Thankfulness within SL

It's Thanksgiving Day in America. I've been reflecting on my 9 years in Second Life and today it dawned on me: In addition to being thankful for the many wonderful things in my Real Life, I'm also very thankful for the friends, experiences and memories of my Second Life.

Lately I've been thinking about the many happy years I've had in Caledon and the fun I had with the Royal Caledon Air Force.

The photo above was given to me by my SL friend and RCAF supporter Samantha Poindexter.

SL Aviation Magazine Issue 34

Machinima from Luke Flywalker:

SL Aviation news presented in TV news magazine format. This issue features a look at Cheerport Airport, a flight around Jeogeot Gulf, Zip's Automated Cargo Systems and crazy Battle Balloons with the Dogs on the Run.

The steampunk battle balloon dogfight starts at 16:06

Steampunk RCAF HQ in Blake Bay

Here are snapshots of the latest (and last?) steampunk Royal Caledon Air Force HQ. One of Cornelius Fanshaw's creations, it's located in Blake Bay and cleverly camouflaged to fit into the pirate theme of the local area.

SLurl:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blake%20Bay/84/181/23

The Trials and Tribulations of an SL Event Planner

A Combat Event Planners work is never done...

Planning with Cornelius Fanshaw and Vickster Kuhn  

We were soon joined by DA "Don" Admiral

A combat event planner (like any event planner) takes great care and thought  into the process and procedures of even the fun events like our recent steampunk balloon dogfights. At times we make financial contributions in efforts to ensure success.

For people like Cornelius and me, it could be time and energy, with small investments of money for items like rezzable planes or battle balloons. For people like Don and Vicks it could mean even more time, effort, and greater financial commitments as region owners. We hope and pray that participants like you will show up, enjoy yourselves, and want more fun and excitement from us.

And yes - we take great pride when things go well.

But we also have our share of disappointments. It's been noticed that although the steampunk battle balloon event was a big hit with all who showed up, only the usual suspects from the old steampunk Royal Caledon Air Force showed. The people who protested the loudest back in early January - that I save RCAF from my proposed shutdown / deletion date, never came - to either event. Just as I thought would happen.

So... RCAF will continue to exist as a closed, inactive group as part of Caledon, Steamland, and SL Aviation history. Everyone will have the roletag of "RoyalCaledonAirForce" while group owners will have the tag "RCAF Curator."

The new RCAF group description:

Altitude with Attitude! - This is the historic Royal Caledon Air Force. Closed, inactive, but not forgotten. To all the Connolly's Crazies out there, it was great fun! Blue Skies, everyone!

-- Zoe Connolly
Group Owner, former Air Marshal, and present RCAF Curator.

We're reacting to consumer demand and will continue planning for our World War 2 and Modern Combat Groups.

Throwback Thursday # 4 - October 2007

October 2007 - The photo below was taken at Desmond Shang's estate in Caledon. It captures the moment I placed a "deposit" on my part of what would be known as Connolly Aerodrome in Caledon Penzance.

I didn't know it yet, but I was about to have my best year in SL ever.

What's my second best year? I'm guessing it's this one. I'm almost two months into this great year using Second Life with SLGo.

SL Group News: Steampunk RCAF

A few meetings with officers and friends of RCAF

A quick meeting with Cornelius Fanshaw and Sin Trentin

This is RCAF (Steampunk) HQ in Blake Sea

Caledon Zephyr's History of RCAF

There are a few inaccuracies and omissions, but this is an excellent history of the Royal Caledon Air Force. 

A Retrofitting for the RCAF: Looking Back and Gazing into the Future, 2015.2.8

SL Groups: RCAF Steampunk and RCAF WW2

The Royal Caledon Air Force is now officially split into two distinct groups.

RCAF - Royal Caledon Air Force is our Steampunk Military RP group and sometimes dabbles in WW1 era dogfights. This is the one I started in Caledon back in 2007. Our original motto was "Altitude with Attitude" and we're going back to that adventurous fun. Eventually, it grew beyond Caledon to protect the larger Steampunk Community.

Times Changed - Following a series of budget cuts and the loss of its headquarters, RCAF "went rogue" - concerned with its own interests first, the interests of Steamland governments a secondary concern. The rebooted and re-imagined RCAF is Caledon in name only, a mere hat tip to its origins.

Part heroic, part anti-heroic, the rebooted RCAF is steampunk swagger on land, sea, and of course - in the air. We are an independent force, without ties to Caledon or any Nation. In public Steamland leaders curse us, while in private offices, we're praised - often called upon by governments to do their dirty work - It's all very hush hush, you know.

A display of pre-WW1 airplanes. 

The style we often use in the steampunk version of RCAF

Meanwhile, 401 Squadron RCAF is our WW2 Military RP group. We changed the word Caledon to Canadian in THIS version of RCAF. Our mission: Destroy the Nazi War Machine.

In 401 Sqdrn RCAF, we'll stage or participate in dogfights and other battles within the Dogs On The Run and New Bastogne Occupied France regions. We will fight with the Allies on land and in the air. We'll also have a military presence in Jeogeot Gulf and do non-combat flyovers across Blake Sea.

Come join us in one or both groups and fly for fun and adventure!

 RAF Rundlelawn, RCAF in Jeogeot Gulf

Cornelius and I stand near the Squadron sign.

SLurl to RAF/RCAF Rundlelawn
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rundlelawn/242/44/38

SL Group: A Message to RCAF and Future Plans

Group Notice From: (RCAF) Royal Caledon Air Force, Zoe Connolly

I want to thank everyone who attended last Saturdays great event. We had loads of positive feedback and the folks at Dogs On The Run were delighted. Trinka Adored and DA Admiral from DOR were very happy with the turnout and so was I! -- a total of 16 people showed up from across the SL aviation community!

Cornelius Fanshaw and I are already busy with plans for the near future. Combat and commercial SL Aviation is thriving. In addition to Blake Sea, there are new sims available for flying and sailing - and great builders are releasing aircraft at a regular rate.

For those of us who want more out of Second Life than just fashion and sex, the adventures await!

(Pictured Below) Cornelius and I chat about our new RCAF WW2 Group called 401 Squadron RCAF. We fly WW2 adventures as Royal Canadian Air Force, instead of the steampunk Victorian version Royal Caledon Air Force. We were joined by authentic Canadian Barry Foehammer.

New SL Aviation Group: 401 Squadron RCAF

Description: Originally No.1 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, the squadron arrived in Britain in 1940 where it took part in the Battle of Britain, flying Hawker Hurricanes.

In 1941 was renamed No. 401 Squadron and reequipped with Spitfires which it continued to use throughout the rest of the war.

It was one of the first squadrons to operate from French soil after D-Day and also the first Commonwealth squadron to shoot down an Me262. It was credited with shooting down 186 1/2 enemy aircraft during WWII.

As you can see from the pics below, we'll also have an air vs sea element too.

RCAF-DOR Steampunk Battle Balloon Dogfight

Group Notice From: (RCAF) Royal Caledon Air Force, Zoe Connolly

I want to thank everyone who attended last Saturdays great event. We had loads of positive feedback and the folks at Dogs On The Run were delighted. Trinka Adored and DA Admiral from DOR were very happy with the turnout and so was I! -- a total of 16 people showed up from across the SL aviation community!

 The phrase of the day was "This is fun!"

RCAF has a new venue for dogfighting

Thanks to the great folks at DOR (The Dogs On The Run group), the Royal Caledon Air Force is invited to dogfight at their fine sim, Pengo Bayou, for future dogfighting events.

I have a post about our successful first dogfight of the season very soon.

In addition, my helicopter group SLHPA will have events at Pengo Bayou, too.

SL Group: RCAF - Event this Saturday, 24 January

Group Notice From: (RCAF) Royal Caledon Air Force, Cornelius Fanshaw

The Royal Caledon Air Force and Dogs on the Run are banding together to bring you a Steampunk Dogfight!

This is very much a fun entry level event.

Multi-crewed airships will be provided, so come along and bring your friends and family.

No flying experience necessary!

We'll begin at 2pm SL time on Saturday afternoon at the DOR

SLurl:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pengo%20Bayou/46/233/22

SL GROUP: RCAF, RIP?

I have NOT closed RCAF, yet...

A scant few minutes after my post about closing the SL Group "Royal Caledon Air Force" the group chat sprang into life with understandable sadness and "is there any way to save it?" chatter.

To be honest, I've been down this runway before. But I'll oblige the current sentiment. For now, RCAF remains on life-support as a few of us sort out its future.

A Brief History of RCAF:

In the early days of 2007 I couldn't imagine flying a vehicle in a virtual world. My computer was not up to the task, so I didn't really think about it. When I began exploring steampunk in April 2007, I spent a great deal of time in New Babbage, where I discovered the joys of flying hovering craft . In no time I was hooked on flying and could be seen all over the steam-lands in various flying machines.

While exploring Caledon by Land and Air, I noticed there was only one runway (no rez) in the entire nation. My vision for Caledon was to provide a runway and rez area for any citizen and any interested aviation enthusiast in SL. I mentioned this idea to Desmond Shang who was delighted at the prospect of adding another fun attraction in his fair steamland. At the time, he had a rather odd-shaped parcel in the yet to be created Caledon Penzance. He wasn't quite sure how anyone would use it. With a little more tweaking from Des, it was perfect for a runway.

In October 2007, Virrginia Tombola and I reserved the two parcels that are now known as the Connolly Aerodrome. At the same time, I started the Royal Caledon Air Force Group.

In 2008 RCAF, SL, and my newest computer were in sync... All "In The Zone"


The RCAF group grew in membership and stature. SL seemed to be working well for vehicle users, my latest computer could handle SL quite well, there was an abundance of "Void" sims and the aviation life was good! RCAF was in the sweet spot in 2008. About a dozen core people would help me organize, build structures, design airplanes, insignia, and uniforms. There were creative people in RCAF who loved aviation and expressed it well with their creations. There were so many great ideas I rarely said no. Another 6 to 8 people might show at events such - from dances to dogfights - as their schedule permitted. I had an easy time leading that dynamic group of excited participants.

But as the saying goes "all good things must come to an end"

By the end of 2008, Linden Labs announced the end of the void sims. Virrginia Tombola left SL. A dear friend and aircraft designer, the sweet Sumie Kawashima passed-on in RL.

From 2010 onward it's been more and more difficult. Partly because (and prior to SL GO) SL has been such a chore to use. The other difficulty has been the missing "RCAF special sauce" of building and participation. Designing and initiative.

Ah that's it!... that's the key ingredient that's been missing for years. RCAF needs 10 to 15 % of its member base to take the initiative. NOT two people, or one person, but a strong core of 10 or 12 dynamic event-coordinators, recruiters, builders and designers to make things happen. The above RCAF logo was designed by a member. I didn't have to tell him to create one, and he didn't ask for permission to do it. He just took the initiative, made it, then asked if I liked it... I LOVED it!

(RCAF Connolly Aerodrome, January 2008)