The future of the site is questionable at this time...

[RAD2LTR]

With Wayne's passing, the board is faced with a pretty serious issue. Despite my asking, and begging for all the passwords, server companies ect, Wayne never shared any of that info with me. This means, I can't pay the server fee or anything like that. I have no idea who to pay or any passwords to do updates, ect. The situation that I dreaded, has come true.

Mark Kalio and I are working on this, but we have no guarantees on a positive outcome. We hope we can keep the doors open, but if the site is gone suddenly, this is likely why. I don't know how long things are paid up for, I have no info whatsoever.

Cross your fingers we can get this covered and keep the doors open.

Will

[Air Boss]

With Wayne's passing, the board is faced with a pretty serious issue. Despite my asking, and begging for all the passwords, server companies ect, Wayne never shared any of that info with me. This means, I can't pay the server fee or anything like that. I have no idea who to pay or any passwords to do updates, ect. The situation that I dreaded, has come true.

Mark Kalio and I are working on this, but we have no guarantees on a positive outcome. We hope we can keep the doors open, but if the site is gone suddenly, this is likely why. I don't know how long things are paid up for, I have no info whatsoever.

Cross your fingers we can get this covered and keep the doors open.

Will

Will,
Unfortunate news to be sure. For all you've done to bridge the gap, thank you. Should this be my last post on AAFO, it has been, in general, a welcomed place to share stories and learn about the history of the motorsport we all love.

I sincerely hope this site can survive...its a treasure. If not, I wish everyone good health, a long life, and CAVU!

[Pylon1_Mark]

On a positive note, I just got off the phone with Linda (Wayne's wife) and plans are in the works to recover the info needed. No guarantees, but we think Wayne has the sever on a yearly contract and we know the aafo domain name is good until 2026. It's all an unknown though until we get access to Wayne's computer, which is locked.... so our first big hurdle will be getting access to the computer files and hopefully find the details needed to gain direct access to the server.

From here on out, unless time sensitive... Will is going to be the point man keeping everyone informed on what's happening. I'm going to focus on the site itself to insure its continuation. Theres hope everything will work out OK, but its not going to happen fast and no guarantees.

Keep your fingers crossed

[wingman]

On a positive note, I just got off the phone with Linda (Wayne's wife) and plans are in the works to recover the info needed. No guarantees, but we think Wayne has the sever on a yearly contract and we know the aafo domain name is good until 2026. It's all an unknown though until we get access to Wayne's computer, which is locked.... so our first big hurdle will be getting access to the computer files and hopefully find the details needed to gain direct access to the server.

From here on out, unless time sensitive... Will is going to be the point man keeping everyone informed on what's happening. I'm going to focus on the site itself to insure its continuation. Theres hope everything will work out OK, but its not going to happen fast and no guarantees.

Keep your fingers crossed

Fingers are crossed. Birgitta says good luck to both of you. The information contained on this site should be preserved...

[marada mx3]

Sure hope you guys can keep this site alive. I've been around here for 20 years next month and have learned so much about air racing and it's history. This is the first place I visit every morning when I fire up the laptop, then WIX. Good luck with the information retrieval.

[Matt58]

Thank you to everyone trying to keep this place rolling!!

[Jan]

Thanks Will, thanks Mark. Much appreciated. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

[TWD]

Thanks Guys! Let me know if I can help.
TJ

[RAD2LTR]

Thanks for the support everyone. We will do our best to keep the site going, and hopefully growing once more. I don't have any new news, but when I get some, I'll keep everyone posted.

Will

[mitchcarley]

Thank you all and Linda )

[Pylon1_Mark]

I thought that with what's been said so far, and now with the news of Linda's passing, I think it best to prepare and let everyone know what's going on in the background.

As indicated previously, although the aafo.com site is registered until 01/2026 we do think that the server is on a yearly lease that will probably terminate 12 months after Wayne secured it. We're assuming that would be on April 26, 2025. And now it no longer appears likely we will gain access to Wayne's computer files, so I decided to operate under the premise that we won't get it - and make appropriate plans.

With April 26, 2025 being about the only realistic deadline to have a mirror site up and operational, it's better to take action now than wait for April to roll around and find out. Without the ability to download the aafo.com's webfiles & database this would be impossible - and that would be the case if not for a one lucky happenstance taken long ago that I honestly forgot about, and Wayne's forethought to leave something behind. The good news... I do have the site downloaded, and I have a backup database to build from!

Back when I started doing the Miss America coverage, I forgot that I had talked to Wayne about server access via FTP so I could upload the images and text files of the stories for him to edit and write for the website. Yeah, the original plan was supposed to be a joint effort - but it became apparent that method wasn't going to work so I reluctantly went with plan B - post it in the forums. Aywayz, I soon forgot about the original plan until a couple of weeks ago when I opened up my FTP client software, and low-and-behold... it was there like I thought it might be! The Site Manager window only showed one site listed - aafo.com, but that's the ONLY one I was interested in. I clicked the connect button with hope and optimism, and son-of-a-biscuit-eater it worked!!!! Full access to all the webfiles for the site - so I downloaded the entire thing - all 12.8 gigs of data worth. But that's only 1/2 the battle... without access to the website's backend I can't download the database (it's in a protected area of the server that requires a username and password). That's when we come to Wayne's forethought to leave something behind. In this case (and thank God he didn't burry it a folder, in a folder, in a folder, in a folder, etc.) there was a file named "latestdbbackup.sql", dated 4/15/23. Now that's the gold I was needing!!!!!

So I have the webfiles, I have a database backup (that hopefully works), so the next steps are:

1) Purchase a url for the new website (done)
2) Purchase the vBulletin software (done)
3) Lease a new server (still looking at options)
4) Install the forums software
5) Change the database to use to backup (had to study-up on that process... never done that before but seems straight forward)
6) Update the forums as required (the database is formatted on an older version of the forum software - but can be updated to run on the latest versions)
7) Test, test, and re-test
8) Open the new forums with announcements made here (of course)
9) Incorporate a new home page & rebuild the site using a content management system so that it can easily be updated/stay current (about 75% of the aafo.com site appears to be recoverable - some of the files however call to insideairracing.com, one of Wayne's other sites that's no longer functioning).

I should have step 3 done by the end of the month... steps 4 and 5 to be completed sometime in October. Depending on those results, the next steps will play out as they do but should come in short order (except step 9, that is still in development). I've installed vBulletin on over a dozen websites, and even though that was about 20 years ago it's like riding a bike, just take a bit to get up to speed with the newer version. I don't see any real issues, it's good quality software that pretty user friendly when you follow the steps (to the letter). I should have something solid for everyone to play with by Thanksgiving if everything works out, possibly sooner.

Yeah!

Mark.......

[Jim58]

Hi Mark,

Thank You for all your doing to keep this site alive.
I've been a lurker and sometimes comment or ask questions, But I mostly come here to read and learn about a Class of aviation that truly fascinates me. I'd really hate to see this piece of written history disappear into digital purgatory.
Thank You for your dedication to the site and to the man who created it.
Jim

[RAD2LTR]

Mark,
Thanks for posting the update. I was trying to remember all the details for this so I could do one, but its so much better when the info comes from the person doing the work.




I guess in light of the likely page redesign, this question goes out to everyone who uses the site.
What would you like to see change? Yes there is some old content that isn't really needed up front, so perhaps we can create a "race report archive" section and move them there. With the Sport Class racing group, I have offered them a spot on here as well. They aren't just about the Sport class, but all classes. Heck, all the top Sport guys do have Unlimited projects, and some of those projects are really cool. They have a vested interest in keeping the Unlimited class going, and taking it in a new direction. (Still with Merlins, Griffons, and 4360s) I'm also thinking of allowing other aviation related stuff in, airshows, cool air to air photography shoots, aerial fire fighting, ect. Stuff that we all can enjoy. I do want to keep the focus on air racing, but until we get more growth on that front, we need some filler.

What are your guy's thoughts?

Will

[cragdweller]

Mark,
Thanks for posting the update. I was trying to remember all the details for this so I could do one, but its so much better when the info comes from the person doing the work.




I guess in light of the likely page redesign, this question goes out to everyone who uses the site.
What would you like to see change? Yes there is some old content that isn't really needed up front, so perhaps we can create a "race report archive" section and move them there. With the Sport Class racing group, I have offered them a spot on here as well. They aren't just about the Sport class, but all classes. Heck, all the top Sport guys do have Unlimited projects, and some of those projects are really cool. They have a vested interest in keeping the Unlimited class going, and taking it in a new direction. (Still with Merlins, Griffons, and 4360s) I'm also thinking of allowing other aviation related stuff in, airshows, cool air to air photography shoots, aerial fire fighting, ect. Stuff that we all can enjoy. I do want to keep the focus on air racing, but until we get more growth on that front, we need some filler.

What are your guy's thoughts?

Will

That all sounds good to me!

[Jukka]

I have been commenting at HBA (home built airplanes) site every now and then. If the worst happens...maybe we can at least chat there every now and then. Certainly there is room in Hangar Talk for an air racing topic.