some good came from the parachute dropping thread. The guy who started the thread has now completed his jump pilot training.....well done Sir!:ok:

Congratulations to the OP for achieving the jump pilot qualification. I can say that I feel badly that that person would have received a rather poor looking image of the PPRuNe group as a whole with that thread as the window! It's pretty embarrassing! The acrimony displayed on that thread had faded from my memory, but a re-look reminds me that no matter how much wise knowledge a poster might be able to present, there is just no excuse for a ditribe like that, much less a prolonged one!

Presuming that it was that thread which was an element in Guppy being banned, I am pleased that the moderator did their job - they moderated! I'm not going to spend my leisure time reading that kind of rubbish, no matter what my experiece level, or skin thickness! I can choose the playgrounds in which I play, and I don't want to play in one where sand and poop are being thrown! I have observed this on one other website, and chose to not participate at all as a result. Perhaps my choice to not participate was a loss for them, that's theirs to decide.

I don't even put up which that kind of nonsense from people who pay me for my time, I'm sure not going to put up with it for nothing! So call me spoiled, it won't be the first time....

I miss some of the wisdom which Guppy presented, it was thought provoking, and that's nearly always a good thing. But I don't miss that dark side of the tone....

What Guppy?
 

I too thought that his handle was inspired by the above Stratocruiser conversions, but when I asked - this is what he said (July 2009).

Quote:
Does your PPRuNe handle mean you knew Statocruisers?
Actually, no, though I've been asked that before. It's a reference to the Sorrell SNS-2 Guppy, a small spruce and fabric reverse staggerwing single seat biplane I've had under construction for the last fifteen years or so (one of those projects that had dragged on far too long). When I originally began using the handle on the internet, I typed it in wrong, and I've been using it that way on a lot of sites ever since, for simplification.

I worked on C-97's, and was in line to fly them, but separated from that operation before I had the chance. I believe we flew the last operational working aircraft of that type...so I'll never get that chance again. It was an impressive airplane.

So there you have it.

So "Guppy" led people to believe he was flying the above aircraft while in fact he was a mechanic building one of these?:

Sorrel SNS 2 Guppy experimental aircraft pictures, Sorrel SNS 2 Guppy amateur built aircraft images, Sorrel SNS 2 Guppy homebuilt aircraft photographs, Lightsport Aircraft Pilot newsmagazine aircraft directory.

ST - I do not think he led people to believe anything, let alone his avatar. Show me the thread where he alludes to that????

How did Guppy lead people to believe he was flying Stratocruisers?

If you read the threads you will find a number of references to heavy aircraft.

I have now read- and re-read - the para jumping thread. I did not have the opportunity previously. I think Guppy, goaded into responses, seems quite innocent to me. The Sloppy Joe character appears to be the aggressive one.

Obviously the mod then got upset, and banned Guppy. I have seen worse. Can we have him back please:D:D

Maxred

Guppy was highly aggressive on many, many threads.

If he did not deserve to go for this one (no criticism of the mods implied), then I recall many others where (IMHO) he did.

I don't miss his attitude at all. 411A could be 'ornery', but if you PM'd him with request for help or even just a comment, in my experience, you would receive a warm reply.

I miss 411A.

I didn't mean that one; I haven't read it.

F3G - Yes in part I agree. I also miss 411A.

Without going over old ground, this is a rumour/discussion and, if required, a social networking site. It us used in many ways, some trolls, some aggressors, some walter mitty characters, some real life heroes. However, as in life, people will agree to disagree, therefore, so what????

It is moderated, rightly so, however, is there an area on the forum where the rules are clearly detailed? Boundaries set in other words. Guppy on the para thread, appears to state that he was not name calling, nor was he swearing, nor was he leading the aggression. He ''appears'' to have been banned, but for what? If it is for previously bad behaviour, then ok, the mod concerned should post that. I am not sure if the mods are required, nor if fact, should post reasons for banning individuals, threads, or posts. It would be good to know though.

Anyway, the forum without these - individuals, antagonists, call them what you will, are slightly less entertaining. IMHO

As a non-jumper, I just read the given thread about Guppy and the Parachutes...

All I can see is a pxxxed off contributer who fails to read Mr. Guppy's postings correctly and an even more pxxxed off 'cool' moderator. Both are (imo) quite unprofessional.

So go on and ban me, too - but this banning was a mistake - a poster swearing on Mr Guppy walks away with it - and the man who says 'read my posting again, you got me wrong!' gets banned.

At last all the Anti-Guppy-PR by the two people guessing he's not real has had its outcome...

Just my 2 cents as a man with more than 20 years of BBS and forum experience: moderators have difficult jobs. And sometimes their judgements fails.

Kind regards,
Peter

One odd thing about pprune is that the rules are rarely if ever stated, and while we have the nicknames of the mods, when they act it is (in all cases I know of) anonymous. And sometimes one gets banned by the server owner; I got banned once and one of the mods (who I asked) was apparently unable to find out why.

This is how forums work. The owner of the server runs the show; it is his bouncy castle.

Different forums within pprune have different attitudes. I know people who got banned for pretty innocuous posts on some of the airline-related forums. I have also heard reports from years ago (no idea if true, and I doubt it) of people getting kicked off Private Flying for pushing the case for pistons twins.

You can set up your own forum; technically it is very easy these days. For the level of activity in the PF section here, a simple install of PHP-BB on an ADSL-connected PC would be totally adequate. But the moderation challenges will not go away; there will always be characters turning up who cause "trouble" and they will need to be kicked off. And, judging from some forums that have been out there for yonks and are very quiet, there won't be many visitors. Pprune did a lot of publicity over the years and a lot of people visit. Plus you will have to deal with the IT challenges resulting from kids hacking the off the shelf forum software; every pilot forum has been infected in recent times.

If you do get kicked off, you can always create another ID. You might have to knock up a fresh IP... or use a 3G IP or something like that. And start with a clean browser installation (no cookies etc).

and

all of which suggest you (we) dont know why, so it is difficult to claim their judgement has failed.

I agree.... and i don't understand why the mods are so cagey about their bans. They tend to do a (very) good job, I think the only items up for discussion are the communications about the "why" and the chance of the one banned to have a new start, like Guppy

Even as a banned person it is sometimes hard to find out who banned and exactly why.

I was once banned and the message of the mod was" we don't need your sort here".

I knew I had been in a heated debate but never expected a ban and was completely surprised.

After a "cooling down" period i was partially reinstated and many months later via another mod I was given back full rights.

Everyone deserves another chance, even Guppy, and even another chance after that, simply because we are humans.....

please don t ban me for this.....

I'm feeling a bit second rate. I have never been banned from anywhere....

With your

you have clearly not managed to upset anybody yet :)

congrats Flybymike!

But aviate before you communicate ok?

Regards

Flybyseatofthepants

Maybe Mr Guppy, wondering what to do with all his free time now he's not on Pprune, had a 'eureka moment' and decided to devote himself to finishing and flying his homebuilt.

He may well consider a ban from here was the best thing that ever happened to him.:}