What is with this forum??

[robertw]

My question is simply stated above. What is with this forum??

I've been an AVCANADA forum member for a while now. At first, I was really eager to be part of this forum and share my knowledge and experience here. After reading a number of the threads, it was easy to see that there were a few people disenchanted with the aviation maintenance industry here, but there was also a number of people who really like this industry. It wasn't long before I encountered a huge amount of negativity and personal attacks that are so common on this forum. It very quickly turned me off from having any part in discussions here. I am constantly seeing newbies, experienced and old timers of this forum being berated for their opinions or questions or personal attacks launched on their character. I applaud forum members like CID, who often have a differing or unpopular take on questions posed here, who frequently have personal attacks launched on them, but yet keep on contributing valuable, and articulate information based on their knowledge and experience. Part of open discussion is having vastly differing opinions giving their views. A prime example of this is the recently started topic from a fellow who wanted to ask questions about getting an AME license so he could maintain his own aircraft. How many posts did it take for the poor guy to start getting slagged and type cast as a "cheap skate owner"? He was just asking questions for goodness sake!

My point is this. If we want this forum to be a venue for information sharing about Aviation Maintenance and to show that in fact, yes, AME's are professionals, then let's quit the personal attacks, insults, crude remarks as it is so juvenile. Also, being an online forum, it doesn't take a load of courage to type a tirade against some one, hit enter and walk away. The consequences are few. Face to face, you may get punched in the mouth for shooting your mouth off like that. Lets just share information, listen to that little part in our brains that censor the things we say and let everyone have their own opinion. If we don't, we will miss valuable contributions to this forum and risk displaying the rampant unprofessionalism that is too present among AME's.

[comfail]

I hear what you're saying Robert, but maybe it's better in forums to be told without reservation that your idea sucks or whatever. I've asked a few AME's around here a similar question to the guy in the that other thread you're referring to, and you can tell that they are holding back to spare my feelings. At least here there is no doubt what the concensus is!

[robertw]

Point taken, however, someone can strongly oppose your ideas or opinions and give the reasons why without insulting a persons intelligence, abilities and making insinuations about them.

[cgzro]

Welcome to the Internet. Near anonymity leads many people to rudeness.
I just ignore any post or email that is derogatory. Ive been on the interwebby thingamajig since it first started in the 80s and it was rude even back then and that was scientists slagging each other!
People just dont do that much face to face.

[Colonel Sanders]

Welcome to the Internet

Indeed. Without the feedback that comes with face-to-face interaction, we get to see the "real person" that generally remains hidden. Often what you see isn't very pretty, which quickly leads one to conclude that most people are actually *ssholes.

Once this realization occurs to you, a lot of stuff on the internet starts to make sense, and you may wish to modify your behaviour accordingly.

[tyndall]

My question is simply stated above. What is with this forum??

You have to look at the occupation. Fairly low paying for the required credentials, usually bad hours, unstable employment, the list goes on. Veterans remember the good old days and the young ones have been sold a high tech big $$$ career by the McSchools. Somewhere in the middle you have some guys that are actually happy. There's a lot of bitterness out there and it all comes out when they can vent anonymously. God help the person that says they do the job not for the money, but because they like airplanes.

Everything in aviation is exaggerated. You get a pilot that says he likes to slip with flaps, and you'll get ten others saying for him to tell them when he's flying so they can stay on the ground that day. An AME that does something different than another is grounds for a report to TC. An owner that changes a wheel bearing will surely leave a smoking crater on his next flight. Get someone asking a question that could involve some other AME doing something for free or cheap and you have opened the gates of hell.

What I do find odd is the difference between this forum and the big US ones. Aviation in both countries is in the shitter. Big airlines are outsourcing, GA is declining and flight schools are closing down. The job situation for an A&P is about the same (bad) as an AME. But you can ask a maintenance question on one of their forums and get a respectful answer. It may only be to talk to your A&P, but it seldom gets nasty. Here, this forum is used primarily for complaining about the occupation and real questions are looked upon as an irritant. Actually, this whole site leans more to the doom and gloom side of things. That's why I tend to stick to the US sites, not nearly as depressing. My job doesn't suck enough to fit in here.

Maybe it's not just the internet thing, maybe it's just the Canadian way. Be polite in person and stab them in the back then they can't see you.

[acidgambit]

It's the internet. And people get pretty tough when they type on a keyboard. My suggestion is to not have your feelings hurt. It is the internet. They don't know you and you don't know them. Plus we are human and we have a really good skill....."we judge people very quick".

[Prairie Chicken]

I agree with the robertw. The forum has always had a considerable amount of 'spirited' debate, but what has changed is that many of the solid, steady, experienced folks have got fed up and gone elsewhere. There have also been a few who lost favor with some mods for reasons which weren't clear from their posts, and have disappeared.

The anonymity of the internet certainly seems to bring out the worst in people, but that's not an excuse to continue the practice.

[Cat Driver]

There a few of us who hang around and occasionally post our thoughts because we truly don't give a fu.k what others think about our opinions.

Because we have been around the industry a very long time and survived despite all odds.

[Shiny Side Up]

There a few of us who hang around and occasionally post our thoughts because we truly don't give a fu.k what others think about our opinions.

The Colonel was right, you really should change your nom de internet to Honey Badger.

[Hornblower]

Bob ... CID is about the first one to get on a person who tries to offer advice or offer points of view that differ from his own skewed version of reality. He would be be the first guy to criticize someone for asking advice on how to maintain their own aircraft. I'm surprized you can't see that.

[Sparkfarmer]

AME's are professionals, then let's quit the personal attacks, insults, crude remarks as it is so juvenile.

Well said. I believe this is a major pitfall for AMEs, not just on a forum but also within our companies. We need to raise the bar, and it has to be an initiative thats starts from the floor.

[Grease Nipple]

AME's are professionals, then let's quit the personal attacks, insults, crude remarks as it is so juvenile.

Well said. I believe this is a major pitfall for AMEs, not just on a forum but also within our companies. We need to raise the bar, and it has to be an initiative thats starts from the floor.

We have sunk to level of pilots

[Cat Driver]

We have sunk to level of pilots

Is that even possible?