Wikipedia:Simple Flying

This page discusses the reliability of Simple Flying, an aviation blog and content farm which engages in plagiarism and churnalism. Based on multiple discussions at the reliable sources noticeboard, there is a consensus against using it as a citation on Wikipedia.

Wikipedia consensus

There is a clear consensus that it is not a reliable source on Wikipedia based on the most recent discussion at the reliable sources noticeboard.

There were also two previous discussions on the matter and it is marked unreliable in the Unreliable/Predatory Source Detector (UPSD) script.

Examples of Simple Flying's unreliability

Simple Flying is widely viewed as a content farm which regularly publishes inaccurate and plagiarized articles.

There are many examples of Simple Flying's inaccuracies and failure to meet the WP:NEWSORG and WP:RS standards of having a "reputation for fact-checking and accuracy" and being "well established". Some of them are listed below.

• Gary Leff posts: "That's just usual Simple Flying stuff, it's either ripped off or wrong, so it doesn't surprise me when both happen in the same piece."
• Bloomberg's aviation reporter posts: "I really wish Simple Flying would stop ripping off our stories and suffice it with a simple "credit" right at the bottom of the story. It just doesn't cut it."
• Ishirion documents some of their inaccuracies
• Enilria on Patron documents another article with inaccuracies (not corrected)
• Their "lead journalist" for Africa, contributing since 2018, graduated from high school in 2020. Hardly a professional news operation.
• A video about SAS that refers to Singapore Airlines throughout
• Articles where they discuss the A321XLR as operating (before it started commercial flying)
• An article and video on the 747 where the video and the article contradict each other with the added bonus that it doesn't appear copyedited.
• They're owned by a company with a business model of churnalism for ad and affiliate revenue. We wouldn't consider their other blogs to be reliable sources, why should Simple Flying be any different?

Usage on Wikipedia and cleanup

Despite the consensus that it is not reliable, there are a number of articles on Wikipedia which link to this website which require cleanup.

Suggested text when deleting a citation

Based on discussions at the noticeboard, articles with existing citations to Simple Flying should have the citation removed.

Suggested citation tags, where appropriate:

• {{citation needed|date={{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}|reason=unreliable and/or copyvio source removed}}

  Which gives: where an unreliable source is removed.

If a citation is removed, editors should not re-add the citation without first gaining a consensus per WP:ONUS.

Suggsted text when tagging a citation

Alternatively, citations to Simple Flying may be tagged as needing cleanup at the editor's discretion.

• {{Better source needed|date={{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}|reason=[[WP:Simple Flying]] is unreliable}}.

  Which gives: where there is concern over a questionable source.

Suggested edit comments

Suggested edit comments:

rm per [[WP:Simple Flying]] which links to this essay

rm per [[WP:RSPSIMPLEFLYING]] which links to Simple Flying's entry on Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Perennial sources.

tagging citation per [[WP:Simple Flying]] which links to this essay

tagging citation per [[WP:RSPSIMPLEFLYING]] which links to Simple Flying's entry on Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Perennial sources.