As the poll for FG Festival Spring Festival 2016 comes close

[KIWI34]

Option 1 seems legit XD

[IAHM-COL]

Summarizing:

Option 1: IH-COL, Maverick, Simbambin, KL-666, Legoboyvdlp, MiG29Pilot , KIWI34 (7)
Option 2: JWocky (1)

Some other opinion? explain

[Omega]

So here's what I think: let's all take a step back and look at what has been accomplished so far.
I personally believe that this is a huge waste of time. After ten days, a total of over 350 forum posts have been submitted in regards to planning for this event. And sure enough, the overall discussion predominantly consists of a series of arguments being shot back and forth.
As a result, more time and effort is wasted on arguing over minor details than actually planning for the event.

It is clear that this event lacks a definite leader; someone who can make logical and efficient decisions for the benefit of the participants and contributors; a leader who decides on where the event takes place, or at least the available options to put on a poll.
All it takes is a unique and interesting idea, along with something to attract participants (banner, video, scenery, etc.)

It should NOT take so much time and effort to select an area. Just pick one and go with it - it's that simple. Time and effort can be spent on organizing briefing documents, and gathering participants and controllers.

Furthermore, I believe that selecting different areas every year is not beneficial. It only leads to more work and less stability. And I say less stability because both pilots and controllers will most likely not be familiar with the new area introduced, thus resulting to a more chaotic event. So maybe we should consider having the event at the same spot every year. And perhaps the quality of the event can slowly increase year by year as people gain more experience with the area.

This is all based on my experience as an organizer of several FG events and as a VATSIM event coordinator.

[KL-666]

Same place. A shockingly new perspective. But it does not feel good to me. Too much emphasis on atc training. A festival means joy. Part of it is atc, part of it many people in a new area, etc...

For continuity in atc training, one can easily set up a weekly operation like that of Jomo. It is not exactly what i feel as a festival experience.

Kind regards, Vincent

[Omega]

Even if the festival was to be at the same place every year, it would still create a fun experience.

All it takes is a unique and interesting idea, along with something to attract participants (banner, video, scenery, etc.)

Remember what we did back in 2012: http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=18173
Because that event was so unique in nature, it generated a whole load of traffic. Perhaps we could try another 48-hr event?
I mean, with just ONE area, you could come up with a multitude of unique and fun ideas, for example: Single runway operations, opposite direction runway operations, SRA approaches, VFR-only operations (all a/c sequenced into a busy circuit, think Oshkosh), IFR approach challenges, the list goes on...
You just have to think out of the box.
And so if you come up with an idea like that AND get at least 3 different controllers online simultaneously, does it still sound like a "weekly operation" to you? I highly doubt so.

[KL-666]

Great ideas, but i do not see why they can not be done on one of the airports of the festival anywhere in the world. Like a mega-mini event at an airport with no navaids, so no-one can cheat.

I remember that Amsterdam event. Would it attract me as much if i had to be there half yearly? I doubt it.

I think i weigh the new area aspect heavily. Amsterdam is rather flat. The challenge of an Andes airport is nice too once in a while.

I am not saying you should do such and such. Just giving you feedback about how one potential participant would feel about it.

Kind regards, Vincent

[IAHM-COL]

I'd be very interested in another 48h event. Kiwi is in Australia. With Omega and elgaton we could be 4 ATCs, 6 hrs per day and we'd be golden.

If we can get anywhere soon, and we hold polls style 1, I opt to re add Benelux to the European candidates.

I think a 48h event could be organized, planned and setup regardless of the location selected for any festival. There is 6 or 12 mo, which I found sufficient to familiarize with a new location... Well, of course knowing omegas standard for excellence, well that's a whole other topic.

I also like to reinforce the idea that festivals have mini games, and I think there's tons of unrealized potential there.

[Lydiot]

Summarizing:

Option 1: IH-COL, Maverick, Simbambin, KL-666, Legoboyvdlp, MiG29Pilot , KIWI34 (7)
Option 2: JWocky (1)

Some other opinion? explain

I'm torn now. Here are my thoughts.....

"Forcing" non-Europe: I think the logic behind "forcing" a non-European event is a good. The only alternative to that which would satisfy that same goal is to simply go top-down on the results of the poll but once you've chosen an area you can't pick the same continent for the next. For example;

1. Winner: Scandinavia
2. Runner-up: The UK
3. Carribbean
4. Italy
5. US East Coast
etc

in such a scenario it'd be Scandinavia followed by the Carribbean. Two continents. If the list had been reversed then it'd have been the US followed by Italy (different continents).

At any rate, I think adding yet another alternative is probably counterproductive at this point. I just think we should be open to changing this in the future. As I said before, "tradition" requires more than doing something once, or even twice. We could create it for sure, but "tradition" is an argument I don't like.

FSWeekend: I gotta tell 'ya, I just don't really find it a compelling argument to involve it. I don't oppose having it on the same day at all, that's all fine by me - UNLESS we could get more people participating in the FG festival if the dates were different. I'm assuming the FSWeekend people are good people, so their presence would surely be nice, no? Apart from that I honestly don't really care. I find it to be a parameter of little value.

Same place every year: Meh.... Let's find new places. I actually agree (partially) with those saying that a festival can bring more buildings and future players to a 'neglected' area. I don't think it has to be a bad thing that ATCs will have to learn new procedures etc, in fact, it seems people are very willing to do it. My only concern, as I mentioned, is choosing an area that is very undeveloped, counting on people to create objects (airports) for it, and they then can't make the deadline. Then we'd be stuck with a 'wasteland'. So that's why I've been in favor of at least semi-developed areas with interesting geographical features.

[IAHM-COL]

Hi Lydiot


1. Forcing non-European.
Your alternative to force one non-European event works, but I found it more "complex" (not un-understandable). I like the two polls variant much better. No need to "edit" or interpret locations. I'd also hate the position of enforcing an European like that

example

Code: Select all

[*] 1. Los Andes
2. Japan
[*] 3. UK


Thus two polls keeps it simple (KISS).

I agree we can talk about this again one year from now... but I find we are cutting too much paper out on nothing.


2. FSWeekend

Each of us has (or not) its own motivations. For me tradition is there for an explanation. I know it does not cut it for you. But per example, I use to like making a fly in to Lelystad every year on FSWeekend. Not gonna happen if at the same time I'm scheduling ATC in KLAX. But if I'm at Edinburgh, or Helsinki, I may as well give me my peregrination trip. Besides, the likelihood that omega opens EHAM on FSWeekend is really good, and that always makes it for an attractive flight. The traffic on Europe on FSWeekend is one of those nice FG additions. But forget about the FSWEEKEND people (like Thorsten and Torsten, Stuart and Gijs). For the last 4 years they've know our MP efforts to integrate with them on FSWEEKEND. They had never have (AFAIK) available internet to follow us --- not, apparently a real interest in doing so. They all, curiously, not MP kinda people.

3. Same place every year.
We are in the same board on that one.

4. You did not indicated a selection between 1 and 2. I guess you dislike them equally both? In any case, feel free to abstain.

@elgaton, You have Lydiot's response. You have our board response strongly supporting the case for having the Two Polls open in Curtis'.
I think we are more than 24 hours delay to get the ball running... and we are getting nervous to see this thing going. In my seat I would be happy to see less words about this and more action on the poll climbing ranks.

Best

IH-COL

[IAHM-COL]

By the way, elgaton

If you now agree with rolling the Polls, I want to ask you readd Benelux to the list.

The polls will look like this:

Poll Spring: Each person has one vote. Winner Spring

• US (South West Coast) 2016
• Indonesia – Java 2016
• Eastern China 2016
• Los Andes – South America 2016
• Japan 2016
• South Africa 2016
• New Zealand 2016
• Caribbean 2016
• N. America (North West Coast) 2016
• N. America (East Coast) 2016

Poll Fall: Each person has one vote. Winner Fall

• Italy 2016
• Greece – Turkey 2016
• Germany 2016
• Scandinavia 2016
• United Kingdom – Ireland 2016
• West Russia 2016
• Netherlands - Belgium - Luxembourg 2016