Paragliding Forum

[uplandann]

How do I find the paragliding forum?

~Ann

[markc]

Well.... This forum itself is for both HG and PG. We don't see much traffic related to PG flight planning, but we get a fair amount of after-flight posts, and topics like the chute-pack, Edith's Gap re-opening, the Fly-In, etc, all seem to attract PG'er interest. To be honest, I wish there were more PG participation here, and I WELCOME SUGGESTIONS FROM PG PILOTS for anything that might make these forums and the website more useful and relevant to them. That includes new website content BTW : If there's a motivated person out there who would like to put together a "Basics of learning to PG" resource, for example, then please get in touch with me! Or anything else PG for that matter.

That said, I know that there is an email/google/??? group that some of the PG'ers use to make their flying plans. You might want to get in touch with Ellis for more info Ann.

Cheers,

MarkC

[mcelrah]

Well, the blunt truth is the PGers decamped because certain HG pilots take it upon themselves to criticize PG pilots on the forum without necessarily knowing whereof they speak. Can't think of a technical fix for that. Keeps happening every time anyone cross posts from the PG list. Play nice or the PGers will take their ball and go home. - Hugh

[markc]

Hmmm... If not a 'technical fix', then perhaps a change in attitudes & practices among forum users might help to mitigate the perception of undue criticism toward PGer's?

I've seen some pretty heavy-handed "feedback" about incidents from HG pilots toward other HG pilots in these forums. And though I can't point to numbers without some research, my guess is that there's been a lot more in the way of HG criticism than PG criticism. I'm talking about pretty personal/egregious stuff, sometimes offered up without ANY sort of conversation or interaction with the pilot involved. Thankfully, this has been relatively rare, compared to the overall volume of posts in these forums.

Criticism can have its place, if constructively offered, and with all of the facts at hand.... There are times when it really *is* appropriate to call someone out on a decision that could impact their own safety, and/or the ability of the local community to fly at sensitive sites.

But that said: I've noticed a tendency to "criticize first and ask questions later". And that's why I'm starting to lean toward formalizing some rules-of-the-road for these forums.... If you've got a problem with something that a pilot did, then you had better darn well try to engage that person in a conversation about the particulars BEFORE you jump onto your pet soapbox. Questions first. Feedback and conversation second. Then, if you feel it really must be said, criticism third.

Think of it this way: If someone was sitting across from you at the bar, having a beer after a rough day in which they blew a launch/landing, broke some of their gear, or (worse) were injured.... What would you say and HOW would you say it?

Your answer to that question is how you should engage in conversations in the forums. Be they HG-related or PG-related.

MarkC

[Flying Lobster]

Ellis runs a pretty tight ship on the pg list--even I'm banned from it--and I fly paragliders. Maybe I should be banned from this one too?

marc