This might be something worth investigating; Adding a new line in the profile page that would be voluntary for the local airport code and making it searchable. I don't know what privacy issues would be involved but it would be easier to arrange and invite people to mini do's.

There were some FT social groups set up by location, but mostly these seem to have died.

Where We All Live may help, although far from complete (since opt-in only).

Some locations with lots of FTers have a dedicated Community Buzz forum thread - see the get togethers list.

That would assume that our reported location is correct. I know that my work location will always show as France, regardless of where I actually am (due to IP block allocations).

I think we would be better off with something like TripIt and having everyone automatically connect somehow.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

I wish this feature were better implemented. It seems like an after-thought bolt-on to vBulletin. Stuff posted in these groups doesn't appear in MyFlyerTalk or generate any other sort of alert, so it's too easy to forget about them.

For my situation, the Alaska Airlines Lounge Thread serves as our default "Geographical Social Group," but that's largely because the AS route network means that most people who frequent the AS forum are in a relatively confined geographical area. This is not really an exportable model to the other major airline forums.

Perhaps something better will come along in the future...

I know some FT'ers also keep a list of 'local' FT'ers too (based on what they see on a profile) and send out mass PM's for events

But it would be interesting to create an index based on one's location in the profile. Granted not all FT'ers use this, but most do, and it is 'public' info then...

Thankfully in over 10 years, I have never received a PM based on my profile address. If I did, my location would become something like "Here Today-Gone Tomorrow".

If such an 'index' were created my location would disappear. But what is "this" that "not all FT'ers use ...but some do"? And how is it "used"?

Are you talking about lists of FTers from towns like Flat Rock, Bottoms Bridge, or Short Pump, or do you mean NYC, LA, CHI.

Why should FT maintain such an index? IMO, a location in a profile is of value only when it gives addded credibility to the information in the post.

I guess some people are just anti-social...

He's talking about the "Location:" field displayed to the left of each post that most FTers put something in (i.e. ANC, NYC, etc.). Cross-referencing this with a searchable/sortable database could help to strengthen the community aspect of FT. Most of us like to meet other FTers often, and I appreciate others notifying me when they're dropping by my area. I welcome PMs!

Adding in your location does two things: it allows other FTers to provide you with better, more specific assistance when you post a question (I've seen lots of new FTers who do not have their location listed yet ask a question, and everyone is posting along the lines of "We can't help you--we don't know where you're flying out of!"), and it also allows for community bonds to form. FlyerTalkers are a well-traveled bunch, and so whenever I'm traveling somewhere, I look at the locations of some of the people I correspond frequently with on the board here and may send a note saying "Hey--I'll be in [xxx] next month and would love to meet up if you're available!" The reverse has happened, too, and I've formed many friendships (some fairly good ones, too) because of this.

I used to keep my location in my email profile - until some stranger called me & told me how it easy it was to find me. He actually was harmless & I'll thank him forever for his heads-up, but it brought to my attention how easy it was for folk who might not be to find me.

I also used to post my location on FT - until I got email(s) from an FTer that caused me to go to the police to report his emails (we knew it was an FTer cuz the info he mentioned had only been posted on FT & this was before IB opened it up to google).

So - while it's not that hard to find me specifically by locale, I made it a smudge more difficult. FWIW - it's never made forming friendships on FT a problem at all. I have FT friends everywhere.

Cheers.

I'm not in the least bit anti-social. In the early days of FT, I attended, a.o., NYC Catman DOs and the first two hosted by Bernie in DUS. At one of these I met and discussed FT with RP.
Thanks for helping me out here. I must have forgotten why “NYC” has been to the left of my posts for the past ten years.
I stand by what I wrote. If someone wants to contact me personally because of something I posted, there is a PM button to do this. I’m not at all interested in being on any searchable/sortable data base to be contacted blindly for any reason. Nor can or should the FT PM capability be used to do a joint mailing beyond the current limit of five names.
Obviously you didn’t even check to see that I have my location posted. And I know enough when I ask an open question on FT to give sufficient details to get an intelligent answer, not another question.
Thanks for informing me that FTers are “well traveled” – who knew? ...And what you have written above confirms to me that PM button meets the needs for establishing friendships – and nothing more is required. In my case friendships established through FT have always resulted in direct communications via email – and outside of the purview and the ability of any third party BB host to view.

Jackal, if the above appears to be snarky, I will admit it was intended. Sorry but even as only an adopted New Yorker, the condescending nature of your post grated on me as if I was some small town hick on a turnip truck asking directions in front of a signpost pointing to their destination.

s/kappa - FT Member#1683. Some of us ‘Remember when on FT …..’

I think this is a great idea, and I don't see why so many of you have a problem with it. Maybe there could be a system similar to airliners.net (where you can click on the airport code in a photo to see the whole list of photos from that airport). The only problems would be for multi-airport cities (NYC, LON, SHA, etc...), but that wouldn't be to big of a problem.