wyomingiswindy wrote:I don't know much about anything. I want to sue, or more likely counter-sue somebody someday just for the experience.

But to bring it back home, I did find this vintage footage of Zane.

Ha! Classic! That guy is bad A$$! I hope you had permission to share it on the intraweb!

I bet you had to franticly search for that video clip!! A really nice and timely find!

CW

Just got a call from Steve Johnson's attorney. They're skipping the middleman and just sending a hit squad over to shakedown my figurative financial anus.

Zzz wrote:Just got a call from Steve Johnson's attorney. They're skipping the middleman and just sending a hit squad over to shakedown my figurative financial anus.

They better have brought a long skinny borescope to poke the pauper with if they want to collect all of the coal. I know that stuff ain't turned to diamonds yet! Just try to relax and think happy thoughts

CW

rw2 wrote:

Zzz wrote:If you guys are serious about that, there is a council of people you should have a brainstorming meeting with. Chris from shortfield.com and me among them. Possibly Oregon180. We have decades of software development experience, and there is a definite strategy for multi-platform content delivery.

Count me in on that session also.

if you don't, I'll sue...

Hmmm, had to watch THAT video clip a couple times. And SJ had to pause and think about how many times HE's been threatened...

And BOY do I unnerstand about not unnerstanding this here interweb stuff.

That said, a DARN good idea about tapping the amazing expertise on this website (and what the heck, that OTHER dubious site that SJ is somehow associated with...). I'm starting to see some kind of linkage between this GREAT idea, and the crowdsourcing of Search and Rescue stuff. How can we all pool our mutual technical skills in a way that benefits all, without trying to monetize it? Maybe mild commercial sponsorships OK?

Thanks. cubscout

How can we all pool our mutual technical skills in a way that benefits all, without trying to monetize it?

Like Linux

It appears that what started as a grossly misguided threat of legal action is turning into a potential gold mine.

Sometimes it only requires a really foul catalyst to get things moving.

Meanwhile back at Trembling Hills Sanatorium -

"OK Winklevoss or whatever your calling yourself today, it's time for your medication"

"But they stole my photograph and now they're gonna make a airstrip database!"

Gold mine I'm thinking it can be. Only if Galen thought this through more. He could have asked Z and Chris to link up together and maybe come up with an App that Galen can compile each if his airstrip info into a PDF file that you can download for a buck or two (like iTunes).

I respect Galen and his hard work he put into his books. I also know two of his friends that helped him with his books. Fantastic guys as well. Again, too bad Galen may miss the boat on this one.

If I ever get on a regular work schedule and income that I can afford to fly and help. I'll do all I can to help out.

I've owned an airline software company for the last ten years. Grown from my basement to an international firm hosting the reservations and operations for 47 airlines.

Lets get serious about this and setup a conference call.

I would love to see if the best of what everyone is saying can be brought to a mobile app.

Perhaps all we need to do is offer database info to a company like foreflight.

Everything is on the table for discussion at this point.

PM me phone numbers and availability and lets do this.

I know there's many hours of work to get this done. I would never ask a computer programmer to work for free just like I will not work for free. I think if we can come up with a standard format for getting the information to the person building the app they could gather the information easily. That's actually the hardest part is actually flying into the strips getting the pictures and doing the accurate measurements. Oh wait the accurate measurements are already available. I think the key to the success of this endeavor is the ability for a reasonable charge to download the product onto iPads, iPhones, and IBM tablets.
G'Day Rob

Without pointing fingers at anyone, in the nearly 46 years I've been practicing law, I've frequently had to deal with threats to sue, some real, some not so real. Often they are very empty threats, but people tend to roll over and knuckle to them. Fear of litigation in our society has really hamstrung a lot of folks, and it only takes reading or hearing the news for a week to find more such threats.

One unfortunate part of it is that legitimate claims are often diluted by the bogus ones, so that they are ignored. As a consequence, sometimes the only way to get the attention of the wrong-doer is to file a lawsuit--a really unnecessarily expensive way of solving problems.

Another unfortunate part of it is that even bogus claims must be defended, if suit is filed. That means that most of us must carry insurance to cover all of our activities, because although we may be in the right, it costs money to prove that we are. There are 2 parts to almost every insurance policy, the obligation of the insurer to pay, but also the obligation to defend, and that obligation is often the more valuable one to the insured.

Hang in there, Zane.

Cary

WilgaBeast wrote:I've owned an airline software company for the last ten years. Grown from my basement to an international firm hosting the reservations and operations for 47 airlines.

Lets get serious about this and setup a conference call.

I would love to see if the best of what everyone is saying can be brought to a mobile app.

Perhaps all we need to do is offer database info to a company like foreflight.

Everything is on the table for discussion at this point.

PM me phone numbers and availability and lets do this.

Maybe during this next BCP flyin might be a good time to compile new pix and data on all of the available strips public and private. Assign 2 or more strips to each willing pilot and crew to fly to take pix,vids, conditions and measurements, somebody bring a laptop when we come back to GV down load pix and data.

Alot of pertinent data can be obtained from here, http://itd.idaho.gov/aero/facility%20di ... /index.htm but some needs to be verified I'm sure some conditions have changed at some of these strips.

you know guys this sounds like a pretty awesome endeavor, I have a pretty healthy photography setup, and I am fairly computer savvy, if there is anything I can contribute to this project count me in.

I am even hoping maybe next year that setup will include a Red Epic, might have to wait till 16' on that one, but definitely working that way.

Sorry to hear about the threatened litigation. Do we need to start a BCP legal defense fund?


On a positive note I do have GIS and cartography experience I would be happy to lend towards the airstrip database project if needed.

It would be really great to get ChrisG's input here. Seems to me that we could channel all this creative energy towards building up the content on shortfield.com and offering to help with the development there.

With ChrisG's cooperation, an app version could be built on top of the shortfield database, most usefully with local data downloads for offline use. Not to get too detailed, but an API to submit updates (Pireps, photos, etc.) to the site from the app in the field would be really cool, and would increase pilot participation greatly.

Oregon180 wrote:It would be really great to get ChrisG's input here. Seems to me that we could channel all this creative energy towards building up the content on shortfield.com and offering to help with the development there.

With ChrisG's cooperation, an app version could be built on top of the shortfield database, most usefully with local data downloads for offline use. Not to get too detailed, but an API to submit updates (Pireps, photos, etc.) to the site from the app in the field would be really cool, and would increase pilot participation greatly.

I agree Terry, but myself and a couple others have noticed that we don't get a response from Shortfield.com frequently when inputting data to them. He might just be working a day job on the side

OregonMaule wrote:So here is an idea for you young techies looking for adventure. You make a book like Galen's in digital format. One that can be carried on a tablet for reference. I'll bet Chris at shortfield.com has thought of this already.

Maybe Chris can convert his online pictures and narrative to a down loadable format. I would pay for that, and I bet others would too.
We have amacbean too. Lots of talent her at BCP!

When I started shortfield in 2000, I had only been flying a 3-4 years and wanted to know more about backcountry airstrips before I considered flying into them. I had a copy of Fly Idaho and loved it! I also had many state-issued airport guides and other backcountry airstrip information, but it was all static and becoming outdated with every passing day. I wanted more dynamic information: approach videos, maps, current photos and PIREPs, etc. Shortfield was always intended to be a free, online, version of all those static airport directories/guides. The airport data is there and with your user-contributions, we all get more up-to-date information. The more you contribute, the better resource we all have.

I have thought about a mobile version of shortfield airport data. In fact, I have a rough, beta version running on my tablet right now. It has moving maps, geo-location, airport data, and even allows users to 'check-in' with photos, etc. I'm also working on some really cool (I think) virtual mapping functionality that allows you to really explore the terrain around the airstrips (more on that soon).

I don't know how much of a "fortune" is out there for this type of product, but I'd at least want to off-set the development costs. I'll start a separate thread, where we can discuss in more detail.

I'm cheap, I like to look outside and read a paper map so I have almost no interest in a foreflight type product that has the associated monthly fees. However if I could get something like shortfield.com on a mobile device I'd pay something like a one time fee of $20 or so.

Wish I had some tech skills I could share but I don't. I'll share what knowledge I do have and will provide pireps to keep things current.

whee wrote:I'm cheap, I like to look outside and read a paper map so I have almost no interest in a foreflight type product that has the associated monthly fees. However if I could get something like shortfield.com on a mobile device I'd pay something like a one time fee of $20 or so.

Wish I had some tech skills I could share but I don't. I'll share what knowledge I do have and will provide pireps to keep things current.

It doesn't pencil. If you want a top notch product with no pop up' sit will cost. Like I said $80 a year for flight guide. They are constantly updating. Pilots make me chuckle. $70000 plane $50 hour for gas and don't want to spend $80 a year for a new what ever.

isn't that the truth!

Wow Rob we just be agreeing like crazy the last few days!