Changes to FC - 09/02/2013

[MikeB]

Hi all,

We've made some changes to FighterControl this morning see below for details.

Rumour Control Removal
We've now removed the rumour control section of the forum, the reason behind this is that not only was it not used very often, but also the posts often related to a specific airfield. Moving forward with any rumours that you would have previously placed in this section we provide the following guidance. If they relate specifically to an airfield, which we list, then please place the post within there. If we do not list the airfield, then please post within the "All other areas around the UK" section. If the rumour does not relate to an airfield and there is no other 'obvious' place for it, then please post in The Mess.

Note – Any posts that were in Rumour Control have now been moved to their relevant section.

Expanding of Heads Up & OTT
We've now split the existing Heads Up & OTT section into two separate sections, one for aircraft either within the UK or known to be destine for the UK and one for aircraft which are currently outside of the UK not known to be inbound for the UK. Can we please also ask that when posting in either of these sections you provide as much information as possible? - If you're listing to an aircraft via Airwaves and the aircrafts exact location is unknown, then please provide your rough location. If you've picked an aircraft up on any form of Mode-S source, please provide the aircrafts current/rough location, and if possible the source of the 'hit' (PlanePlotter/LiveLogs/Personal Mode-S Reciever).

Any questions, please don't hesitate to contact a member of staff.

Regards,
Mike

[POL]

Nice one Mike/all, much appreciated

[ELVIS 01]

Has anyone else noticed when you login to FC that a Norton message comes up saying it has blocked a Malicious Blackhole virus attack ?

This has happened for the past 2 days when I login

[POL]

Take a look here: viewtopic.php?f=131&t=73352" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I detailed a way to resolve it (without removing Norton, which is a piece of c*** anyway!)

[RichC]

Regarding the Expanded Heads Up/OTT section.

Have i gone daft or are members using it wrong (or am i wrong).

We have a BLUE flight today, heads up started in the "non-UK" as it was over Nova Scotia and heading this way. However even as the flight was over the UK it was still in the Non-UK Heads Up/OTT and so those within the UK who do not find an interest to those flights out of the UK may have missed these because they were not in the UK Heads Up. (Apart from someone starting a RETRO flight thread). But those unfamiliar with BLUE/RETRO and still learning would not know any difference.

So which is it to be, people posting non-UK heads up (at the time) and then carrying on in that section even when its over the UK or are people now supposed to post two seperate threads, one when its inbound (not over the UK) and one when its over the UK?

Would have thought that the Non-UK section would be for aircraft that are definitely not transiting the UK, say... "GOLD 01 flight routing through the Med Sea towards Lajes".
If we have stuff at St Johns or over Nova Scotia for example then it's best to monitor the airwaves (numerous ways over there, VHF/UHF on LiveATC and HF) to know where its going.

[MikeB]

one for aircraft either within the UK or known to be destine for the UK and one for aircraft which are currently outside of the UK not known to be inbound for the UK.

If it is known that the aircraft is going to be over the UK, then it should be started in the old section (for UK). If it is not known that it will be transiting the UK, then it should be started in the new section (outside the UK).

If it is then discovered by anybody that the aircraft is going to be or is over the UK then they should PM an online moderator and request the thread to be moved.

Hopefully I've understood your question and that clarifies?

[RichC]

Okay then. That's how i originally thought the section would be used. However that means the Mods need to move pretty much most of the content now in that section to the UK OTT. More work for the mods though, but then that's not the members' issue.

[MikeB]

Okay then. That's how i originally thought the section would be used. More work for the mods though, but then that's not the members' issue.

I think it's the most helpful way to run it for the members who are just interested in what they can pick up near them. It would be helpful for members to perhaps hold off until they've got a decent amount of information rather than just see it on SBS and post up about it. But we'll see how it runs!

[RichC]

Agreed, i did edit before your post though. As the content in the new section is pretty much the issue i raised before hand.

[Malcolm]

But - the thread in question started out as Blue31/32 over Nova Scotia. Blue 31 presumably turned back somewhere before 30 west, leaving Blue 32 to continue with the Retro. So Blue 31 belongs in the Non UK section, yet Blue 32 and the Retro in the UK section? A bit messy that really?

I also got caught out yesterday with the Peach 68 flight. At the time I first noticed/detected it, it was over northern France, and PP suggested (spuriously as it turns out) it was heading West. So I posted it in the Non-UK section. 10 minutes later it starts to plot properly, and it's now apparent that it's heading north towards Cherbourg, and will enter UK airspace, so 3Greens starts a thread in UK. Who gets horsewhipped - me for posting in the wrong section, or 3Greens for not noticing the existing thread?

[Adam]

The whole idea was to stop the "ERMAGERD AN F18 OTT CALIFORNIA!" threads creeping into the Heads Up section, if it means that we need to do a little housekeeping here and there as a result, so be it.

[Malcolm]

The whole idea was to stop the "ERMAGERD AN F18 OTT CALIFORNIA!" threads creeping into the Heads Up section, if it means that we need to do a little housekeeping here and there as a result, so be it.

Don't get me wrong - I understand the reason for it. I'm just not sure the current 'rules' are quite right. Something can go from being a non-UK to a UK OTT in less than 10 minutes, and people will miss out if they are close to the edge of civilisation (like us in Somerset) if they aren't waatching in the right place.

I'm thinking that if there is even the faintest chance that the target is going to come within 100 miles of the UK or SHANWICK FIRs, then it probably belongs in the UK section.

[RichC]

The whole idea was to stop the "ERMAGERD AN F18 OTT CALIFORNIA!" threads creeping into the Heads Up section, if it means that we need to do a little housekeeping here and there as a result, so be it.

That's how i thought it to be, as i found those threads pointless. However if you need to do less house keeping then Mikes idea of moving threads here and there doesn't fit that bill. As the majority of threads in the current non-UK need moving if under what MikeB suggested.