I had occasion today not to post something perhaps I should in another domain.
The reason I should have made the post is because it could impact on peoples safety.
The reason I didnt is because there were conflicting opinions between the manufacturer and a surveyor, and because it could have caused many other owners problems selling, when the case was unproven.
I was conflicted.
To resolve my conflict I have informed the other owners privately and let them know both sides of the story so they can judge for themselves.
Have you had reason not to make certain posts on a forum, and if so why, and what did you do?
Yes, many times.
Not posted.
Simples.
It would depend on what the consequences might be and whether the information can be posted in a way which is useful to others (my primary motivation behind posting) while not identifying the party or parties involved. Plus there may be the possibility of litigation; we have already had one threat from one big UK maintenance company. Some previous threads here and here.
Certainly there is a vast number of things I could have posted but didn’t 
The internet is full of these posts :)
I have been tempted, but it is hard to resist
Timothy wrote:
Yes, many times.Not posted.
Simples.
Did you regret you hadnt? Were there any good lessons or matters of safety involved? Did you convey the message in any other way?
It seems to me one of the common areas where this can crop up is for want of a better description some form of mechanical issue but one which might definitely impact on a lot of owners and effect the whole fleet. I recall on one type of aircraft I owned it came to light there was an issue with the landing gear. The parts were horrendously expensive and there was limited availability. It took some while for the news to filter through the GA world and then everyone was excited about whether or not the checks and rectifications had been carried out and the aircraft became virtually unsaleable if they had not.
@Fuji_abound
I think you handled it well by contacting people who could be concerned privately.
Fuji_Abound wrote:
Did you regret you hadnt? Were there any good lessons or matters of safety involved? Did you convey the message in any other way?
There are so often such conflicting interests.
I recently had a serious part failure which would benefit from being published, but it is not in the interest of the great GA airfield I was flying from to talk about it as the local Press would have a field-day. (No, not answering any further questions, even by PM.)
I was in Portugal last week with a fit, healthy, active friend who suddenly developed Brugada Syndrome (otherwise known as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, though my friend was rushed into Intensive Care and then onto an air ambulance and survived.) I’d love to tell all my Facebook friends, so they know what to look out for, but the patient himself does not know how ill he is, and nor should he until he is treated, and he is on Facebook. (Please none of my FB friends refer to this on there.)
And in some ways, I wish I had not been so open about my crash in St Mary’s two years ago. Most, wise, pilots have taken it as an honest attempt to help others not do the same, but some of my favourite, pompous, detractors have used it as a way to get at me.
So sometimes one just has to keep one’s own counsel, for a variety of reasons.
Timothy wrote:
I recently had a serious part failure which would benefit from being published, but it is not in the interest of the great GA airfield I was flying from to talk about it as the local Press would have a field-day. (No, not answering any further questions, even by PM.)
Why would you have to mention the airfield?
Timothy wrote:
And in some ways, I wish I had not been so open about my crash in St Mary’s two years ago. Most, wise, pilots have taken it as an honest attempt to help others not do the same, but some of my favourite, pompous, detractors have used it as a way to get at me.So sometimes one just has to keep one’s own counsel, for a variety of reasons.
Once you stick your nose out, to a certain extent become a public figure and take positions that are to some extent controversial, you
Unfortuntely the Internet is an outlet for mob crowds to vent whatever frustrations they may have and most do not do it in an eloquent way. Instead of explaining their point of veiw, they will just use insults.
