opt in forum

[Codyjp]

some forums I go to (scuba diving in particular) have a opt in forum for instructors only. Why don't they do that here? It would be nice to have an area where CFI's can talk between CFI's only. Not to say I don't want students reading most of the stuff but...

What do you think? Mods? Any input?

[SteveC]

<moved from CFI forum. More likely to get appropriate feedback here...>

[Codyjp]

your a mod. how about some feedback!

I only posted in the CFI page since it was a CFI issue. I though the other CFI's would chime in with their support or disapproval... anyway, just a thought.

[Doug Taylor]

Largely an impossibility because I don't have the resources to verify that someone is actually a CFI or not.

Probably the only method would be to ask for someone's real name and then try to cross reference that with the FAA database, but that'd almost be a full time job handling requests and the inevitable, "I don't want to give you my real name, just gimme access" emails about credentials to enter the forum.

[SteveC]

I'm not a CFI and don't really understand why making an opt-in forum would be a benefit, so saw no need to comment.

I left a "redirect" in the CFI forum so people browsing there could link to this post and comment if desired.

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by Codyjp

I only posted in the CFI page since it was a CFI issue. I though the other CFI's would chime in with their support or disapproval... anyway, just a thought.

I disapprove. On most instructing issues, anyone who has ever been through training can have constructive input. And even input which isn't directly constructive helps generate "turbulence" in the thread which can stimulate thought and and bring out good ideas.

Overall, I think restricting any sort of discussion to certain people is destructive to our overall purpose here, even though our imaginations suggest otherwise.

"The best is the enemy of the good."

[will_fly_for_bandwith]

I am not a CFI however I do read the CFI section.

I believe that locking forums down to groups go's against the spirit of this board. If we restrict the CFI section to CFI's then why not lock the general forum's to Private/student/light/sport Pilots, Freight Dawgs to Freight Pilots and Ask the AME to Doctors.

I don’t believe that you implied the above for one second but where do you draw the line....

<--- Check the avatar for a clue to my position on open source/open ideas (even though this board is not open source as far as I can tell
).

[Codyjp]

where is the emoticon for 'shot down'?

My thought was that there are some things (not all by any means) that instructors may want to discuss between them. anyway, just fielding ideas... I am new here.

I wasn't sugesting that the current CFI forum be locked but maybe a new one.

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by Codyjp

I wasn't suggesting that the current CFI forum be locked but maybe a new one.

Some people use PM if there are issues too private to be posted publicly.

Two forums would be a problem; posters would be confused about which to post in, the way they are now with two ATC forums. And many, like you, might be tempted to post in the CFI-only forum, depriving the rest of the community from participating, which would decrease the overall turbulence of the site.

I was a member of another discussion group that ended up shutting itself off from student pilots and the overall membership withered away to nothing, long after the interesting discussions had disappeared. Too much organization suppresses vitality.

Regardless, it seems that most active participants in the CFI section are instructors anyway. I'm sure there are a lot of non-CFI readers, but I think it sets a good example to show that instructors don't know everything and are still eager to learn. We shouldn't hide the things we discuss.

IMO, if Doug gave you what you asked for, you would lose what you value about the site.