Web Strut

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:09 am

I've already put my head above the parapet and like Steve found no-one out there.
He's waited all day hoping to hear from someone and i don't think he meant me !
Where are you ?
After all the BB mails flowing in previous months & a vote & he's prepared the ground, even willing to give his time for a needed job & got the EC pre-agreement. Can I too ask all readers who want a web Strut to boldly write in. Then at least we can debate how to proceed.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:55 pm

Mon Apr 14, 2008 : Unofficial Green light to new strut.
by Steve Neale.

"I've just exchanged emails with Roger Hopkinson. Roger has given the green light to carry on and set it up unofficially and he will get it ratified at the June EC. Roger mentioned it will be a good opportunity to test the strut's viability.
So we need to vote in a Coordinator and NC rep. We will need a name.

We also need someone that is up to speed with PHPBB administration to act as the strut BB administrator. When that person is identified we can go to Penny and get him/her an administrator account. Once that is done with advice from that person we can decide how we structure our part of the BB.
So it's GO! '

AND on Sat Apr 19, 2008.

Can I just reiterate that we need a Coordinator and NC rep. Under LAA rules a strut cannot exist without those people in place. I've said I'll do the NC job if no one else can. I'm starting to feel a bit of a chump over this to be honest."
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NOW, I [Mike Hallam] would like contribute some effort too & to keep the ball rolling so I have writing to all who have shown supportive enthusiasm on this thread.
We'll need more responses from the silent majority too please; to get you started I suggest the Strut will be called :-

"THE FLYING STRUT"

Open to all keen on flying & covering all a/c from sub 115 Kg f/w & flexies up to the biggest you can possibly imagine.

Mike Hallam. (West Sussex, based Jackrell's Farm).

P.M.'s sent to 21 LAA members:-
Rob Swain, James Duff, Steve Neal, Tonyhys, 'Wingnut', Welshman, Jeremy Harris, Bill McCarthy, Phil Burgess, Chris Brockis, Tony Bishop, Harry Hopkins, Nigel Hitchman, Brian Hope, Mike Mold, Dave Hall, 'Mishek', Ivan Manley, Malcolm Jefferson, John Dean & Nick Allen.

Tony Harrison-Smith · Post by **Tony Harrison-Smith** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:36 pm

Being very new to the LAA and have never been to a strut meeting, I am looking forward to the 'Flying Strut' to see what a strut is all about.

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:52 pm

Mike, the poll asked 'Would you like there to be a Virtual Strut'. I voted yes because I can see some merit in it for those who maybe have no access to an established Strut. That does not mean that I particualarly wish to be involved in the setting up and running of the Strut, I am a committee member of Mid Kent and already attend the NC.
Incidentally I do not like the name 'Flying Strut', it suggests that those who do not fly are excluded, even if in reality thay are not. It is, or will be, a Web Strut, so why not call it what it is, then everybody will know exactly what it is whether they are a member of it or not.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:05 pm

Brian,

Thanks for the response, that's three so far.
All unable for good reasons not to be "our leader/leaderinne".

You were really mailed as a courtesy, being that well known EC Member and Kent Strutter as well as LAA Mag. Editor, so you would be bang on with the latest state of play [& I wouldn't have you thinking no-one cared].

As for the name ?

Well you really took the bait !!!

Mike.

Mike Mold · Post by **Mike Mold** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:27 pm

Mike,
Brian beat me to it! Web Strut or Forum Strut describes the identity more accurately. I'm also already heavily committed with the Devon Strut but you seem well motivated so if Steve Neale has volunteered to be the NC rep how about you for the Co-ordinator, in the absence of other volunteers?

steveneale · Post by **steveneale** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:50 am

I can understand this may all seem a bit nebulous at the moment but none of us know what this will develop into. Next time people may be fighting to be Coord and NC rep if it goes well.

The Web coordinator will not have to run monthly meetings and arrange speakers as normal struts do so this is not a particularly onerous job. His/her main role as I see it would be to disseminate info received from LAA HQ (something that non strut members don't get apart from the mag) and be the focus for suggestions and ideas like Rod1's flyin at Shobdon. I know from experience that once people have a focus then ideas will flow in from members.

So you are not committing to a lot by being the coordinator apart from a willingness to be keep and an eye on what is going on in the BB and arbitrate if necessary. Don't forget we also need someone to act as our BB administrator. For a person up to speed on PHPBB that's probably an occasional maintenance task once our section is set up as he/she advises.

So you are not committing yourself to massive effort by volunteering for either of these jobs.

All struts run on the enthusiasm of a few. Same here.

Steve

Phil Burgess · Post by **Phil Burgess** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:11 pm

I would love to help out in some active way, but I find myself being spread too thinly in other things to do the web strut any justice. I am keen to be a member and to offer my continued support for what is a good idea and a leap forward for the LAA.

I'm happy to be an indian rather than a chief on this one!

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:45 am

Steve Neale,

I have tried, some may say too hard (!) to show support for your efforts, which have lead right up to the EC about to nod through the formation of a Web Strut. As a consequence I recently wrote individually to every name who had contributed to this web, because a mere posting asking for a show of hands failed, as did your own request the week before.

I realise that many have other LAA committments and were giving us the benefit of their views to help us move on. The actual 'poll' that persuaded you to do this work is inaccessible to me, so the 20 odd who actually said they wanted a Strut can't be directly approached to see where they now stand. [I was 1/20th of that].

Your offer to be NC rep is great and I was hoping a sufficient number of LAA members would at least come forward to confirm they would help form the new Strut, which would include me too. In the last couple of days I've also looked at the PHBB system in case it was a mandatory requirement by the EC for the Strut. In fact it looks a heavy handed thing for one member to operate from his p.c. & frankly from my perspective unnecessary. So who determines what we have to do ?

As you may know I already produce a monthly 'RansMail' for the S4 & S5 afficionados sent by e-mail and/or pdf, which seems to secure privacy and limited to the chosen recipients by using a BCC mail out list. Any system can be defeated, so "news of a sensitive nature only suitable for members to view" could easily be cut & pasted for wider distribution if someone wanted to.
Therefore on two counts I don't see how we can proceed unless
a) Would be rank & file members come forward to justify your bringing matters thus far, &
b) The Admin. is permitted to use a simple p.c. means of comm's.

So far 8 people have shown, of which only 4 want to be members, so a total of six counting you & me !

In my opinion unless you believe the rabbits will eventually dare to come out of their burrows, further work on spec. is pointless.
Naturally if someone feels differently, they are welcome to take issue

steveneale · Post by **steveneale** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:42 pm

Hi Mike,

Not sure I understand some of the above. This is not about supporting my efforts, A Web strut was not even my initial idea, it was ChrisB's. I was just the messenger. This has not been for my benefit. Like Brian and Mike Mold above I'm in a strut already and have my access to the executive via Bristol's NC rep thanks. I thought there were a significant number of members that felt unrepresented and they wished to do something about it.

We will see what your poke with a sharp stick produces. The last sentence of my proposal to NC was "If this should peter out then at least we tried". if it does so be it. I won't waste EC time in June over this matter if there are no volunteers to run things.

I do think something constructive has come from this process even if it dies at birth. It has demonstrated that the executive, both NC and EC are receptive and will respond positivity to an idea from ordinary members. Remember at the NC, 10 EC members voted in favour of giving this a go. I don't think they could have been more supportive.

It is very noticeable that whinging about the executive on this BB has virtually disappeared since.

Steve

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:25 pm

Steve,

Thanks again, it's made me re-read the current thread, it was (re)started by Rob Swain. I've still no idea who were the 25 VOTERS for a Web Strut.

But thread comments indicating they'd like to join came from 6 people+me & you=8.

4 from the 6 haven't responded to my asking, though two, Rob Swain & 'Chris B', were once pressing for action. Leaving some 17 who haven't written anything at all !

It is a demonstration of a modern trend that web forums attract anonymous instant comment without much follow through. Even so I hope that the 'lost 17' will now SPEAK UP.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:32 am

Since you insist, Mike, my interest was only in the recognition that a web strut would perhaps be helpful for some, and ran to a couple of posts, one of which was to express surprise there seemed to be no mechanism for ensuring that NC items referred to the EC actually were dealt with.

I'm very happy being a Bristol Wing and Y.E.S. member on NC, and have not voted for or against a web-based strut. In my situation I don't think it would be much use to me, but I think it is a good idea for those who would like to belong. I was surprised to see any opposition expresssed - no skin off anyone else's nose if it were to be set up, but equally if there's no real demand, it would be a pointless activity to set one up. Hence Steve's planning and postings.

As Steve knows well, there isn't much to having a separate area on here accessible just by the strut members, but someone would have to have admin access to add people to the group permissions.

leiafee · Post by **leiafee** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:58 pm

I voted yes, and have followed the thread but not commented because I've had nothing to add which hasn't already been said and because to be honest it didn't seem to be going anyway other than will-they-won't-they.

I know several other organisations I've been involved with operate a system of local groups + "provincial" floating members as a online/mailing list and it works well.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:36 pm

Thanks Dave Hall & 'leiafee',

I'm sure by replying thus you're providing exactly the right stimulus for someone to continue working towards running a Web Strut in these interesting times !

Can the remaining 'yes' voters do likewise pls.

ivanmanley · Post by **ivanmanley** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:44 pm

Unfortunately my job puts a bit of a dampner on my being able to take much of an active roll. However, I support the idea of a web strut and would certainly be a member. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Ivan
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BMW E23 history

Light Aircraft Association

Web Strut

Would you like there to be a Virtual Strut?

THE FLYING STRUT - now in formation