Time for reflection
 

16 years I've been on here, and for some that is 16 years too long, I know :ugh:
But I have to admit, I've yet to find another helo site that compares with the length and breadth and depth this rotorhead forum has offered across the industry.
Some of the original characters are still here and the enthusiasm and sharing of experiences continues apace.
In that time Pprune has acted as a conduit for 3 individuals that contacted me offline to help point them in the right direction - to drop everything and pursue a profession in commercial helicopter operations. All because Pprune sparked their imagination.
I still find something new and interesting courtesy of Pprune. Most of all, I love the thrill of a wind up :E=
Thank you guys for providing the entertainment - long may it last.

Enjoy a wind up? Then get some time in, TC. Only 16 years? I suffered my 21st PPRuNe anniversary in May this year. I have to admit, it was under a different user name and as a rotary pilot it was very lonely indeed. Only plank drivers to wind up back then......

P.s. I agree with your sentiments. ;)

I agree - it is a pleasure to lurk around here! :)

Phil

Now you have me thinking Shy. I based my 16 years on the date under my name (2000) and yours shows you to be here even less than I have BUT something is niggling me in the background that perhaps I did join earlier and the clock has been reset by the system. Senior Pilot, any advance on this?

Seconded.:D

There was some kind of reset a long time ago, as the posts counts got zeroed. Not sure if that impacted joining dates though, as mine remains correct.

I think there was a reset in 2000 since my profile starts then but I was on PPrune a couple of years before that.

Every day is a schoolday on Rotorheads which is why it has stood the test of time:ok:

Crab: does that make us all a bunch of schoolkids then!

How's life - still flying the 109? ;)

In the beginnings of this forum in 1995, there was no website presentation as we now see it. PPRuNe began as a simple bulletin board where DF used to email the day's posts to everyone. I think I was member #72 or thereabouts. Everyone else was flying fixed wing.

There was no such thing anywhere as this type of front page; the internet as we now know it was still in it's infancy. Even the computer shops didn't have it!

I recall at least two major "upsets" of the present format where all forum records were lost. My original username went AWOL during the months I was offline during a relocation from one side of the earth to the other and we had no internet connection in our village. When I got back online everything had been reset and someone else had taken my original username, which was "SARbuoy".

I was later offered it back by the forum admin, but it was no longer important or relevant to my role.

:ok:

From student pilot to experienced unemployed pilot, rotorheads were always there to help. :D

Thank you all.
Regards!

Aser

Interestingly, Rotorheads original posts from October 1998 (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/200...torelight.html) predate nearly all posts in other forums in PPRuNe. The predecessor to the bulletin board was an email share started back in 1993, where Danny sent a regular industry news around.

There are many names which show on the old threads who are still around, some that were lost/locked and had to re-register (e.g. Nick Lappos became NickLappos!) but the forum continues to share valuable helicopter information world wide.

Thanks to all those who visit and share :ok:

Sounds like a valediction - I hope the forum is not going to die tomorrow!

Pprune has answered those embarassing questions we all had, even the guru's amongst us had doubt at times. We have all played a part in developing our understanding of the art of flying helicopters. We may even have indirectly saved someone's life. We have kick started careers, we have sympathised with those who have seen tragedy in the business and we have laughed with those who needed a lift during tough times. We have slated dodgy companies; dropped hints, pinched ideas and asked for jobs!
The forum, above all, has stood the test of time - and that's down to the administrators and stalwarts who continue to afford Pprune the time it deserves. Slap on the back methinks.

valediction - sound painful, anything with diction on the end - worries me......
How's Italy R?

Sadly, we've lost a few along the way too. Who can forget Lu Zuckerman?!

By and large I've enjoyed and learned. Had my wings clipped once or twice. There's no other credible alternative that I'm aware of, not with Moderators that keep it "real" anyway.

NEO

Lu Zuckerman and his arguments against R22's? Against or for? can't remember.
ShyTorque appears to have the most posts?
Who was that aussie bush pilot beginning with T who had 22000 hrs flying R22's or similar???
Nick Lappos - probably the most qualified.
Dennis Kenyon - the most experienced

Who else?

That's worthy of an entry in the Guiness Book Of World Records, for the most failed attempts at suicide. Just a reflective moment after reading the current Robbie thread.

Comparison
 

A Robinson pilot commits suïcide 10 times more compared to a Carpenter.

One could argue that a Carpenter is definitely more handier.

Please note I do not want to discuss proficiency.

Cheers SLB

Topendtorque?

I think the anonymity emboldens some people to be a bit more aggressive they would normally be !! Maybe everyone should be " outed " when they stop flying so we can see exactly who they are and just how much they bull!!!!ted !!!! Anyway , all in all , it's good fun and I reckon I have learnt a lot from various posters here who can almost be looked upon as our CP ......someone we can bounce ideas off without going out there and trying to re invent the wheel . Almost everything HAS been done in helicopters by someone on here at some time ...so just ASK !!!
Safe flying to everyone ....
Anonymous Nigelh

TC,
Maybe I meant eulogy (not to be confused with urology!)

Who has the greatest number of posts: ShyTorque is that you?

Who is the oldest helicopter pilot still on here? Dennis?

The youngest? Nigelh!!

The highest helo pilot: Vertical Freedom?

Youngest 😄😄 !!! I wish ..... I just think we have all been blessed to have the chance to fly helicopters ( other than Robinsons of course ....!!!) , whether in the mil or civvy role . Now can we get back to slagging everybody off as normal ....this group hug doesn't feel right ............

Anyone claimed "Lowest" yet?

" Lowest" has more than one sense - I could nominate for one of them!

Having a username is not the same as being anonymous!

well i would say that a user name is effectively anonymous !!
( unless it is the same as your own name ...then its slightly less anonymous !)

nigelh
 

Fully concur with the dubious pleasure of group hugging and/or mutual admiration via the internet, definitely fells weird !

As for age, does mental age count ? If so there are many wrinklies on here who qualify for the youngest group at creche...... :ok:

NEO

Group Hugs by the Naval Types generally is a linear thing.:=

Boom Boom!

Naval aviators are capable of many thnigs........but not outward emotion.

Time out guys, drop the tree and back to slag mode.......................Prats!

Well said TC . There should be a separate site for people like you and your Mil trained friends like Crab .......... ggrune.org. ( grumpy geriatric rumour network ) . You can then tell each other how great you are (were)
without that load of civvy trained idiots having their say !!
Now , that feels better 👍

Ah, thanks Nige, god bless. x

And we were good, really good:E In fact, some of us still are:E

Once upon a time I couldn't spell civilian - now I is one:ok:

Two dyslexics sitting in a car. One says to the other: "Can you smell petrol". The other one says: "Spell petrol - can't even spell me own name"! :rolleyes:

Just checking and I see that I have been on pprune since June 1999 - how time flies when you are having fun

The "other" TC

Where are you in cornwall TC.

You've been slacking by the way. 290 posts in 17 yrs.:=

Beat ya, 209 in the same time frame.

TC - if we are back into slag mode .....
Dyslexia pertains to diffculty reading the written word, not mis-hearing the spoken word ......
So your man is suffering possible aphasia, or is simply an old rotary wing pilot ie. a deaf c***

A rather big assumption to state that old RW pilots go deaf. Just done my audio check and told I have no hearing loss after quite a few years in the job (some might even call me an old c***, just not deaf).