US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

Offer: __________________________________________________________
HG Future: Focus on just HG with HG-only orgs. Spend one's HG funds on just HG.
HG Future: Distance from PDMC PG entirely. Well inform the public that HG is best considered for itself without confusion with other sports.
HG Future: Repair FAI untenable historical statements. HG, have FAI fully separate HG from PDMC PG; use strongest relational measures possible to achieve such.
HG Future: Drop worship of third-party insurance.
HG Future: Drop worship of pilot ratings by orgs and insurance systems.
HG Future: Have pilots be 100% responsible for what they do or neglect to do.
HG Future: Advance collections of informative essays, papers, studies, … on HG matters. Open, free, worldwide: maximize use of the Internet for HG.
HG Future: Honor niche HG activity with equity.
HG Future: Advance incident reporting for HG.
HG Future: Have HG-focused periodicals. (Find PG in PG-focused periodicals.)
HG Future: Move forward on 5-ft-pack for HG as a clear option. Aim for 5-minute-or-less unpack; same for pack time.
HG Future: Well deepen the "past" to enhance the "future".
HG Future: Online folder by each pilot where he or she posts experiences, lessons, tips, allowed critiques, flights, flight-system constructions, … There one may note one's readiness for various hang gliding actions.
HG Future: Collection of known "hang glider pilots" with links to their folder and to other online pages about them.
HG Future: Form a comprehensive timeline of HG actions of Dennis Pagen. Have such be a model for following other HG-influencing persons.
HG Future: Nations: Federate local clubs.
HG Future: Clubs: Advance studies, buddies, mentors, information collecting and sharing. Feed federated HG projects and systems.
HG Future: Be a friend to Dockweiler gliding and to other sites in similar radiance.

What do you offer for the "future" of HG?

HG Future: Have pilots be 100% responsible for what they do or neglect to do.

See my posting, elsewhere on this forum, about "hang ratings WTF"

As I said there; if managing agencies will provide permits to individuals to run rivers with very risky technical whitewater, without asking for any information about skill level, why can't HG sites be the same?

I have never liked the hang rating system since it was first introduced. It may actually be counter-productive by giving a pilot confidence that he or she is more skilled than they actually are and induce them to take bigger risks - just a thought.

FC

I suggest 5 ratings.

BEGINNER
A BEGINNER must train for a minimum of 3 months before progressing and meet skill and performance requirements defined by the BOD. No BEGINNER may participate in towing or tandem flights. A petition put forward to the BOD by the head of a Chapter or by 3 ADVANCED members of a Chapter providing evidence of negligence will be subject to a vote of the BOD for removal of the BEGINNER rating and removal of OBSERVER status from the ADVANCED/OBSERVER responsible.

INTERMEDIATE
An INTERMEDIATE must practice a minimum of 9 months before progressing and meet skill and performance requirements defined by the BOD. Additional endorsements may be required by a Chapter for an INTERMEDIATE pilot to fly from certain sites under their care. A petition put forward to the BOD by the head of a Chapter or by 3 members of a Chapter providing evidence of negligence will be subject to a vote of the BOD for removal of the INTERMEDIATE rating and removal of OBSERVER status from the ADVANCED/OBSERVER responsible.

ADVANCED
An ADVANCED pilot must practice for a minimum of 1 year and meet skill and performance requirements defined by the BOD. Additional endorsements may be required by a Chapter for an ADVANCED pilot to fly from certain sites under their care. A petition put forward to the BOD by the head of a Chapter or by 3 ADVANCED members of a Chapter providing evidence of negligence will be subject to a vote of the BOD for removal of the ADVANCED rating and removal of OBSERVER status from the ADVANCED/OBSERVER responsible.

ADVANCED/OBSERVER
An ADVANCED pilot who is certified by 3 ADVANCED/OBSERVERS from separate Chapters may progress to ADVANCED/OBSERVER. The ADVANCED/OBSERVER is qualified to rate BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE; INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED; and ADVANCED to ADVANCED/OBSERVER. ADVANCED/OBSERVERS may operate flying schools or conduct individual training of friends. Fees, whether cash, shared expenses or in-kind (driving) are optional; to be negotiated between the ADVANCED/OBSERVER and the trainee without interference by the Chapter or National Org. A petition put forward to the BOD by the head of a Chapter or 3 ADVANCED members of a Chapter providing evidence of negligence will be subject to a vote of the BOD for removal of OBSERVER status from the ADVANCED/OBSERVER responsible.

ADVANCED/OBSERVER/INSTRUCTOR
An INSTRUCTOR is an ADVANCED/OBSERVER who takes control of a hang glider carrying an INTERMEDIATE or ADVANCED pilot, e.g., as tow operator or tandem PIC (in compliance to F.A.R.). An ADVANCED/OBSERVER/INSTRUCTOR is certified by 3 ADVANCED/OBSERVERS from separate Chapters and must meet requirements established by the BOD. A petition put forward to the BOD by the head of a Chapter AND 3 ADVANCED/OBSERVERS providing evidence of negligence will be subject to a vote of the BOD for removal of OBSERVER status from the ADVANCED/OBSERVER responsible.

Note that tandem joy-riding now becomes the province of the other org.- - the irresponsible one.

Instruction broadens dramatically under ADVANCED/OBSERVER. Learning hang gliding becomes much more affordable. Trainees become much more knowledgeable by interacting with practicing advanced and intermediate pilots who require them to drive and observe. Training revolves around a day's wind conditions rather than pre-arranged schedules.

I still say; ratings

It sure adds a lot of massive complication to what began as a very free sport. Hang gliding had an appeal because it didn't have to go through all those other pilot regulations. But with all those ratings it's no different than having to get a private pilot's license. I had to do that for my foot launch hot air balloon and it was a real drag after enjoying the freedom of hang gliding in the years prior.

I guess it's just my position in the span of time. I experienced hang gliding at a time with no regulations and no ratings and after that it's hard to adjust to someone saying i can't be allowed to launch. People who came after don't know any other way so they just accept the restrictive systems. Rick, I'm very surprised that you do. You seemed to me like a person who would cherish totally unrestricted free flight.

Frank Colver

Rick, I'm very surprised that you do. You seemed to me like a person who would cherish totally unrestricted free flight.

Politics happens.
Unfortunately, hang gliding cannot be supported in a vacuum.
When a chapter works to preserve a flying site, some restrictions are inevitable.

Was Horseshoe Meadows lost or was the group able to keep it open for launches?

FC

Or did Carrie Castle take over?

What do you offer for the "future" of HG?

Future? Yes sometime I wonder too. I'm doing all I can to grow HG into the future..

Last year a group of PG pilots came to Southwest Texas and extended the Will Gadd world record. 360?mi

I believe the HG record exists here also, 475mi , and has since '92, most of Larry's 300+mi flight was over Tx..

Preserving for the future, saving the seed stock of HG at Dockweiler and similar sites is all well and good. It is serving a purpose.

Now, if you want to grow the sport into the future, why not focus on where the world record flights are routinely set.

And if you/we want to grow US Hawks Hang Gliding Assn. .............................................................Miles and miles of Texas

Otherwise, I recall what Rick said about becoming a sewing circle.

I maintain that it doesn't take much skill to safely fly a hang glider. Some HG pilot's egos may want to argue with that fact but it is a fact. If one has learned to launch, land, control pitch, and control roll they could safely fly, under the right conditions, any site that is used for hang gliding. What is needed beyond those abilities is good judgement and that is not measurable except in small doses.

What takes pilot skill is to maintain or gain altitude in weak lift or do significant XC flights in less than ideal conditions. Nether of which are directly related to being able to fly a site safely unless it requires utilizing lift to reach the only landing zone (I personally wouldn't fly that site).

So if we have to have hang ratings they should only require demonstrating skill at launching, landing, and controlling pitch and roll (doing coordinated turns and counteracting turbulence).

I can see two ratings: Learning Basic Hang Gliding Skills (as described above) "LBHGS" and Hang Glider Pilot "HGP". So there you go US Hawks - your HG rating system has been defined.

Frank Colver, rating:HGP