Changes to Hot Photo Guidelines

[bstolle]

Thats why I removed it twice, and told the uploader to use the correct type. So I take note of such issues. Not all screeners know all types on forehand, as uploaders also do not.

Thats why we have several dbase gurus to correct and find this.

Thanx for the info. In the above mentioned case I was the dbase guru.

Have a nice weekend!

[mahagonny]

I disagree with the smartphone issue in some parts. We have many models on the market that take an "acceptable" photo, so think about if you are in a place with little space and natural lighting without having a DSLR with a wide-angle lens and a good flash.

It's a delicate situation. I don't mind the queue longer as there will be enough time for a good edit without rejection.

Talking to some screeners it turns out that the rate of uploading photos with smartphones has increased exponentially and, consequently, the total acceptance rate has decreased. So, there are very few who use a smartphone in an acceptable way.
Many take photos that could perhaps be published on social media, but they think that this is also fine for JP.
But it is my idea not necessarily shared.

[Felipe Garcia]

You are off track. The normal queue will get longer.
I do not find this solution optimal, given that, as stated by the crew, rejecting a photo to be deleted takes less than 5 seconds.
I repeat that an optimal solution to reduce waiting times would be to enable a significant number of uploaders with a medium-high acceptance rate, to delete all those photos that are clearly unacceptable (and if it were up to me, all those taken with a smartphone).

The biggest issue is not the actual screening of the photo.

• We've seen, constantly, people who take 5, 10, 15 attempts to get a photo in (or to give up), and proof of that exists here in the forums.
• People look for the slightest change in camera, rush an edit, rush an upload, and it gets rejected.
• People fight others for the hot, causing a sudden rush of 5-10 photos of the same, often in bad weather/light.
• People coordinate to get the hot, causing a sudden rush of 5-10 photos of the same, often in bad weather/light

People then appeal the rejections of those photos, putting further strain on the crew.


Now, with the slots as they are, most people have 20, a few have 100. While I will not debate what's good and not, the hot photo system theoretically allows someone to have 180 slots in an 18 day cycle (roughly where it's at now), and while it's unlikely to have that many hot photos for continuous upload (barring rare circumstances like attending Oshkosh, SNF, and similar events), its existence pushes people to find reasons to try to pass something as hot. Pilot name changes, adding "Instruçao" to the door of the plane, a new Cessna sticker, a new yearly tax stamp, a prop spinner change, etc, and hope that it flies under the radar.

Unfortunately your optimal solution wouldn't work in practice. It's only a minimal amount of photos that can be rejected like that. On a really bad day, 5%, on a decent day, 2%. Not even covering what it would take as far as the site code goes.

[Sennoeca]

Hello, just a question regarding the exclusion of changes to livery of GA and military aircraft as hot. What if it is a helicopter belonging to the emergency services with a change to livery, is this considered as General Aviation or not?

[dlowwa]

What if it is a helicopter belonging to the emergency services with a change to livery, is this considered as General Aviation or not?

General Aviation.

[PVG_Spotter]

After the updates on hot rules, if two photographers upload a hot (let's say first reg) at the same time into the screening queue, do they still both considered to be hot or the later one will be rejected as invalid hot?

I am pretty sure both will get screened as hot before the change to hot rules.

[dlowwa]

After the updates on hot rules, if two photographers upload a hot (let's say first reg) at the same time into the screening queue, do they still both considered to be hot or the later one will be rejected as invalid hot?

I am pretty sure both will get screened as hot before the change to hot rules.

No change from how it was handled previously.

[OzwestF100]

Would an aircraft that has been in storage for 5 years but has returned to service in the same livery qualify as hot?

[JesseV]

Would an aircraft that has been in storage for 5 years but has returned to service in the same livery qualify as hot?

No