Welcome to the Microlight Forum

[C205]

Demon, like I said on Avcom as well, I think there's room for both. Many people have registered on your forum but not on Avcom which seems to indicate that they prefer a microlight only forum. As for myself and I think I speak for all Avcom members on this site, I will continue to support Avcom as I have in the past. I feel more comfortable discussing microlight issues and as a beginner asking questions on this forum though without being told I fly garden furniture :D :D :D .
Why can't I wear two hats? Whether this forum becomes a subsection of Avcom or not, I will support it. Please don't let it die altogether.

A very new microlighter

[Wart]

Demon, as I stated on Avcom, is it not viable to have a Microlight section on Avcom as this would make it easier to navigate to specific ML topics. I am registered on both Avcom and Microlighters and as such support both of them.
Keep up the great work and do not let any negative comments detract from what you are acheiving here.

[Griffin]

As I have said on both forums I believe there is a place for both forums and I will remain a member of both. Keep them separate. Is there a way of having a vote for some of the new members who may not feel comfortable posting a reply??

[Griffin]

Demon
With all respect wake up and smell the roses. This forum took just three days to grow to 96 members. That is almost 18% of the total AVCOM membership and it has been going since 17/10/03. A lot of the success and interest was generated because of AVCOM so it is a little unfair to compare them but it took four months to grow to 96. I believe that this forum is needed because there is no other credible flatform for the Microlight community to express our views, let off steam and exchange ideas and info with other poor cousins of the aviation community.

[zoofly]

Yawn - sniff, sniff
hey griffen i just posted a reply to you in avcom.
I will let the 96 members decide the future of this forum. It would be hell of a lot easier for me personally to go the avcom route, and flying has aleady created a Microlight category in avcom

[Microwave]

Demon,

I honestly feel that we seriously need our own place to discuss microlight specific issues. These are often very different from the issues that appear in general and blik aerie aviation. I feel that our issues would be swallowed up in a greater forum. Where would microlight pilots discuss issues and problems forced on them by other forms of aviation?

Also, its my view that many microlight pilots feel intimidated by "real pilots" and would feel uncomfortable to air their views in a combined forum.

I already feel more comfortable here. I registered within the first day, whereas it took me absolute ages to register on the avcom site. I hope that this site stays for good!

[ragwing]

all the sections of this site could be added to avcom - obviously the avcom members would have to agree - look at pprune - it caters for all - by having a large number of sections
we microlighters have always enjoyed separate groups - is it not time to put all our weight together

after only a day or two there are already a large number of duplicate posts that appear on both forums - a reason to merge

[Skybound]

As a very new microlighter I feel that some synergies do exsist but that we need a forum of our own.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Feel many are missing the most NB point. It is not about a certain sector of GA, but rather to get more GA informed and interacting. Fundamentally ML's (specifically trikes) differ from conventional aeries. The Gen BS and hangar talk in ML hangar will be different to that in a GA hangar. Agree or disagree - if we can get more GA pilots informed and talking (posting) we are advancing GA and I thus feel that there is a need for both BUT GA needs to have unified voice so regardless of you forum addiction

PLEASE join AWSA imediately.http://www.awsa.co.za/index.php

With popularity of AVCOM it is becoming more and more difficult to keep track of the posts. Miss a week and you have couple pages to wade through. Some serious GA topics, some serious BS, some relevant, some not, but all entertaining or informative. NOW - Add to this expanding database another 25% of the GA pilots and the growth in posts will in my opinion will be HUGE. It will become such that many will simply loose interest as there are too many diversified views (posts) to keep track of. I suggest that the 2 compliment each other and would venture further to say that they are a necessity rather than mutually exclusive.

Microlighting sector is the biggest single segment of aviation in SA and the fastest growing and that fact needs to be taken into account. I see the ML forum as step in right direction to attracting a huge untapped segment into the debate who would normally not voice an opinion on AVCOM in any case. Many ML's are intimidated by GA pilot types - FACT - like it or not. There are many lurkers on AVCOM who don't post. (many are intimidated!) The same MMWC's post with the odd newbi getting in on the act. We need more interaction from the lurkers and if they air their views on microlighters forum we are getting more GA views out there and thus we are making progress..... In ideal world we would have one happy GA family all working together, but we need to take baby steps to get there.

Think those who post on AVCOM will continue to do so - microlighters or not and will post on Microlighters as well rather than desert AVCOM. AVCOM has it's own "personality" dictated by those posting. If you don't like it say so and influence the way forward. Similary microlighters will get it's own "feel" which I venture to say will be vastly different to AVCOM's. There will be plenty on both and cross polination will ensure exposure of global SA GA matters (eg fees, ATNS, Transponders etc) and hopefully through AWSA.

Being bean counter I like things compartmentalised, thus prefer 2 and would suggest that they have front page banners linking each other rather than sharing single front page..
My 2c...


PS
Demon has for many years (10?) run the unofficial home page for SA Microlighters. (he he he Way before AVCOM ) I have not seen a single trike for sale on AVCOM and very few microlight fields info posted?

Hypothetical situation
Had Demon simply "upgraded" his web site to incorporate a forum and he was not a member of AVCOM would it even have made it onto the AVCOM site?

It takes a huge amount of time and admin to maintain (SURE offset by ad costs - but a schlepp none the less). Has he not simply repackaged the same "facility" (unofficial home page for SA Microlighters) in a more user friendly manner? The forum has the ability to get a "life" of it's own which is dictated by those posting. On AVCOM at moment the conventional aeries are dominant, driving posts. Think microlighters is a welcome addition to those in that segment of GA. I think most will check out AVCOM in anycase!!!!

Blue skies & tailwinds.........

Now am off to State Presidents Trophy Air Race.

[Griffin]

Hi All
There are a lot of people viewing this topic but not too many votes cast. Demon needs to know how we feel about this issue.

For the folks that are new to this type of forum you do not have to post a message if do not want to. Just choose one of the three options by clicking on a'button' at the top of the page. The rest of us will only see the total number of votes cast for each choice and not how each person has voted.

As the advert says "it's the right thing to do"

[magneto]

I voted no.

We have always complained that we as MLers are the poor cousins and not treated the same.

We are now suggesting we seperate ourselves because we are 'different'.

Which way is it to be, do we want to be part of the general aviation sector, or do we want to seperate ourselves. If the latter, then we are the reason why we will always be treated as different 'garden furniture flyers.'

Yes, there is always rivalry between the disciplines. Just give it back to them - call 'them' tin cans or tupperware drivers. It is all meant in fun.

[Chainsaw]

Hi Demon

I like the idee of a seperate forum. Perhaps only a link between this one and Avcom if you want to go to the other site. Seeing how successful your Microlight site is, I am sure this site will be a great follow up. Keep up the good work and see you in the air.

Chainsaw :D

[Morph]

This forum is a collection of like-minded people with a specific interest in Microlights and related issues. I know we are part of the greater aviation community but we have special needs and interests. There is no reason why people can't join both but I believe the best way for a forum to be successfull is not to have it affiliated with any other interest group that could limit or influence the content and threads of discussion. This obviously includes those with a specific business interest in mind.

[ACE]

Well said Magneto - let's not get divided, Chainsaw, also good point.. We need a very definite link (hyperlink ??)between the two forums.

As Griffin points out, so few votes but we are well over 100 strong in the first week. Come on guys * VOTE *

[Cloud Warrior]

I think this forum is a great idea! As a newbie trike pilot I want to be able to have a forum that is dedicated to that which interests me - flying microlights. For me, Avcom's diversity of topics and interests is just too wide.