You absolutely can put it in a pot without media, that is pretty much the same as mounting a plant. There are a few things to consider to make it successful.

Orchid roots adapt to their surroundings while growing but once they are grown they can't adapt to new surroundings. If you change the plants media or environment, there is a good chance the older roots will die. This is one of the reasons why it is suggested to re pot a plant just as the new roots are forming. The new roots will adapt to the new conditions and replace the old if they die. So timing is important.

The next thing to consider is watering. Bark will absorb some water, the roots will use this moisture between watering. Also the damp bark will increase the humidity in the pot. So in a pot with no media you will need to water more often, maybe every day.

As Arthur said above, orchids like to be wedged into tight spots. The plant will probably not flower until the roots attach the plant securely to the pot. If you think about the plant up in a tree, the flowers would act like a sail and the slightest breeze would knock it to the forest floor where it would die.

Why is it that I've DELETED this post about 7 times and it's still here? Is there more to it than just clicking the DELETE link, being told it has been deleted, and then finding it here again? Is it maybe rocket science?

Why do want to delete the thread????

Because it was a stupid question as I could have researched everything on this Forum about Phals instead.

" The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask"

Not sure whose quote that is but it it's true.

I would leave it up, you don't know how many people might have the same question and just never asked. Or better yet, someone might have additional input or different experiences to add. Years ago this question might have had 20 responses in one day.

this thread actually helped me too. I had re-potted and used a different medium. The plant is slow to take off but now I understand that the roots need time to adapt to new conditions.