Open Access to encourage members ?

Will Greenwood · Post by **Will Greenwood** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:59 am

Hi All, lets leave the photo side of the web alone for a moment and concentrate on the web side. Looking at it logocally the forum should be viewed publically, which it is, and to post you must be a member so the moderators or other members can alert if someone prints sensitive material, like details of an accident for example. Why should this be? and why can't our forum be like PRUNNE or FYLER, that's simple, we are a reconised body and therefore accountable, which in turn leaves us open to legal attack should a non member print something stupid, as mentioned earlier, a fine line to tread.
We all look at other forums and like J.C's post, find other pilots closer than you realised, could they join ? Even simple tactics like giving your dentist pass copies of the LAA magazine for the waiting room could help. How difficult would it be to make public acces to our web page more appealing, anyone got any idea's on that one, maybe a general aircraft gallery is one...comments please.
And finially it is good to hear constructive comments and views rather than a slanging match that can go on elsewhere, I'm sure that some of this will filter through to HQ....or that's the idea !!

Will.

Post by **John Dean** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:00 am

welshman wrote: How many of us would recognise any of the committee members if they were placed in front of us?

All their names with photos are here.

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:31 pm

Will

My constructive suggestion for the BB would be to do what AOPA has done with Flyer;

http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewforum.php ... 5ebfc68472

This has all of the advantages of an in house system with none of the disadvantages and will give us immediate access to 1000’s of potential new members who visit the flyer site regularly.

As far as the WWW is concerned there has been 100’s of posts on this so have a look back (including the PFA BB) and you will have 50 ideas most of which have been posted more than once.

If you want to add flight planning then there is a system being offered free on the Flyer BB, but you would have to host and maintain it.

If you want to form a group and hold a teleconference on how we could improve the marketing impact of the web site then I would be happy to take part. There are some very basic things which would help like keeping any form of bad news off the front page! In the membership / attention getting war first impressions are everything and the younger the viewer the shorter the time you have to grab their attention. Reading about crashes, grounded aircraft and banned transponders is not even close to cutting the musters if you want new members.

Rod1
PS Brian, I have probably posted over 100 times on the BB being open and you and I both know that some on the EC would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the asylum before moving one inch on this. I will volunteer to help doing the dragging if you want

J.C. · Post by **J.C.** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:38 pm

I do understand the concerns of some people vis a vis security,but a quick glance at any of the other sites will show how many LAA members post on them as well.This somewhat undermines the argument for being able to keep the lid on things as anything contraversial on here invariably turns up on other sites within minutes.
So on balance,it is my submission,that weighing the risk of being unable to stop something dodgy getting out against the potential increase in membership is a no brainer

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:13 am

Perhaps those of an ultra-cautious frame of mind could post an example where the owner of a UK aviation-related BBS has been subjected to sanction as a result of something posted by a member of the public?

It does seem odd that those who trumpet our Association's abilities think it incapable of doing what others have done for years with no apparent problem.

Will Greenwood · Post by **Will Greenwood** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:33 am

Maybe we could have a non members open area for aviation enthusiasts on the forum page, that would encourage people to at least look in our direction, I also note that there is no "spotters" forum, and we have plenty of those who are members. On the subject of accountability, a simple line on the non members page of stating that any views printed here are from the general public and not sanctioned by the LAA...or something along those lines.

Will.

Post by **John Dean** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:23 pm

Interesting to see that the BMAA Council have today made public the decision to make their forum restricted to members only from the end of February, not only restricting posting but also viewing.

JonKil · Post by **JonKil** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:15 pm

Our BB forums on the National Microlight Association of Ireland website has a section that anyone can view, another section is viewable if you register on the forum (even non NMAI members) which opens up more topics and finally the entire board is viewable to verified NMAI members only. It works well, easy to moderate and offers enough information to any newbies.
It also offers the paid up members something extra for their membership subs, we are however a small organisation compared with the LAA.
I believe that if the LAA opens up for all to post that at least new members joining the BB board must have admin approval before being let loose so to speak, maybe even a probationary time before full posting privileges are given. The BMAA is I believe closing their BB forum to non members, as someone posted earlier, a counter productive step in anyone's books. I have long given up on that forum as it became infested by trolls and some decisions relating to the BB management became unpalatable.
I am sure that council will debate the relative benifits of opening up the LAA boards, the software running the PHP boards is very flexible and permits varying management criteria by members with moderator privileges, this makes it quite straightforward to screen posts.

Jon

Trevor Harvey · Post by **Trevor Harvey** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:35 pm

A members only section + a public access section, with liability disclaimers all round.
Plenty of sites do it, where is the problem? All it seems to require is for someone to make a decision. Why does it even have to be discussed?
Why are there two pages of mostly agreement on the subject?
Could the idea be put to a vote?
I weigh about 70KG & find eggshells difficult to walk on!!!

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:40 pm

I hate to labour the point, but the LAA web site front page is crap, it needs a thorough make over. It does nothing to encourage new members.

Compare the presentation of the http://www.bmaa.org/ site, regardless of the quality of the content, the appeal of the other site is obvious.

I have made the point before, our potential members are not just pilots and student pilots, they are all the 40 somethings who buy BMWs, Harleys, sailing dingies plus a significant proportion of the kit car brigade. There are probably a million folks in that category, of which tens of thousands probably have thought about learning to fly, but put the thought away because of the belief that it is a rich man's pastime.

Yes access to the pics should be free, it could be that some of the contributors to the pic archive would not like that, so some accomodation may be necessary to find a good solution.

I know from reading the mag that a lot of time is spent at events such as Splash to get new members, but that's conversion of believers we have to take the message out to the non believers, an appealing web site is the easiest way to do that.

Donald Walker · Post by **Donald Walker** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:13 am

John Dean wrote:Interesting to see that the BMAA Council have today made public the decision to make their forum restricted to members only from the end of February, not only restricting posting but also viewing.

Following lobbying by members, the BMAA Council has announced it will review the decision to restrict posting or viewing on their forum, before it comes into effect.

Donald

Will Greenwood · Post by **Will Greenwood** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:55 pm

Going back to the LAA site, do you all think that an Aircraft Enthusiasts(aircraft spotters etc) forum for non members,within the LAA site is a good idea?. Are there any that want to comment who are members ? I do not have the info on how many none flying members we have, I imagine quiet a few.

Will.

gasax · Post by **gasax** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:53 pm

What is the problem with being open and honest. Is it reaslly a good strategy to attract new members by not letting them see how the organistation works or what is 'issues' are?

This is a fine strategy is you are selling time shares. It may even get you the odd member for the first year. And what happens if once the light dawns these people find the organisations 'ethos' is very much counter to their views?

They don't just leave, they tell their friends why they are leaving.

The LAA is what it is, pretending it is something better, different or possibly nobler is a self defeating strategy.

Sell the LAA the way it is. Be open and honest (who wants to belong to something that resembles a political party?).

Pete Morris

macconnacher · Post by **macconnacher** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:00 pm

Quiet a few but trying to label them is not productive as I suspect they are enthusiasts which encompasses you as an owner/pilot as well as me, who just holds onto his NPPL, and Nigel Hitchman who flys for a living and owns a couple of aircraft as well as some who do not fly or build.

But whilst I take photos as does Nigel I am not a spotter since the last time I wrote down a list of registrations was in 1972 at Oshkosh when I realised when faced with 8,000 aircraft that this was impossible and life was too short. The pilots and builders can be identified but even they may, due to age and circumstances join the ranks of those in the association that do not need the services of engineering or the efforts of John Brady in arguing for a fair deal on airspace but support the ideals of the association and enjoy seeing or photographing the aircraft of those who NEED the association.

I have, I hope, by the setting up of the LAA archive site provided an outlet and a source of interest to all members and whilst it is not part of the association's core business activity will appeal to all those who find homebuilt aircraft interesting. Yes there are activities that are on the edge of our core activity that would widen the membership base of LAA and the main one is the provision of an annual rally where your membership gets you a benefit.

I do believe that whilst the EC have wanted to widen the appeal of LAA in the Flying Community and to others; the current home page of the main LAA website needs a radical rethink since it reinforces those old prejudices. Engineering is the most vital part of the LAA but a person outside looking up our website is hardly encouraged by the data contained on the current homepage which is vital data for the current member but not the message you give to someone who is considering membership. The homepage should "Sell" the organisation not parade the problems that we have.

None of this is a critisism of Penny who looks after the website: It is up to others to set the PR Agenda and create a feelgood homepage and front end to encourage new members.