Ok, here are some screenshots that will show what we saw from our perspective. Taken from the film viewer, these screen captures are timed exactly on the second to when each event happened from the perspective of my computer, according to description below.
StampfAI_01: The AI plane appears about 10 seconds from when Stampf disappear, and ~2k behind us. The 5 minute timer start ticking. We are still climbing with the coast of France just S of us.
StampfAI_02: This is the ingame clock (my plane) at exactly the same time the above screengrab is taken, when the 5 minute AI timer is started.
StampfAI_03: The second before the AI plane disappear, this is the view from Stampfs plane, the coast of France is still visible and the bombers are just coming into view.
StampfAI_04: The same view but from my plane.
StampfAI_05: Ingame clock at the same second the previous two screengrabs were taken.
The timeline above make me doubt if correct procedure was followed. I have no experience of reconnecting back to a AI plane, but if the player is not able to get back up into the AI plane must he then wait for the AI plane to disappear before upping from a field? If so, then that would have prevented Stampf in this case to even hava a chance to re-up. If he was back in the arena within 2 minutes but the re-connect to the plane failed he would have been forced to wait 3 more minutes and by that time combat was joined. I see no reason to ground him for that still, because he was in that example back before combat was joined but unable to up so it would be unfair to be grounded for that reason. At those times it's important to remember why we are here, and not be anal about the rules just because you think that's your job. In this example it would be a judgement call and I personally would not rob a person of his FSO because of unfortunate circumstances. I think that's stupid.
In light of this event, it is my opinion that there should be tools implemented to give CMs the ability to see all planes in the arena, to allow discos not in combat back into the arena. We were 100 miles or more from combat, still heading for RZ with the bombers and not yet even ready for combat. Stampf could have taken off from the airfield and catch up with us before any combat encounter would be likely, although not at the same altitude. It would have had no negative impact on the frame and gameplay overall, but to Stampf the evening was destroyed. Not ruined even, just gone as in taken away.
So to prevent this very negative experience to happen, to anyone, in the future. I recommend some better tools be implemented to be able to discern units in combat from those far from combat and that better routines be put in place. As well as the AI plane reconnect functionality be looked into for it doesn't seem to be working as intended.
I'm not here to hang anyone, and if you perceive the original post as accusations well, you either plain don't see the reasons behind that or don't want to admit that these are justified questions. I don't have all the data, I wish I did in this case and that's what I'm trying to obtain from those who have the missing pieces. That's what I'm asking for, and the end goal is a better experience for all involved not just for Stampf, me or JG11. So if you take a position against me you're not really helping yourself either.
Let's see things for what they are here in a constructive way and not let egos prevent something that could be a very positive outcome for all future FSOs.
