Problems with aeroforum.org?

[ulpilot]

Anyone else having problems accessing aeroforum.org? All I get is a page directing me to the WWI Aero site. Hope this isn't the death of WWI Aero, I mean first the paper editions, and now the web forum?

[Scott]

See WWI Aero's Aeroforum Temporarily Down

[j ferguson]

They have a note on the home page to the effect that they are trying to fix a recurring software glitch and should be back up soon.

[John McKenzie]

Hi , I've been trying to log in / join the wwI Aero Forum , on and off for the last 6 months or so , and all it does is to send you round and round in circles . Where it says :- If having difficulty , go direct to web master , the same thing happens ...I PM'd Carrol Gray about it ( on This Forum ) some 2 or 3 weeks ago , also enquiring about the new way of subscribing /being a member of the new CD? ? way , but had no responce ......This doesn't look well towards the future !...IF there is one !!
John

[ulpilot]

Thanks for the responses. I emailed WWI Aero a few days back to find out what was going on with the publications, and organization. Got no response, then the next day the forum goes down. So one can see the reason for my concern.

Would be nice to get some, any, periodic news about the future of WWI Aero and Skyways. In these days of the internet, instant messaging, etc, seems not that difficult to keep us paying members informed on a regular basis.

Sorry for the rant, just getting frustrated.

[Maxim08]

Vet,
Rant is understood and empathised with.
Now that there is no longer a print version I have no interest in WW1 Aero except to remember, fondly, how good it use to be. There is more new information on this forum than I was exposed to in the last 4 print issues, but it will be a long time before this forum can equal the easy to access resource that a library of WW1 Aero back issues represents. My 'library' is fortunate to have all but the first 20 issues.
I am saddended to learn that I am not alone and that several (don't know enough people to say 'many') illustrious members of the WW1 aviation community have not renewed their subscriptions either.
There was a strong temptation to offer a memorial toast to the magazine at the Dawn Patrol banquet in Dayton....
Regards,
John

[greenknight]

The Aeroforum is hosted, paid for, and maintained by Carroll Gray. It was set up by him as a gift to WWI Aeroplanes, Inc.

The organization has no direct control of the Aeroforum. Carroll is the only one who has administrative access to it, and is the only one who can resolve issues with it. I am aware that even before the present round of outages several parties had experienced difficulty joining the Aeroforum. I don't know what the reason is for these techincal difficulties.

The best I can offer is to help you pass on any questions about Aeroforum.com to Carroll Gray. If you have contacted him directly with a PM or e-mail, you've done about what I can do inform him regarding issues with the Aeroforum.

Regarding WWI Aeroplanes Inc. in general and the publications, I'll be the first to admit that we have some serious problems with the publications, and chances of saving them is by no means assured.

It is my personal opinion that our best course of action would be to officially suspend the journals until a time (if and when) we can restart publication on a firm foundation. Clearly, trying to keep publications going with the staff we have been able to muster after the departure of Leo and Dave has led to long publication delays, and simply isn't working for any of us.

Throughout the present difficulties the one important part of WWI Aeroplanes Inc.'s mission as a service organization that has continued unabated is providing archivial materials to enthusiasts via our Master Materials list. It has been attended to largely by the efforts of Tom Polapink and our Office Manager. Tom has been particularly attentive in not only fulfilling orders, but in putting in extra effort to ensure that enthusiasts are connected with the information they really need to make their projects a success.

I joined the Trustees in Spring '08, some 8 months after Leo departed, in the hope of doing something to help. I joined WWI Aero 30 years ago and believe there's a lot worth saving. I have to admit that I and my fellow trustees are struggling and could use all the help we can get.

Contact me via this forum if you would like to discuss this further or can do something to help.

World War I Aeroplanes Inc. does maintain and pay for our official site: World War 1 Aeroplanes, Inc.-Home of WW1 AERO & SKYWAYS

[John McKenzie]

Hi ...The problem with the Aeroforum is still there when it comes to trying to register .You can get through all the questions , name , e-mail address etc. etc. untill it comes to the " immage verification " ...you type in the "funny numbers/letters " taking account of whether capitals or lower case letters , and press the " registration " button ..The screen changes and up comes .."...registration is experiencing trouble " ..." The stringyou entered for the image verification does not match that which was displayed "........You can then go over the same process all over again ad infinitum !! ..You cant get anywhere .If you .."go to the administrator by clicking here "....All you get is " PAGE NOT FOUND "........As I said , I reported this by a PM , but no responce !.As for the procedure of the " NEW " internet Journal , ..IS it sorted yet ! ! The " Old " style journal , stapled together worked fine for umpteen years , ..you could open it out flat and peruse a drawing or whatever quite easily ......You can't do this with the new " Improved " version , which would probably fall to bits with this treatment .Where once this was a journal , primarily for " Builders & Restorers " ...(And run by one ...Leo ) , It now seems to have gone way over to modelers ( Isn't there's enough mags catering for this already ..No disrespect to you guys )and other things , with the original intent relegated to the sideline ....The whole accent of content has changed over the years , ...But for the better ? ?....Last , long awaited issues were just old stuff reprinted ..very disapointing ....( Re articles ,Photos , ...I sent off a load of photos etc to WWI Aero , over 2 years ago on my FE2b ,...! !..... Eventually I came across THIS forum , and so have put it all on here , where there seems to be some interest in these things ).
Regards John

[FOKKERJ]

Oh John..................PLEEZ, Don't get me started!

I still haven't figured out if I ever recieved all of my paid subscription!
I always tried to send a little something extra when I made my donation.

OK, I feel much better now.

I do so miss calling Leo and asking him questions.
He really is a hero of mine!

I was given WWI AERO's address during a visit to a junkyard in the San Fernando Valley, So. Cal. and packed it around in my wallet for close to 30 years before I finally hooked up. That's what happens when your party is looking for car parts and you enquire if they have any Fokker D.VII's lying around!

It was in one of my issues of WWI AERO that I discovered this site after I finally acquired the Internet.
I hope that some of you won't hold this against WWI AERO! :lol :

Best Wishes, Jay aka FOKKERJ

[ulpilot]

I got a good response from Tom Polopink, with a status report on the publications and forum. For those that don't know him, Tom is a great asset to any group he belongs to.

I can try to understand the difficulties of continuing an organization after the creator, and driving force leaves. The problems at Old Rhinebeck are an example, not to imply that the two groups have the same problems. But in both cases, the downturn occured after the original driving force left.

I for one will continue to support WWI Aero, even though I would much prefer hardcopy publications over digital. But times change, and to survive one must adapt to the changes. Having said that, the change is happening a lot slower than I prefer.