Open letter to Region 4 directors.

[Bill Cummings]

Open letter to Region 4 directors: Ken Grubbs, Bill Belcourt,

I've decided to let my long-standing USHGA/USHPA membership expire for the following reasons:

First, none of my letters, sent to the Region #4 Directors, addressed above, were responded to, according to my wishes concerning the "Vote NO" on the expulsion of Mr. Bob Kuczewski. I may renew my membership, within three (3) years, in order to maintain my ratings, unless USHPA randomly changes the rules in order to shorten the current rating-retention grace period. Should that action take place, I will be done with USHPA permanently.

Secondly, I am, further, severely disappointed in USHPA Directors for not disciplining a Torrey Pines site instructor who abused the FAA tandem exemption while giving joy rides to children. Regarding such reckless endangerment of children, it seems obvious to me that USHPA is simply following the money in favor of heedlessly endangering children. Hanggliding/Paragliding are not carnival rides for which there is a parent-informed, reasonable acceptance of safety.

My advice is to stop catering to the business community and return to catering to the recreational pilots.

With full understanding of how insignificant my and Mr. Kuczewski's combined total of $300.00/year may be to USHPA, please consider my membership expired until USHPA does the right thing by reinstating Bob Kuczewski's exceptional standing, history,. and membership in USHPA.

Sincerely,

Bill Cummings
Pilot 30448

Open letter to:
Region four Director William Belcourt,

Vote NO on the expulsion of Robert Kuczewski.

Also vote NO on any motion that could also arise for the expulsion of Dennis Pagen and Marty Deviette for their testimony concerning an injured USHPA paragliding student’s law suit against Air California Adventures. (ACA)

Allow the San Diego local court to sort out the dispute between ACA and Bob K. before entertaining any expulsion for alleged wrong doing. So far Bob K. has prevailed in court.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Bill Cummings. Pilot # 30448

(PS: It took Bob K. a half hour phone conversation, about this expulsion process, to talk me out of letting my 37 year membership with USHPA run out at the end of this April 2015.)

[Bob Kuczewski]

Bill, I am humbled to be sharing this forum with you.

If I thanked you a million times ... it wouldn't be enough.

[Rick Masters]

Hanggliding/Paragliding are not carnival rides

I, too, endorse Bill's sentiment.
The sad thing is how few hang glider pilots speak out.
No wonder their sport is devolving and their corporation is disintegrating.
Hang glider pilots need to stand together as hang glider pilots and defend their own.
It's well past time to separate the sports.

- Form a national hang gliding association that speaks for the rights of hang glider pilots -

[eagle]

Apr 18 (11 days ago)
to Bob, Kenneth
from: Ernie Casco
to: Bob Kuczewski
cc: Kenneth Andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
date: Mon, Apr 18, 2016 at 3:30 PM
subject: Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff

Dear Peacemakers
My suggestion Ken is that USHPA put Robin & Jebb Gang back in there
place before it ends up in court.... and at that point it will be
USHPA's fault for NOT resolving the issues....

WHY would the USHPA jumpin bed with these people, is it for Money and Power
Are you kidding,...
It's Not the few that are brave enough to stand up & say something
that are the problem.
What has happened to Bob, Myself and others is clearly WRONG doing

It's the USHPA is letting the Gliderports out of control
concessionaire and staff to put our site in jeopardy by, threatening
pilots, false reports (lying to the City, Courts & USHPA), false
arrest, negligent injuries, not to mention the future taxing of the
RRG. There is a basically a long list of safety issues & crimes,....
Allegations of Drugs & Assaults

Note: the FALLOUT COULD may result in removal the USHPA current
negligent control of our sight.... Torrey Pines Gliderport deserves
more

I would like to SEE our flight park back. a container for our club at
cost, and fair say so, as far as our site is run .... Why not (the
Concessionaire will not negotiate) and even talks dirt about a
everyone .... if you don't believe me try and negotiate with them

This would resolve the long OVERDUE Torrey Pines saga once and for all....
It would make you a star and save the face of the USHPA as being true leaders

This would only benefit the USHPA by uniting our pilots rather than
divide us....

I am only Suggesting,....
If I Get threatened again for talking to YOU our representative, the
USHPA or anyone else
I'm going to be Upset and may even seek legal action....

I"m trying to stay out of this argument, but find the need to resolve
the problem before it gets worse,... I'm Open to discuss (My Opinion)
the issues if your civil about it
if not You won't be hearing from Me anymore.
thanks You

[eagle]

The Reply
andrews
Apr 18 (11 days ago)
from: andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
to: Ernie Casco
cc: Bob Kuczewski
date: Mon, Apr 18, 2016 at 7:34 PM
subject: Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff
mailed-by: jpl.nasa.gov

to me, Bob
Ernie,

As Bob says, you and he certainly know far more about Torrey than I do. I don’t think I’ve been there more than a dozen times, and I have a knack for picking unflyable days, so maybe that’s why we haven’t met. Even on the flyable days, I landed on the beach once (and had to carry my Wills Wing U2 back up the stairs!), and have never gotten high enough to land back near the star where hang gliders are expected to go.

In any case, I am still learning my way around the politics at Torrey. Certainly Gabriel Jebb, and Robin and Max Marien are no angels. I’ve witnessed a bunch of minor things personally, and heard plenty of stories from a variety of sources. On the other hand, the gliderport has always treated me well when I’ve been there. At the USHPA board meeting a few weeks ago, I asked the accident committee members about Torrey, and they told me that the accident rate there was not out of line in comparison with other flying sites. Then again, there has been a rash of accidents there in the last month, so I’m not so sure about that now.

You say that the gliderport is out of control. In what way? As always, I would very much welcome your information and thoughts.

Interestingly, USHPA is not involved in managing the site, and does not have a lot of control over it. The gliderport’s authority comes only from the city of San Diego, and not from USHPA. Many sites have USHPA insurance, like my home site in Sylmar, and that gives USHPA some leverage over the site. However, I believe the gliderport does not. The gliderport requires pilots to be USHPA members, but I think that’s strictly of their own volition. Perhaps USHPA has enough credibility to have some indirect influence via the Torrey Pines Soaring Council, but I don’t know how active that group is these days. Hence, USHPA’s only real power is to revoke or suspend instructor ratings. This is a drastic measure, but if a specific instructor currently shows sufficient disregard for the requirements spelled out in USHPA’s SOP 12-07.03, then there may be grounds for it. I am trying to figure that out, but it’s not an easy task. Again, I would welcome any ideas you have.

-Ken

[eagle]

***Note : Ken or the USHPS has not contacted me, in any way to resolve any issues...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A further reply ,... the is a disgusting response

-----Original Message-----
From: andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
To: Bob Kuczewski
Subject: Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2016 09:34:18 -0700

Behind your back? Hah! I was pretty certain you were listening, and evidently I was right. Moreover, I’ve said the same directly to you many times.

You have the legal right to do all the things you list, as you continue to demonstrate. USHPA also has the legal right to expel you, as it has done. I’m merely suggesting that if you stop doing those things, all of them, then maybe USHPA would consider reinstating your membership. Maybe they wouldn’t; I don’t know. But I’ve offered to help if you wish to make a good-faith effort to pursue that option. I know you’re trying to make it complicated, but it’s really very simple.

Alternatively, I think it would be interesting if you decided to try building the US Hawks into a credible organization, rather than merely a website for a few people who want a public place to rant. If the Hawks were registered as a non-profit corporation, and had an elected board of directors, and bylaws, and a bank account, and dues, and a genuine membership list, then maybe it could provide member benefits such as insurance. If the US Hawks provided real competition to USHPA, that could be good for everyone.

-Ken

[eagle]

HERE IS SOME MORE ~ HOW IT REALLY GOES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ernie Casco
to: Kenneth Andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
date: Fri, Apr 15, 2016 at 7:30 PM
subject: the USHPA threat
mailed-by: gmail.com

Hello Ken

After years of problems, and watching USHPA's actions. including monitoring (reading) Emails, it looks like the USHPA is using the BOB HAWK case to threaten its own members not to complain to the SD City Councilor on Any Level. (specific complaints would be a Long list)

They are saying, complaints are endangering Torrey Pines Gliderport lease & the USHPA control over the Famous Landmark flying Site.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(modified points,... this shows 7 points while the original showed 1 thru 4)

1. Behavior that interferes with instruction and represents a safety hazard at a flying site.

2. Behavior that jeopardizes landowner relations and, as a result, puts a flying site at jeopardy.

3. Behavior misrepresenting one's qualifications as an expert witness and misrepresenting USHPA's instruction standards and requirements for the purpose of causing harm to other USHPA members and USHPA certified instructors.

4. Behavior intended to discredit USHPA, ostensibly for the purpose of promoting his own agenda and organization.Behavior that interferes with instruction and represents a safety hazard at a flying site.

5. Behavior that jeopardizes landowner relations and, as a result, puts a flying site at jeopardy.

6. Behavior misrepresenting one's qualifications as an expert witness and misrepresenting USHPA's instruction standards and requirements for the purpose of causing harm to other USHPA members and USHPA certified instructors.

7. Behavior intended to discredit USHPA, ostensibly for the purpose of promoting his own agenda and organization.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe its a Yes,.... the USHPA is threatening its members. by dissolving a pilot rating and expulsion as membership

While the USHPA should be protecting Pilots and the site from OUT of control Torrey Pines Gliderport Management, Instructors and Tandem Pilots

Question ..... are we being threaten..... . by dissolving a pilot rating and expulsion as membership and if so what are the Rules

I would Like a clear and concise response, befor I meet with city officials and others in authority .

I consider myself to be an expert witness

thank you

[eagle]

Kenneth Andrews
Apr 16 (13 days ago)
from: Kenneth Andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
to: Ernie Casco
date: Sat, Apr 16, 2016 at 10:43 PM
subject: Re: the USHPA threat
mailed-by: jpl.nasa.gov

to me
Ernie,

I’m sorry if you feel that USHPA is threatening its members through expulsions. Perhaps it will help to remember just how rare such cases are. While I don’t know exactly how many expulsions there have been in the history of USHPA, I believe it is less than five. Since USHPA membership numbers are now very close to 100,000, this means the expulsion rate is less than 0.01%. Personally, I think that’s extraordinary, and I bet it would be very hard to find another large member-based organization with a number anywhere near that low.

On the other hand, we all know that Bob Kuczewski is one of them. His expulsion was not arbitrary or capricious; it was a decision made by a large board of directors after extensive deliberation. Bob will argue that the board members were all “corrupted” in some way, but that seems awfully close to a conspiracy theory to me. Instead, I know most of the board members, and trust them to make careful and thoughtful decisions.

Honestly, it all seems very sad to me. Bob is a smart guy, and obviously energetic and hard-working. Unfortunately, he is on a crusade to attack the Torrey Gliderport concessionaire, no matter what suffers along the way, including USHPA, himself, you, and me. If only Bob were not so consumed by his crusade, he could have accomplished so much with his life in the last six or eight years. I’ve told Bob many times that if he would stop attacking Torrey and USHPA, then I would work to get his membership reinstated so that he could fly at USHPA sites again. So far, Bob has refused my offers.

The rules governing expulsions are given in the Bylaws of the USHPA, Article V, Section 4, “Termination or Suspension of Memberships”. You should be able to read the full text by logging in to the “Members Only” section of the USHPA website, and looking at pages 6 and 7 of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The clause that Bob most ran afoul of says that a member can be expelled “based on the good faith determination by the Board of Directors … that the member … has engaged in conduct materially and seriously prejudicial to the purposes and interests of the corporation.” The purposes of the corporation are pretty well spelled out in the mission statement (page 26 of the SOPs), and include items such as safety, positive awareness of hang gliding and paragliding, development and preservation of flying sites, and support of learning and instructors. The corporation has additional interests that are generally pretty obvious, such as management of its chapters, avoiding lawsuits and negative publicity and competition with its own members, being able to fund-raise, and whatnot.

I hope this addresses some of your concerns,

-Ken

[eagle]

*** NOTE: A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT TO BACK OUT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ernie Casco
Apr 19 (10 days ago)
from: Ernie Casco
to: andrews <Kenneth.S.Andrews@jpl.nasa.gov>
cc: Bob Kuczewski
date: Tue, Apr 19, 2016 at 11:32 AM
subject: Re: the USHPA threat

Ok Ken, with a Copy sent to Bob
I thought about it, Slept on it...

I'm again removing myself from the Gliderport, USHPA argument....
unless I'm further provoked by the parties involved. As we discussed
in previous emails, I Do feel threaten to shut Up, which Now includes
an unjustified expulsion of membership...

I gave You my thoughts & suggestions. Although HESITANT,... I'm
willing to talk peacefully & civilly to You, the USHPA or the
Gliderport, if its to resolve the long going argument...
I have No intentions to stand in the way of anyone's profit,
Jeopardize the USHPA or the sensitive Torrey Pines Gliderport Landmark
Site...

Please let me know if i could help
Thank You

[eagle]

Ehala
~ No further comments for now ~

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