1. Introduction

FlyForward is a professional networking platform for the aviation community, open to students, professionals, volunteers, staff, and partners aged 12 and above. These Community Guidelines set out the rules for how you may use the Platform and what behaviour is expected of every member.

By creating an account, you agree to follow these Guidelines at all times. These Guidelines apply to everything you do on the Platform: posts, forum threads, profile content, captions, links, comments, reactions, and any other form of participation. Ignorance of these Guidelines is not a defence.

Using FlyForward is a privilege, not a right. FlyForward has no obligation to provide access to the Platform to any person and reserves the unconditional right to remove any member, restrict any account, or take down any content at any time, for any reason, including reasons not set out in these Guidelines, and without any obligation to explain or justify that decision. No contract, membership history, or prior conduct entitles any person to continued access to the Platform.

Violations of these Guidelines may result in content removal, a warning, a temporary suspension, or a permanent ban, depending on what FlyForward considers appropriate. Some violations will be escalated directly to law enforcement without warning and without notice to the member involved.

These Guidelines work alongside our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. All three documents form your agreement with FlyForward.

2. Who These Guidelines Apply To

These Guidelines apply to every person who uses the FlyForward Platform, regardless of their account type, role, or tenure. This includes:

• Student members (aged 12 and above)
• Professional and adult members
• Volunteers
• Staff
• Partners and organisational accounts

Staff, Trusted Volunteers, and Partners are held to the same standards as all other members, and in many cases to a higher standard given their elevated access and visibility on the Platform. Additional internal codes of conduct may also apply to these groups.

3. Age Requirements and Account Types

Minimum Age

The minimum age to register on FlyForward is 12 years old. By registering, you declare that you are at least 12 years of age. FlyForward relies on self-declaration and does not independently verify ages at registration.

Restricted Accounts (Ages 12 to 15)

Members who declare a date of birth that places them in the 12 to 15 age range are assigned a Restricted Account. The following restrictions apply automatically and cannot be overridden by the member:

• The profile is set to private and cannot be made public
• Profile pictures cannot be uploaded or displayed
• All submitted content is held for pre-publication moderation before it is visible to any other member

Standard Accounts (Ages 16 and Above)

Members who declare an age of 16 or above receive a Standard Account with access to all Platform features, subject to these Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions.

Automatic Upgrade

When a member on a Restricted Account reaches age 16, their account is automatically upgraded to a Standard Account and the restrictions above are lifted.

Age Misrepresentation

Providing a false date of birth to bypass age restrictions is a serious violation of these Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions. Any account found to have misrepresented the holder's age will be immediately suspended pending investigation and is liable to be permanently removed from the Platform.

4. What This Platform Is For

FlyForward exists to connect people who are passionate about aviation. The Platform is a professional space, not a general social network. Content and conversations should be relevant to aviation, aerospace, air traffic control, aviation engineering, pilot training, aviation careers, or the FlyForward community itself.

Members are encouraged to:

• Share aviation-related news, achievements, insights, and experiences
• Ask and answer questions in the forum about careers, training, qualifications, and the industry
• Connect with fellow students, mentors, and professionals
• Celebrate milestones such as first flights, licence passes, job offers, and promotions
• Share educational content relating to aviation and its related disciplines
• Post photographs and captions relevant to aviation, subject to moderation approval
• Promote aviation-related opportunities such as career openings, events, or training programmes, subject to moderation approval

5. Prohibited Conduct

The following behaviour is strictly prohibited on the FlyForward Platform. This list is not exhaustive. FlyForward reserves the right to remove content and take action against any account where moderators determine that the conduct violates the spirit and purpose of these Guidelines, even if not explicitly listed below.

5.1 Violence, Threats, and Dangerous Content

• Posting, sharing, or linking to content that depicts, glorifies, or encourages violence against any person, group, or animal
• Making threats of physical harm, whether directed at an individual, a group, or a public figure
• Inciting others to commit acts of violence or terrorism
• Sharing content that promotes, glorifies, or recruits for terrorist organisations or violent extremist groups
• Posting content that contains graphic violence, gore, or gratuitous depictions of harm
• Sharing information that could be used to carry out acts of mass harm, including weapons instructions or details of attack planning

5.2 Harassment, Bullying, and Abuse

• Targeting, harassing, or intimidating any member through any feature of the Platform, including posts, forum replies, or profile content
• Repeatedly sending unwanted contact to any member who has indicated they do not want to be contacted
• Organising or participating in coordinated harassment of any individual
• Using the report function or moderation systems in bad faith to target other members
• Posting content specifically designed to humiliate, embarrass, or distress a named individual
• Cyberstalking or monitoring a member's activity in order to intimidate them

5.3 Hate Speech and Discrimination

• Posting content that attacks, dehumanises, or demeans any person or group based on a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, including race, ethnicity, national origin, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or pregnancy
• Using slurs or derogatory language directed at any individual or group
• Posting or amplifying hateful ideologies, neo-Nazi content, or white supremacist material
• Claiming that any group of people is subhuman, inferior, or deserving of harm based on any protected characteristic
• Producing content that normalises discrimination as acceptable or humorous

5.4 Sexual Content and Exploitation

• Posting nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit material of any kind
• Sharing content that depicts or sexualises any person without their informed consent
• Sending unsolicited sexual messages or images to any member
• Sharing non-consensual intimate images (sometimes called revenge pornography), which is a criminal offence under UK law
• Any conduct that could be described as sexual grooming, whether directed at a minor or an adult

5.5 Child Sexual Abuse Material

5.6 Impersonation and Deception

• Creating an account that impersonates another person, whether a real individual, a public figure, or another member of FlyForward
• Claiming to represent an organisation, airline, regulatory body, or employer that you are not authorised to represent
• Posting false credentials, qualifications, licences, or professional claims
• Using a profile to deliberately mislead other members about your identity, role, or purpose
• Creating a parody or satirical account without clearly labelling it as such

5.7 Misinformation and Harmful Claims

• Posting deliberately false or misleading information that could endanger safety, particularly aviation safety information, medical claims, or emergency procedures
• Sharing fabricated content presented as real, such as fake news articles, false regulatory guidance, or invented accident reports
• Spreading conspiracy theories that have been demonstrably debunked and that could cause harm
• Misattributing quotes or statements to real people

5.8 Spam, Bots, and Fake Engagement

• Posting the same or substantially similar content multiple times across the Platform
• Using automated accounts, bots, or scripts to post, like, or interact with content
• Creating multiple accounts for any reason, including to evade a ban, inflate engagement, or circumvent moderation
• Artificially boosting the visibility of content through coordinated inauthentic behaviour
• Sharing referral codes, affiliate links, or promotional material without prior written approval from FlyForward
• Posting unsolicited commercial content or advertisements

5.9 Malware, Phishing, and Exploitation

• Sharing links to websites that contain malware, ransomware, spyware, or other malicious code
• Posting phishing links or content designed to steal credentials, personal data, or financial information from other members
• Attempting to exploit vulnerabilities in the Platform or its underlying infrastructure
• Scraping member data, contact details, or content from the Platform without written consent from FlyForward

5.10 Privacy Violations and Doxxing

• Sharing another person's private contact details, home address, place of work, or other personal information without their explicit consent
• Posting photographs or videos of a person in a private setting without their knowledge or consent
• Disclosing someone's real identity when they have chosen to remain private or anonymous

5.11 Self-Harm and Suicide

• Posting content that encourages, promotes, glorifies, or provides detailed methods for self-harm or suicide
• Sharing graphic depictions of self-harm

5.12 Illegal Activity

• Posting, promoting, or facilitating any activity that is illegal under UK law or the laws of the user's jurisdiction
• Selling, purchasing, or distributing controlled substances, weapons, or other prohibited items
• Facilitating fraud, money laundering, or financial crime
• Posting content that violates export controls, trade sanctions, or regulatory requirements relevant to the aviation industry

5.13 Off-Topic and Disruptive Content

• Posting content entirely unrelated to aviation, aerospace, or the FlyForward community
• Deliberately disrupting forum threads, conversations, or community events
• Posting content solely to provoke arguments or stir conflict with no constructive purpose

6. Platform Integrity

Ban Evasion

If your account has been suspended or permanently banned, you must not create a new account or use another account to access the Platform. Ban evasion will result in the new account being immediately removed and may extend the duration of any existing ban.

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour

Do not work with others to artificially manipulate discussions, suppress content, or misrepresent the prevalence of an opinion or viewpoint on the Platform. This includes organising off-platform groups to influence FlyForward content in a deceptive way.

Moderation Abuse

The Platform's reporting tools exist to keep members safe. Do not use them to target users you have a personal dispute with, to silence legitimate speech, or to harass other members through repeated unfounded reports.

7. Forum Rules

The forum is a space for aviation questions, discussions, and knowledge sharing. The following additional rules apply to all forum activity:

• Post in the correct category relevant to your thread
• Do not create duplicate threads for the same topic
• Stay on topic within a thread and do not derail discussions
• Do not reply to old threads with irrelevant or low-effort responses (known as "necroposting") unless you have something substantive to add
• Do not post the same question or thread multiple times
• Treat all members with respect in replies, even if you disagree with their views
• Do not use the forum to solicit private contact from other members without their prior agreement

8. Content Moderation

Pre-Publication Review

All posts, images, captions, and forum submissions made by standard members are reviewed by a verified FlyForward moderator before they appear on the Platform. No content is visible to other members until it has been explicitly approved. Submitting content for review does not guarantee that it will be published.

Staff, Trusted Volunteers, and Partners

Members in these categories who have been vetted by FlyForward may post content without pre-publication review. However, their content is subject to continuous monitoring and can be removed at any time. Trusted posting status can be revoked at any time without notice.

Absolute Right to Remove Content

FlyForward and its authorised moderators may remove any content from the Platform at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, without prior notice and without any obligation to explain the decision. This right is unconditional and applies to all content on the Platform regardless of who posted it, how long it has been live, or whether it was previously approved. A piece of content being approved at one point in time does not protect it from removal at a later point.

Right to Edit or Restrict Content

Moderators may restrict the visibility of content, add a content warning, or request that a member edits their submission. If a member does not comply with a moderation request within a reasonable timeframe, the content will be removed and further action may be taken against the account without further warning.

9. Enforcement and Consequences

FlyForward decides what action to take in response to any conduct on the Platform entirely at its own discretion. There is no minimum threshold that must be met before action is taken, no maximum response that cannot be applied, and no requirement to follow a set sequence of steps. FlyForward may remove any member from the Platform permanently, at any time, including where no specific rule has been broken but where FlyForward considers the member's presence to be contrary to the interests of the community. The following types of action are available:

• Content removal - the content is taken down, with or without notice to the member
• Formal warning - a written notice that the member's conduct has violated these Guidelines
• Feature restriction - specific Platform features such as posting or messaging are disabled on the account
• Temporary suspension - access to the Platform is blocked for a set or unspecified period
• Permanent ban - the account is permanently removed and the member is prohibited from rejoining in any capacity
• Referral to law enforcement - the matter is reported to UK Police, the NCA, the IWF, or other relevant authorities

FlyForward may apply any of the above at any time without warning and without working through earlier steps first. A permanent ban may be issued as a first response where FlyForward considers it appropriate, including where no single rule has been broken but a pattern of behaviour is deemed unacceptable. FlyForward's enforcement decisions are not subject to external review or challenge.

10. Reporting

Every post, profile, and forum thread on the Platform has a built-in report button. Use it whenever you encounter content or behaviour that you believe violates these Guidelines.

You can also contact the moderation team directly:

• General reports and moderation: info@flyforward.co.uk
• Safeguarding concerns: safeguarding@flyforward.co.uk

All reports are reviewed by a member of the FlyForward team. Reports are confidential and the identity of the reporting member will not be disclosed to the subject of the report.

11. Appeals

Appealing a moderation decision is a courtesy extended by FlyForward, not a right. FlyForward is under no obligation to accept, consider, or respond to any appeal.

If you wish to request a review of an action taken against your account or content, email info@flyforward.co.uk with your username, the action taken, the date it occurred, and your reasons for the request. Where FlyForward chooses to review an appeal, that review will be conducted by a senior team member. The outcome of that review is final, binding, and not subject to any further challenge or escalation within FlyForward.

No appeal will be considered where the account has been permanently banned for CSAM, threats of violence, or any matter that has been referred to law enforcement. FlyForward's enforcement decisions are not subject to external review, arbitration, or legal challenge beyond what is required by applicable UK law.

12. Safeguarding

The safety of all members, and particularly those under 18, is a core responsibility of FlyForward. Any safeguarding concern raised through the Platform or to any member of staff is acted upon immediately.

Where a safeguarding concern indicates that a child or vulnerable person is at risk of harm, FlyForward will escalate the matter to law enforcement and relevant statutory agencies without delay. This will be done whether or not the person at risk has asked us not to. Escalation may involve referral to UK Police, Local Authority Children's Services, the National Crime Agency, the CEOP Command, or the Internet Watch Foundation. FlyForward will cooperate fully with any statutory investigation and will provide all requested data, content, and user information to the relevant authorities.

13. Intellectual Property

You own the copyright in any original content you create and post on the Platform. By posting content on FlyForward, you grant us a licence to use that content in accordance with our Terms and Conditions. Do not post content that you do not own or do not have the right to share. This includes photographs, logos, written works, and other materials owned by third parties.

If you believe that content on the Platform infringes your intellectual property rights, contact us at info@flyforward.co.uk with full details of the alleged infringement and evidence of your ownership.

14. Moderator Conduct

All FlyForward moderators, whether staff, volunteers, or partners, are bound by these Guidelines and by internal codes of conduct. Moderators are expected to act fairly, consistently, and without personal bias in all moderation decisions. They may not use their position to target, favour, or disadvantage any member for personal reasons.

If you have a concern about the conduct of a moderator, contact FlyForward at info@flyforward.co.uk.

15. Changes to These Guidelines

FlyForward may update these Guidelines at any time. Where changes are significant, members will be notified by email or through a notice on the Platform and will be required to accept the updated Guidelines before continuing to use the Platform. The date at the top of this page always reflects the current version. Your continued use of the Platform after any update takes effect means you accept the revised Guidelines.

16. Contact

General enquiries: info@flyforward.co.uk
Safeguarding: safeguarding@flyforward.co.uk