Safety Action Plan, don't forget!

Talk about Hang Gliding at Ft Funston and the Fellow Feathers Club.

Safety Action Plan, don't forget!

Postby Steve Rodrigues » Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:59 am

Our site was put in jeopardy when a simple rules violation escalated into a major issue because of a conflict with the bystander and subsequent un-cooperation with the Park Police. This incident happened at a crucial point in our negotiations for our new Special Use Permit and it took a lot of work at a special meeting to satisfy the GGNRA that the events would not repeat themselves.

One large piece of damage control was the presentation of the Safety Action Plan that you can see below. There are three major points that all pilots need to heed:

1) Don’t violate any rules, especially the 25’ rule.
2) Be courteous to all spectators.
3) Cooperate with law enforcement officers.

Don’t let one person shut down the site for everyone. If you see a pilot being discourteous to a spectator, or aggressive in any way, step in and defuse the situation. This can easily be accomplished by taking the pilot aside and if he won’t apologize then apologize to the spectators yourself! (I’ve done this myself and it works.) If you don’t think you can handle the situation by yourself, grab another pilot and team up! We all must be active diplomats and stewards of the site if we want to keep hang gliding at Fort Funston.

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Fellow Feathers of Fort Funston Hang Gliding Club
Safety Action Plan
Implemented August 2009

Due to a recent safety violation, the club is taking the following actions to avoid further issues and the loss of our Special Use Permit to fly hang gliders at Fort Funston.

To all pilots:

- Emphasize importance of public safety and the publics’ perception of safety.

- Emphasize importance of good public relations.

- Request that members step in and defuse confrontational situations that involve pilots and spectators.
- Inform all pilots that they must fully cooperate with NPS law enforcement officers, both Rangers and Park Police. Failure to do so can result in suspensions and/or arrest.

- Remind all pilots of the necessity to follow safety regulations, especially Rule # 2;
“2. No pilot may fly within 25' of any person on the ground. Pilots must yield to pedestrians and people on horseback. No pilot may launch when there are spectators in the launch area. Courtesy, especially toward spectators, is mandatory of all pilots.”

- Announce that the club will impose strict suspensions for violators, with zero tolerance.

- Remind all pilots of Article “X” (10) of club bylaws.

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“Article X: Discipline

Section 1: For violating Fort Funston or generally accepted rules and conduct, a pilot’s or a member’s flying and other club privileges may be suspended accordingly:

A. For up to 7 days by a club officer;

B. For longer than 7 days, by a majority vote of the Executive Committee members present at an Executive Committee meeting at which at least one witness to the violation or offenses testifies and at which the accused pilot has the following rights:

1. Notice of violation;
2. Notice of hearing;
3. Name of witnesses to violation;
4. Opportunity to questions witnesses;
5. Opportunity to be heard; and
6. Opportunity to produce witnesses.

Section 2: A disciplinary action imposed by the Executive Committee may be modified only by the Executive Committee. “
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Steve Rodrigues
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Postby sporty155 » Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:03 pm

I second that.... More COWBELL!!
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