[Bob Kuczewski]

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-scotland-44832919

Trump paraglider was in 'grave danger'

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A protester who used a paraglider to get close to President Trump at Turnberry put themselves in "grave danger", according to Police Scotland.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams said officers were committed to tracing the person who breached the air exclusion zone around the golf course.

The aircraft held a banner reading: "Trump: well below par #resist".

Earlier protest organiser Greenpeace said they had given police a 10 to 15 minutes warning.

Mr Williams told BBC Scotland that the US president was being protected by armed officers from the US and the UK during his stay at the Ayrshire golf resort.

He said: "There are armed assets protecting the president - both from the US Secret Service and ourselves and the Met Police, who offer a close protection function as well.

"And there's no doubt anybody who breaches security around him puts themselves in grave danger.

"On this occasion we could assess the situation and we realised there was no direct threat to the president however it's absolutely something that is very serious."

He confirmed that officers have yet to trace the person responsible for the protest and he appealed for help in tracing them.

"The investigation is ongoing through the SCD (specialist crime division) and I would appeal to anybody with any information as to the identity of the pilot of that powered parachute to contact us on 101."

This story might fit in a number of topics (including its own new topic), but the most important aspect of this stunt is what it could do to hang gliding.

[Rick Masters]

Until now, I've supported Greenpeace. But there is no excuse for this.

[Rick Masters]

October 17, 2018

The regional councilor of the Italian Democratic Party has ordered an audit of search and rescue operations conducted for paragliders from 2015 to the present.

"We ask the Junta to have a complete report on how many times the Suem helicopter has had to intervene in the Grappa area, from 2015 to today, to provide assistance to those who launch with paragliding, how much total spending and who paid."

In previous years, Grappa search and rescue has called emergency meetings with hang gliding and paragliding groups, complaining that they are overwhelmed with rescues of paragliders (not hang gliders). But because all freeflight organizations now consist of parachutes, which frequently "land" in trees and must be rescued, and hang gliders, which are capable of reaching their landing fields, both types will likely suffer the consequences of increased regulation.

This recent crisis was triggered by a German soaring parachutist who was rescued by his friends. Both a helicopter and an ambulance had responded unnecessarily.
https://ilnuovoterraglio.it/incidente-con-il-parapendio-sul-grappa/