FlightPrep Education and Action Thread

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milestogo

Filing Flight Plan
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milestogo
Cross-posted from AOPA Forums

For those new to this topic, this thread is intended to provide resources to assist in educating folks and facilitate community action. At issue is a patent assertion by the folks at FlightPrep against several online flight planning providers. RunwayFinder has been forced to shut down their operations because of possible patent infringement and several others were forced to shut down temporarily or sign license agreements under NDA. At issue is whether the patent is valid as obvious prior art and whether FlightPrep is stifling innovation and bullying small free flight planning providers with the threat of protracted legal battles.

Information

1. Runwafinder speaks out
2. FlightPrep defends itself
3. Aeronews describes threats made over FlightPrep coverage
4. Flightaware claims no patent infringment
5. AOPA/Jepessen refuse to respond to FlightPrep
6. AvWeb weighs in
7. Electronic Frontier Foundation weighs in
8. EAA weighs in
9. More from the EAA
10. A copy of the court summons

There are also reports that FlightPrep has deleted the overwhelming negative comments on it's Facebook page, left the few positive comments, and suspended commenting.

Action

1. Donate to the RunwayFinder defense fund
2. Sign the boycott petition
3. Email your thoughts to FlightPrep at sales@flightprep.com
 
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Many of the links don't seem to work.
 
Flame suit on:

The TSA can fondle your "junk", take and distribute nude photos of your children and wrestle your grandmother out of her wheelchair, and no one does anything but complain.

A company attempts to protect their patent (on file and legal property) which temporarily upsets a few streams of "free" flight planning software and websites. Pilots can't line up fast enough to keep their free stuff free, filing petitions, writing letters, and sending nasty emails.

Take my civil liberties when you please but keep your damn hands off my free flight planning sites.

Where are your priorities?
 
jimbtv said:
Flame suit on:

The TSA can fondle your "junk", take and distribute nude photos of your children and wrestle your grandmother out of her wheelchair, and no one does anything but complain.

A company attempts to protect their patent (on file and legal property) which temporarily upsets a few streams of "free" flight planning software and websites. Pilots can't line up fast enough to keep their free stuff free, filing petitions, writing letters, and sending nasty emails.

Take my civil liberties when you please but keep your damn hands off my free flight planning sites.

Where are your priorities?
Click to expand...

We hate the other those things even worse. Should we form an armed insurrection?
 
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jimbtv said:
Flame suit on:

The TSA can fondle your "junk", take and distribute nude photos of your children and wrestle your grandmother out of her wheelchair, and no one does anything but complain.

A company attempts to protect their patent (on file and legal property) which temporarily upsets a few streams of "free" flight planning software and websites. Pilots can't line up fast enough to keep their free stuff free, filing petitions, writing letters, and sending nasty emails.

Take my civil liberties when you please but keep your damn hands off my free flight planning sites.

Where are your priorities?
Click to expand...

Quite simply we have little or no recourse at this point with the DHS & TSA. The Appeals Court has already ruled against civil liberties for commercial air travelers in the interest of public safety.

With a patent, there's still court action available to us.
 
I know nothing of the merits, but if a legitimate challenge to the patents is appropriate, then I wish you the best on it. It is hard to believe that there was not significant prior art.
 
murphey said:
Quite simply we have little or no recourse at this point with the DHS & TSA. The Appeals Court has already ruled against civil liberties for commercial air travelers in the interest of the illusion of public safety.
Click to expand...

FTFY.
 
milestogo said:
We hate the other those things even worse. Should we form an armed insurrection?
Click to expand...

I don't think we're quite at that stage yet but I recommend you keep your powder dry. :ihih:

murphey said:
Quite simply we have little or no recourse at this point with the DHS & TSA. The Appeals Court has already ruled against civil liberties for commercial air travelers in the interest of public safety...
Click to expand...

Laws are written in the legislature, not the courts, but many of us seem to forget that little point. A court judgement simply means that clarification is needed from the legislature so go light some fires under your congressmen.

While you're at it, get them to revoke executive powers that permit the creation of the likes of TSA and DHS.


The real point of my message is why expend so much time and energy on defending something that has been deemed "free" by the public, when $5 dollars a month might provide some financial benefit to those that author this information.

Just because it is free doesn't mean that it doesn't cost something.
 
jimbtv said:
Flame suit on:

The TSA can fondle your "junk", take and distribute nude photos of your children and wrestle your grandmother out of her wheelchair, and no one does anything but complain.

A company attempts to protect their patent (on file and legal property) which temporarily upsets a few streams of "free" flight planning software and websites. Pilots can't line up fast enough to keep their free stuff free, filing petitions, writing letters, and sending nasty emails.

Take my civil liberties when you please but keep your damn hands off my free flight planning sites.

Where are your priorities?
Click to expand...

So is it your contention that nobody minds or complains about TSA and their methods? If so then you are either blind or; never mind. I don't want to get started calling names just because I disagree.

Maybe you are saying we can only be upset about one thing at at time. No, that doesn't make sense either.

What was your point again? It is not that I necessarily disagree with your defense of the rights of patent holders. I just don't understand what TSA has to do with it?
 
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JOhnH said:
So is it your contention that nobody minds or complains about TSA and their methods? If so then you are either blind or; never mind. I don't want to get started calling names just because I disagree.

Maybe you are saying we can only be upset about one thing at at time. No, that doesn't make sense either.

What was your point again? It is not that I necessarily disagree with your defense of the rights of patent holders. I just don't understand what TSA has to do with it?
Click to expand...
I read it as no one CONSTRUCTIVELY complains about the TSA. I do agree with that. We ALL ***** and moan but we really do little to change the situation. Part of that is a feeling of helplessness about what people can do about the hobnailed booted thugs at the DHS and TSA. Another factor is that it is only a real minority of people who are upset with the TSA. Polls and other data clearly show that sheeple are mostly happy with the TSA and have bought into the security theater that they perform.
 
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