RV Builder's Hotline

Jekyll · #1 07-20-2007, 04:56 PM

Bob, you need to take it back. It's gone over to the dark side. Here's a rundown of the HOT RV stories in this weeks Hotline:

Oshkosh
Story about a Cosy 3 builder
Story about a Kit Fox 7 builder
European User Fees
GA in Cuba
Story about an ultralight crash
A Rans midair
Zodiac crash
Air racing roots
Lawn chair pilot

I thought I was reading Sport Aviation or AOPA Pilot.

The original purpose of the RV Builders Hotline was to scour the world of RV forums and compile topics that might interest RVers on multiple forums. There was goodness in this and I think I was one of the first to enroll. Now,,,,well, we can get general aviation information from a variety of sources. I don't think we need it on the RV Builder's Hotline. Just my opinion.

Jekyll

DeltaRomeo · #2 07-20-2007, 05:35 PM

Yikes 'Jekyll'!

It's customary to sign your actual name on these 'Letter to the Editor' type postings, especially one coming down pretty harshly on Bob/Rob's creation.

Best,
Doug Reeves

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #3 07-20-2007, 06:04 PM

I still do provide a lot of the content but I can tell you pulling the BBQ together at this time of the year is a fulltime job and I old Rob I'd be unable to help out for a couple of weeks. This is one of those weeks.

Meanwhile, Rob's been on the road with work and he's heading out here to do a forum on Monday afternoon in the tents.
I don't think, based on the anecdotal evidence I've seen this week, that Doug has missed a thing in the RV world so I'm not sure what more the Hotline could've done this week in the absence of some original content which, as I said, there isn't time for at this time of year.

I'll have Rob send your subscription cost back.

Kevin Horton · #4 07-20-2007, 07:20 PM

Jekyll,

In the future, if you see RV news that is worth covering, maybe it might be useful to submit the story to the RV Hotline. If you submit a well written story, and they reject it, then you might have grounds to gripe.

But, I do agree that I am more interested in RV stories than I am in non-RV stories. And, if there isn't the usual amount of RV content in any given week, I would prefer a shorter issue, rather than fluffing it up with filler content. The whole point of the RV Hotline, from my perspective, is it provides an efficient way to learn about the major happenings and discussions without taking the time to read every RV e-mail list, forum or web log. The usefulness is maximized if all the content is RV related.

Jekyll · #5 07-20-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Collins

I'll have Rob send your subscription cost back.

Bob: Keep the subscription, I get more than my money's worth

Just wanted to give my opinion.

Sorry if it came across as harsh. It was meant to be constructive. You did a good job with the Hotline. I'd just like to see it stay close to its roots. I always appreciated and respected the notices that you posted on those rare occasions when the Hotline would be skipped or late due to life's other constraints. You chose to publish towards a content metric verses a schedule. It showed great respect for your readers. I apologize that my post didn't return the same level of respect.

Jekyll

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #6 07-20-2007, 10:29 PM

I have a couple of stories in mind... a lot of them are profile pieces of RVators. But a good story is still going to take 5-6 hours of work to write and then probably a day or so to research so there's a limit on that aspect of it. But at the same time, there are some interesting things going on in the universe.

There are some good things tucked in EAA newsletters but there's 10 gazillion of 'em to go through and that takes time. In the "old days" (i.e. when I had time), I'd sit and watch TV and leaf through them and find one. Ideally, chapter members would flag these for me becuase -- I have to tell you -- the number of EAA chapters whose latest newsletter online is years old is sickening.

I happen to love trip write-ups, myself, but that's probably just me. I'd love to see more of these.

I have noticed, to be honest with you, that most of the other RV news sites are pretty well dead (i.e. very low message numbers) and more and more seems to be on VAF exclusively.

So I don't know. If it's on VAF, is it still worth putting in the Hotline if most people are on VAF anyway? Do most people read ALL the threads and find that stuff anyway, or what?

I dunno.

I know Rob is working on an interface where people who come across RV stuff can enter it on their own. But maybe the reality is that stuff just isn't out there.

If you've ever been an EAA chapter newsletter, you probably know the scenario of how hard it is to get people to submit content. I think that's really the beauty of the VAF forum is people clearly have no problem contributing massive amounts of data on a daily basis.

I should have mentioned the other reason I haven't done much in the Hotline in recent weeks is because I actually worked on the RV in the garage.

. My goal this year was to get the "big cut' done while it was hot and before Oshkosh And, indeed, I did, although I haven't done a darned thing on it sense (and it's a chilly 55 tonight. Oh no!!!!).

And the other thing was I have the world's longest deck rebulding project going and in the last two weeks, I worked on that too. Need to keep up with the home projects, you know.

All in all, it's just a matter of having the time, which is why I decided to give up publishing in the first place.

In the last few weeks I was actually able to turn my attention to other things and I hadn't felt guilty about it until today.

LifeofReiley · #7 07-20-2007, 10:36 PM

Bob & Rob,

Thanks for even putting out a Hotline Newsletter this week! You guys are very swamped with other issues (RVBBQ etc) and I would like to take this time to THANK YOU!!!!

N395V · #8 07-21-2007, 08:03 AM

Nothing wrong with publishing items about aircraft other than RVs. There is useful info in just about everything published in the RVator. As Bob mentioned putting an issue together is time consuming so I appreciate anything he puts in there.

Mike S · #9 07-21-2007, 08:44 AM

And speaking of non RVs-------------Milt, how is the repair of the
BullGryphonDog coming along?

Lycosaurus · #10 07-21-2007, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Collins

If it's on VAF, is it still worth putting in the Hotline if most people are on VAF anyway? Do most people read ALL the threads and find that stuff anyway, or what?

Yes, keep placing any valid info in the hotline. There were tidbits I had missed from VAF that was outlined in your newsletter.

Big thanks again to you both for putting out the newsletter. I look forward to reading through it as soon as it gets into my mailbox.

No Oshkosh this year ... maybe next year ... we fly?