Blossom LZ CLOSED until further notice

5/1/2014

The Blossom LZ is CLOSED until further notice.

Helix Water Property & Old River Bed LZs Remain Closed

Effective 5-7-14, the Blossom LZ Landowner will press trespassing charges to all accessing his land.
This will remain in effect until we can demonstrate new self regulation procedures and reach a new agreement with the land owner. The LZ Landowner wants our assurance that all LZ users will be SDHGPA and USHPA members with current wavers in place. Until we can do so reliably, the Blossom LZ will remain closed.

At this time, there are no landing options were we have explicit permission to land down in the valley.
Flying back to El Cap is highly discouraged unless you are absolutely confident you can make it back to Top-land.

For updated Site Info see the Blossom Site Guide

SDHGPA Blossom Site Guide

This week Bill H got a call from the Blossom LZ Landowner. He is not happy that we as a community have not been self regulating this site diligently to a level high enough to assure compiling with his request that all users be SDHGPA and USHPA members. This is to help minimize his liability. This past week, 3 out of 3 pilots confronted on separate days were not SDHGPA members. To top it off, the last pilot was also not USHPA certified. Until we can assure the Landowner we have this under control; He is closing the Blossom LZ and will begin pressing trespassing charges on all parties starting next week (5-7-14). Please pass the word that the LZ is Closed.

Fortunately, The Landowner is willing to work with us and consider reopening the LZ if we can assure that we have self regulation of this site under control. If we want the Blossom LZ to be reopened, all pilots flying Blossom need to take an active role in self regulating this site to our site protocols. All local pilots must ask for current SDHGPA and USHPA Membership cards. This includes Visiting and Student Pilots. All pilots must be card carrying USHPA and SDHGPA members to fly Blossom and Land in the LZ. SDHGPA Membership and Virtual SDHGPA cards can be downloaded onto a Pilots mobile out on the hill via our new http://www.SDHGPA.com/Membership.html website from any mobile device. If local pilots are not willing to help self regulate this site, beyond SDHGPA Board Member efforts, the Blossom LZ will remain closed.

Until we have measures in place, and we can assure the Landowner that all LZ users will be SDHGPA and USHPA members with current wavers in place; the Blossom LZ will remain closed.

8 Comments

Bret Daniel

5/1/2014 09:51:49 pm

Even if we self regulate, there still may be instances where non SDHGPA-USHPA members land on that property.

If a pilot shows up with no credentials, how are we to prohibit the pilot from launching? Under the proposed sign, should we have a stack of temporary membership forms/cards so that if people register on site via mobile, they can have a hard copy to show the land owner?

After re-open, I suspect the land owner will fully prosecute any trespassing violations.

Steve Rohrbaugh link

5/6/2014 05:46:17 pm

All good questions and fair comments.

Our biggest tool is peer pressure within our community and relatively tight pilot network across the nation. The last thing a pilot should want, is to be known as that guy that got XYZ site closed down by their flying buddies. This is fairly strong leverage to help enforce site protocols and the desires of the land owners/ agencies that are allowing us to use their land for recreational purposes.
When that fails, all we can do is communicate the Landowners desires and intent to press and prosecute trespassing charges to the fullest extent for the general public (non USHPA & non SDHGPA) parties trespassing on his land. And, Yes, they are actively asking for pilot membership cards and monitoring the LZ.

If people register on site via mobile, they will be directed to download a card they could have on their phone in addition to a PP receipt mailed to them. They could pull those up as proof of membership until they are able to print a physical card.

Yes, if and when we get the LZ re-opened, the land owner will fully prosecute any non member trespassing violations.

Gabriel Jebb link

5/2/2014 09:18:57 am

I know there may have been some "suggestions" that these were TPG students, but I assure you we have not taken students to Blossom since February. In the meantime, I might suggest we leave a sign and a box of waivers somewhere near launch. Pilots could potentially sign a waiver or two (if we stapled them together, one at launch and one for the pilot) and carry them in flight.

I'd rather encourage pilots to join SDHGPA, but the reality is... I've flown Blossom for 22+ years and we've always had non-certified, non-registered, non-rated, non-intelligent and non-common sense pilots and instructors there. I'm not sure we'll be able to nip this in the but... but at least those going the bandito route - may read the sign, may sign and leave a copy of a waiver and may prevent this problem in the future. Just my $0.02 worth - but I've seen similar in AZ, NM, CO, WA and other sites that had similar problems.

G

5/6/2014 06:18:14 pm

Once a pilot is identified with a clan, it takes awhile to change tribes . . . or not be known as an XYZ student. All the more reason, schools should instill the practice of read and following the site protocols at all sites they chose to fly were ever that may be. This goes along with supporting each local club that works to keep them open early in their flying career.

Larry S., a long time active Blossom local, thinks a renewed effort of Pilot self regulation will largely work even at Blossom if all local pilots take ownership in communicating the LZ landowner use requirements.

If non conformist pilots wish to use the Landowners LZ, they must meet his requirements of SDHGPA membership or face the risk of being charged by the Landowner with trespassing to the fullest extent. It is as simple as that.

All good ideas, we will be posting a sign. However getting registration a copy back into the club is key to maintaining our communication roster and ICE database. With the proliferation of mobile devices, an online form is actually more readily available and gets automatically entered into our roster database. There is bound to be at least one or more mobile devices on launch.

Angus Dorbie

5/5/2014 03:58:48 am

How is a private club supposed to regulate a non members of that club? Does SDHGPA have any legal authority over access to the launch site? This prohibition will ensure that only non SDHGPA members land in that LZ.

5/6/2014 06:50:28 pm

For the 1st question and last comment, see reply to Bret.

Think of the SDHGPA, San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, as a collective bargaining unit like a labor union or other nonprofit political group. Collective bargaining units or Unions typically do not own or run the factories or industries that the members work in . . . but they represent the workers interests. Land Owners and agencies typically prefer to interface with a collective group vs many individuals on a one by one basis.

In this case, SDHGPA does not have “legal” authority over the Blossom Launch Site or LZ. Rather our agreements are Gentleman’s agreements with the land owners for conditional Recreational Land Use. Only the Landowners have “leagal” authority, and/ or Sheriff’s department executing the desires of a particular land owner or Agency. All or our site protocols were at the request or response to a Landowner, Agency or other interest in the Valley.

Larry S., a long time active Blossom local, thinks a renewed effort of Pilot self regulation to the land owner desires will largely work if all local pilots take ownership in communicating the LZ landowner use requirements.

If we as a collective group cannot meet the Landowners demands to minimize his liability, he could very well shut down his land to external users and ask the sheriff’s department to enforce trespassing laws. This has happened in other locations and would not be a good thing as Blossom would effectively be closed in full.

Some background on the Blossom LZ Landowner and SDHGPA relationship:
~ 7-10 years ago, when there was an ownership change of the LZ land, the Landowner approached SDHGPA to inform us that he was concerned with liability and wanted pilots to no longer use his land for an LZ. When he learned that SDHGPA could address his liability concerns through multiple layers of risk mitigation, he was interested in talking with us. After a few rounds of negotiations, under a gentleman’s agreement, he agreed for continued use of his land as an LZ if specific conditions were meet to minimize his liability and safety concerns. Those conditions were then transformed into the Blossom Site Protocols (http://www.sdhgpa.com/blossom-valley.html). Things that were very important to him were the USHPA Pilot Insurance, USHPA Pilot Waver, SDHGPA Site Insurance, and the SDHGPA as a single point of contact to the Flying community to communicate site protocols and or site updates. He wanted all Pilots accessing his land to not only be USHPA members, but also SDHGPA members so that all pilots could easily be communicated with through our roster and communication channels. He wanted to make sure all pilots received site introductions with the most up to date information.

All of this is consistent with the SDHGPA charter:
The San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, SDHGPA, is a hang gliding and paragliding club dedicated to the promotion and preservation of foot launched soaring (non motorized "free flight") in San Diego County. SDHGPA is a local chapter of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, USHPA. We work collaboratively with land owners and governing agencies at the local level to keep our primary flying sites open by insuring, maintaining, purchasing, regulating, and monitoring our launch sites and landing zones. Our guiding principle is that all foot launched pilots of hang gliders and paragliders alike share common goals and interests best served by a united effort to promote flying safety, education, and good community relations in San Diego County. We support hang gliding and paragliding at the national level through the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) and concurrent membership in that organization is the one and only club membership requirement.

Doug B

6/2/2014 12:08:17 pm

Is the club going to put a sign at the start of the walk up to Blossom telling folks about the new rules?

Kelly Carpenter link

3/27/2020 04:46:25 pm

I need to get with the program I've been flying there without any of that .I just listen to What Bill says .He flagged off thumpers trigger and says don't play with thumper until your 750 feet over .I land at bale out mainly .

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Blossom LZ CLOSED until further notice

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