Post by BAPA

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

Post by BAPA

Postby Steve Rodrigues » Thu May 14, 2015 4:57 pm

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The Bay Area Paragliding Association has taken a very responsible position in regard to PG pilots flying around Fort Funston. I for one appreciate how they are trying to preserve *everyone's* freedom to fly!

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David McMillan' via San Francisco Bay Area Paragliding Discussion Group <[email protected]>

to BAPA

Pilots,

I am posting this to the list in response to a report (and video) I received regarding a PG pilot who was flying the other day at Fort Funston with the apparent intent of pissing off the HG pilots. The PG was scratching low right in front of launch with HGs in the air and generally making a nuisance of himself.

All of us need to be reminded that despite the lack of formal regulations at the Dump, we would absolutely still be impacted if the GGNRA decides they've had enough of dealing with pilots acting like children. Do the people currently flying over to Funston and antagonizing the hang glider pilots want to be known internationally as the pilots who:
1 - Got one of the only sites managed by the National Parks Service in the entire country shut down?
2 - Established a clear and documented precedent within the National Parks Service that HG and PG can't cooperate and be civil to one another, so that PG will never be allowed in ANY NPS-managed land in the country, ever?
3 - Got the FAA involved so that Daly City was forced to shut down Mussel Rock in order to protect themselves from liability?
4 - Basically ruined flying in the San Francisco Bay area for thousands of pilots (locals and visitors)?

Regardless of whether these pilots flying down to Funston are USHPA or BAPA members - it's not about regulations, rules, or governance.

This issue is absolutely about protection of free flight in populated areas. If the HG and PG pilots can't communicate, collaborate, and establish workable guidelines together then we are doomed, since our local and national government (NPS, FAA, Daly City, etc) do NOT want to play babysitter for us.

Currently officers of BAPA (including myself) and the Fellow Feathers are having very open, civil discussions about the issue (for the first time in the history of the organizations!). No one will completely get "their way" - there absolutely must be compromise (which means something given up on both sides), and that will protect these sites for all of us.

However, all of these efforts are completely undermined by the behavior of a few paraglider pilots who insist on flying to Funston and being jerks. The HG pilots are now filming those pilots, and if there is any evidence whatsoever that public safety is being impacted (preventing HG from safely launching or landing, interfering with the landing pattern and putting pedestrians at risk, etc), then the FAA and USHPA will likely be forced to become involved. and EVERYONE loses.

We need to act like adults. If there are HG in the air or trying to launch at Funston - just don't go there. turn back in the bowl and enjoy the other 5+ miles of coastline we're lucky to be able to fly!

David McMillan
BAPA President
USHPA # 30605
H-5, Mentor and Observer
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Steve Rodrigues
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