Why so many planes?

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
03/01/2014 at 18:19 • Filed to: None

So don't misunderstand me here, I enjoy planes, my father was a liner pilot, my mother, an air hostess, grand father an aircraft mechanic and grand mother was serving food for Air France employees. I myself fly gliders once in a while when I'm in France (though my license is not valid anymore right now as I have not flown for too long).

But why do we get so many articles about planes on the front page these days/past couple weeks? It's fun but a bit out of touch with the supposed main purpose of Jalopnik which technically appeal to car geeks. If we combine, plane related articles along with general news articles from gawker and F1-only news, it does not leave much room to people who only care about driving and cars no?

Once again, don't try to get rid of me with fire here, it's just a remark. A little critic toward Jalopnik. I'd like to see less planes, less general news, less Nasc... sorry, F1 related drama and more fun articles about cars... that's all :)

DISCUSSION (23)

davedave1111 > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:25

We get them because people who read Jalopnik click on them. Personally I'm quite happy for them to post anything at all as long as it's interesting.

Kookanoodles > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:26

Same reason there are articles about trucks, motorcycles, trains, or boats sometimes. When you like cars, everything with an engine becomes at least a little interesting, don't you think ?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:26

Flight Club is coming soon. Jalopnik is a car blog, but like a lot of car people, the authors enjoy all things with motors that move, planes, trains and automobiles, boats and occasional ho's.

Flavien Vidal > Kookanoodles
03/01/2014 at 18:29

hum... I don't know... An article once in a while, sure, but that many just seems too much, at least to me. Might seem crude said like this, but I don't really come Jalopnik to read about planes.

Kookanoodles > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:32

There have been quite a few lately, yes, but there had been almost none for weeks before that. And with the launch of the Flight Club sub-blog soon, plane articles will have a separate page like Truck Yeah.

Flavien Vidal > davedave1111
03/01/2014 at 18:33

yeah but i just see it as out of subject... Just like I can't really imagine "Aeroplane" to do an article on the E30 M3 just because it's fun. I liked Jalopnik when it was about fun / unique affordable cars with the occasionnal update on what was coming soon, but it just seems quite different in the past couple months...

Blondude > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/01/2014 at 18:34

We also seem to have Foxtrot Alpha now too. It looks like a Militarylopnik sort of thing.

So many spin-offs. So little time.

Victorious Secret > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/01/2014 at 18:37

And Maverick, the pattern isn't full.

Gamecat235 > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:38

Jalopnik has never, ever, ever been just about cars. It's always been auto-centric, but there have been interesting features on planes forever. And Oppo? Oppo has always been off topic. And we have many authors here who work in aerospace fields and jobs. Or who wanted to, or still do.

Don't like it? Don't read them.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Blondude
03/01/2014 at 18:43

Welcome to the Kinja Dome...
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Of subblogs

area man > Gamecat235
03/01/2014 at 18:48

Hear, hear.

Flavien Vidal > Gamecat235
03/01/2014 at 18:50

I never said it was jsut about cars.... I just feel that I see too many subjects that have nothing to do with cars... If you consider racing-related-drama to be out of subjects too, it does not leave that much space for articles that actually interest me: car related subjects. I understand that less people work on week end, but going all azimut on Jalopnik 2 days a week is not a good thing I think, that's all.

SnowBallin > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:55

If that is your biggest complaint about Jalopnik then you really need to get your priorities straight

What about the shitty new comment system, the sponsored articles and fake kidnappings??

Gamecat235 > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 18:57

You actually did. You said "I liked Jalopnik when it was about fun / unique affordable cars with the occasionnal update on what was coming soon". And while that was always the primary focus of Jalopnik, it was never the sole focus.

And other than racing news, there isn't a lot of automotive news from automakers on the weekend. That's kind of expected.

Flavien Vidal > Gamecat235
03/01/2014 at 19:00

Then let's say I did not express myself clearly.

A plane article once in a while, sure, but the secutirty videos from Virgin, meh... not sure.

Flavien Vidal > SnowBallin
03/01/2014 at 19:04

I don't use the new system ;)

http://jalopnik.com/?tiger=off

I can understand the sponsored articles... It's a business after all. Considering how many of us use adblock, I understand these. As far as the fake kidnapping, i guess you refer to the numerous Okulski/Pepsi realted articles since yesterday? If so, yes it's a bit too much, but it will be forgotten pretty fast.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 19:37

Because planes, like bow ties, are cool.

Reborn Pyrrhic > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 19:42

Gawker is a click machine. You put more fluff, you get ore clicks. Get it?

Flavien Vidal > Reborn Pyrrhic
03/01/2014 at 19:55

I guess... I still think that Jalopnik is a bit different, despite belonging to Gawker... I just don't really like this whole plane/F1/gawker articles phase going on these past few week ends...

4thwall > Flavien Vidal
03/01/2014 at 23:36

Well, that's why we have "truck yeah", "boatoplnik", "planeopnik", "two-wheels bad", etc etc.
All things that you can wrench, engineer, or goes "vrooooooooom brap brap brap" counts as jalopnik to me...
You can always choose not to read or star the articles you're not interested in.
Different strokes for different folks! :)

GMfishbowls > Flavien Vidal
03/02/2014 at 11:12

How about less Detroit mayoral news/drug busts/the newest supermarket in town.

Weather and Darkness > Flavien Vidal
03/02/2014 at 17:35

Maybe the actual answer is that it's where people's heads go when stuck in traffic or shoveling snow.

journeymanbaiter > Flavien Vidal
03/02/2014 at 17:59

Maybe because Ballaban likes planes and he's the weekend editor.