San Diego Free Flight History

SDHGPA History:

The San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association is the Oldest and Longest Running Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club and Organization in San Diego and Southern California originally organized in 1973.

SDHGPA 1996 Member Handbook & Old Site Guide:

CLUB HISTORY
The SDHGPA was originally known as the Ultralight Flier's Organization, or UFO. The first meeting of the UFO was held on February 3, 1973, at the home of Bob Fronius. About 20 people attended. The name, Ultralight Flier's Organization was chosen and our club was on its way. Afterwards, meetings were held in the Aerospace Museum, in Balboa Park. Since the UFO was the only source of hang gliding information in the area, meeting attendance grew to 75-100 people within six months. We outgrew the Aerospace Museum and settled in another meeting hall in Balboa Park. Currently, meetings are held in the War Memorial Building, near the San Diego Zoo.

In April, 1976 the UFO became incorporated. The main benefit of this was to protect the individual club members from lawsuits or actions stemming from hang gliding accidents. It also gave us some bureaucratic clout when dealing with government agencies and the public. For much the same reason the club's name was changed in 1987 to the San Diego Hang Gliding Association. In 1994 the name was changed to the San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association to better represent the growing paraglider pilot membership. Our first property purchase was made in 1995: we own a five acre nominal landing area near Weiner Flats below the Mt. Laguna launch.

For Current Site Guide see:
http://www.sdhgpa.com/sites-guide.html

SDHGPA 1996 Member Handbook & Site Guide.

Powerless Free Flight History in San Diego:

San Diego has a rich heritage of flight history that dates back to John Montgomery’s 1st glider flight in 1884. In the 1930’s re-interest in gliding was rekindled with Charles Lindbergh learning to glide off Mt Soledad and the cliffs of Torrey Pines with his wife Anne Lindbergh. Local school kids got very excited about gliding to be like Lindbergh and used what is now Black Mountain Open Space, commonly referred to as Little Black, and other locations across the county as a proving grounds for their wood shop class built full size gliders.

In the 1970’s San Diego County once again became a popular location for Hang Gliding. This tradition continues today with Hang Gliding and Paragliding at 8 remaining sites across San Diego County.

This long tradition of motor-less Free Flight continues today and is worth saving and working to preserve as Many San Diego area flying sites (including the bluffs of Del Mar, Cowles Mountain, Mt. Helix, Crest, Sorrento Valley, and the original Palomar Mountain site) have been lost, due primarily, to the encroachment of development. It is worth noting that Big Black was lost and closed for nearly 15 years to a water project and a fight by environmentalists against the water project. The environmentalists won at the cost of closing access to all recreational activities. After more than 10 years of effort working with the Cleveland National Forest Rangers, SDHGPA was successful in reopening Big Black to Free Flight activities under a special use permit. SDHGPA has also been successful in working with the Pala Tribal Counsel and other Palomar Mountain Land Owners to open a "new" Palomar Mountain Launch and Landing Zone on a different part of the mountain. All of our Flying sites are constantly at risk and preservation has taken diligence. Sites nearly lost include Laguna and Little Black. Blossom is another highly endangered site that has taken lots of work and is just hanging on at this time (2015).

1930's to Present Day

Silent, low-speed gliders have enjoyed soaring flight on the west facing slopes of what is now Black Mountain Open Space Park Glider Port since the 1930’s. This unique flying site is one of the most consistently flyable sites in the United States and is visited by pilots from around the world. Residents consider the sight of silently soaring hang gliders and paragliders a positive part of the experience of living in Rancho Penasquitos and the surrounding communities.

SD Tradition Of Flying

Follow us for a day of hang gliding and paragliding at the Black Mountain Open Space Glider Port, a historic San Diego location that has been home to free-flight activities since the 1930s. Unpowered, foot-launched gliders soar over Black Mountain Open Space offering a unique way to explore the park and commune with nature.

San Diego has a rich heritage of flight history that dates back to John Montgomery’s 1st glider flight in 1884 . . .

Hang Gliding 1977

Lee Rector Flying an Albatross ASG 20 Over Little Black Mountain In 1977 (Black Mountain Open Space)

Film Student Peter Brown called Albatross sails in Solana Beach Ca and asked the owners, Tom Price and Keith Nichols if someone could fly for his student class movie project. They suggested Lee Rector. - With nothing that could possibly go wrong - Lee volunteered. Little was Lee aware of the saying "hair today, gone tomorrow". - Enjoy -