Opinion needed: focus fields?

[TexFly]

Actually I was using ONLY the focus field list. Easy to create a flight plan and nice to switch airport and learn about the area without any additional planning.

I think even a few new FFs a week (not every day) would be nice.

I miss it!

[Andrew Miller]

I personally used the focus fields as a place to have a recommended flight for me, since most of them were less than 100 nm. I didn't care so much of the aspect of seeing other flight on them, but I wanted a way to gradually tour the entire ZLA airspace!

[DrZGard]

I personally liked the focus field list being daily. I would use both or if I used one I would try to pick a second close to a focus field to increase chances of seeing and hearing other traffic. Sometimes I would have it work too and see other people flying rather than the drones. They were frequently a good flying time for my uses, not too much time enroute and interesting and varied approaches. A suggested list might also serve the same purpose if few were actually utilizing it.

[Jason Baxter]

I liked the focus fields I think we can narrow the focus, at previous there were about 8 options. Probably better off with simply controoled pair, ucontrolled pair.

[Alex Stjepanovic]

I tend to agree that without specific times, they are as good as not having. Perhaps a time-specific pair(Possibly even changing during the day), thus allowing for hypothetical mini events?

[Keith Smith]

Great feedback. Keep it coming. We're reading, trust me.

[Fatcharlie]

Hello all from a very rainy and stormy Southern France. I'm Roger. I live and work on the French Riviera as a Professional Yacht Captain. Rotten work but someone has to do it.... ;-P

Focus fields for me have been great. I have a tendency to stick with what's comfortable and therefore being encouraged to fly out of different fields each time I visit is a good thing. It gives experience and variety.

Due to a somewhat calamitous fortnight at home (wife broke 3 ribs, I devleoped RSi in my wrist - not related!!!!), my online flying has been curtailed. But I am a supporter of Focus Fields.

Nonetheless, the two times I flew at Focus Fields there was little traffic.

However, I feel this is a reflection of traffic levels rather than a fundamental flaw with the Focus Fields idea. I do not know how many subscribers there are to PilotEdge currently, but I get the feeling it's early days - more subscribers would equal more traffic - more a/c to focus?

The biggest thing about it is that I don't have to have a 'simulation evening' set in stone. If I'm free, I can fire up the simulator and know there will be a chance of meeting other traffic.

I would not like to see the FF Program disappear. But it must be a drain on resources for sometimes little action. How about scaling it down - four days a week with bookable slots or coverage periods? Once PilotEdge grows, it can be expanded again.

Perhaps some research - a short questionnaire to all subscribers for them to indicate when they are most likely to sim?

I guess what I'm saying is a sharper focus might be needed.

Cheers,

Roger.

[Keith Smith]

Ok, the tribe has spoken, thanks for the feedback. Clearly there's a least some people for whom this is valuable, so we'll keep it going.

I didn't realize that it was a source of entertainment and purpose for pilots even on nights where they were generated very little concurrent traffic at those fields.

We can sharpen the focus by suggesting times, making them mini-events, but that has drawbacks, too.

Tim is working on a management interface that will allow us to build the focus fields well in advance and make the process a lot easier. Froma user perspective, the front page will show yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's focus fields.

It's going to be simplified down to a towered pair and a non-towered pair. People wanting to do pattern work can obviously do that at any one of the towered or non-towered airports. We'll skip the 'long runway' pair as heavy metal just isn't all that prevalent here yet. If there is eventually demand to add it, we will, but right now, this should do the trick and maximize the chances of an encounter with other live traffic.

For time-based gatherings, I'm encouraging people to use the 'fly with me' forum to let ppl know what they plan on doing. Don't be shy, if you're planning on doing a flight on a given day, and you know the rough time, make a post...even if it's just to say that you're doing the towered-pair at 8pm PDT in a Baron, callsign N123AB.

[Alex Stjepanovic]

callsign N123AB.

How many times do I have to ask you not to use my call sign in your examples?

[DrZGard]

How about naming three airports to pick and choose between. You can round robin, or just fly from one to another. Pick three towered airports and users can pick a non-tower airport close by those if they so desire. That would at least give some direction and allow for the potential of running into other traffic if flying between them. For big iron select two large airport that would have traffic passing through the paths between the three.