Follow the SDHGPA - Announcements Telegram Channel for updates and information broadcasts: New News Articles, Fly-ins, Meetings, TFRs and other important updates and reminders from SDHGPA.

2019 Election Results

2019 Voting (Board) positions were ratified by each receiving 100% of votes cast:

​For 2019 Site & Gate access: Join or Renew SDHGPA Membership if you have not already done so for the 2019 calendar year.

• Site Gate Codes are only provided to Annual Members after Membership Verification and may take several weeks to process. If you desire immediate site gate access, Please Fly with current local active Annual Member Pilots for site access and site briefings. ​Visiting pilots can only gain gate access with a Full Member guide present.
• Annual Members will receive a separate email after verification on how to access the Member Only section of the website and receive current gate codes. ​

Plus you get all the other great SDHGPA membership benefits:

• Site & gate access to the following sites:
  • Palomar
  • Laguna
  • Big Black
  • Little Black
  • Horse
• Site Guide & News Updates
• SDHGPA Weather Stations with accurate current conditions at your favorite sites (more being added each year)
• Quarterly Fly-ins

• Great Meeting Topics & clinics throughout the year

• Access to the Member Only section of the Website
  • Local Pilot Roster & Contact Directory
  • XC maps & way point files
  • Master SDHGPA Google Earth Site Guide file
  • Meeting notes & presentation materials
  • Membership Card & Parking Pass re-printing
• Helping to protect The Sites & Landowners by carrying Site Landowners as Additional Insured to the USHPA policies for the following sites: Palomar, Laguna, Big Black, Little Black, Horse, Blossom.
• Site Maintenance for all of the above sites (depending on permissions negotiated) that includes Windsocks, Outhouses at Palomar Launch & LZ, Mowing, & other launch & LZ surface maintenance from erosion & other.

You can check Current Membership Status under the Membership menu.

​Blossom Site Update: Asking for everyone’s support to help counter the proposed sand mining project in the valley. Nik is leading the current efforts and has written a October Update post about what is needed to Help Counter the Sand Mining Project.

Event Planning:
10/27 Halloween fly in:  Need help with stuff for fly-in
Bill has some stuff but needs pickups to transport - Joseph, Luke, etc...
​Steve to put up sign up sheet – See Sign-up Genius link on Halloween Fly-in info page
 
USHPA Film Fest 2018 at UCSD 11/17? Or at Palomar with a fly in 11/17/18

• Kim is working details to get co-sponsorship with a UCSD sports club to bring the costs down to a reasonable level.
• Default / Back-up location will be Palomar
• For more info see and follow the Film Festival Event page

A few days after the meeting, the Board determined that Palomar would be the best Event location from the proposed locations.

Other Club Business:
Memberships:
Dues the same for next year, approved by board unanimously

Lots of people not renewing but still flying:
Ask em to join if u see em. Best tactic in my experience - present it as an essentially voluntary and supportive action, of little cost - a way of protecting and maintaining our sites and doing right by your fellow pilots.

SDHGPA 2019 Elections
SDHGPA Board Nominations & appointed committee positions for 2019 will open at the next scheduled meeting in November. Please think about how you would like to be support your flying community in this next year.  Elections will be in Dec - Jan via mail in ballots. 

LiveTrack24 SDHGPA Group
Steve R- everybody should use LiveTrack24 and sign up for the SDHGPA tracking group, so we can find em. Any tacking device dealio from satellite Spot or Garmin inReach type to cell phone app can be linked and combined in LiveTrack24. Our Livetrack24 Group is a good way for us to merge all of the different tracking devices and methods into one location for our SDHGPA group to quickly and easy access pilot locations for retrieve or emergency purposes.

A good practice is to use both Satellite and phone app for tracking for redundancy and that the cell apps can fill in more data points between the 5 or 10 min satellite tracker data send intervals. (If using phone for tracking, it is a good idea to also use a back-up battery supply)

​Bill D. - everybody that doesn’t have a dedicated SOS-sending satellite tracking dealio is basically committing suicide. But if they want to go with wimpy-ass LiveTrack, whatever. Maybe we’ll come find em, maybe not.   And off we go into the abyss . . . 

Topic Discussion: ​ Weather Tools
Great talk by Chris Cote on weather-casting tools and how he uses them to crush the rest of us in XC-land. If you missed it, it’s your loss. Or gain - if you or I tried to fly in some of the crazy conditions he calls “awesome”, we would just be scared out of our minds and likely give up paragliding for golf. 

Cheers, 
Dave Metzgar

Thank you to all that responded to the Survey!

It helps to direct what we as Club Members want the Club to be and set some direction. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns about the SDHGPA & its direction, please let us know. by talking with one of the Bard Members or come to the meetings. If you offered to help or are willing to help, please reach out and we will try to get you involved.  Help is always appreciated. 

We will try to incorporate the higher requested meeting topics into this calendar year meetings

Quorum of Directors present

Site Brief - Bill Helliwell
Laguna - all new State Park folks, Bill talked to a temporary ranger about existing permit, sent to Heidi, got form letter on how to apply for a permit instead of info on existing permit, tried to clarify. We have heard nothing. Assuming permit is still valid. Chief Ranger position appears to be open.

SDHGPA Calendar & Upcoming Events:
Activities & Calendar was discussed and set for the Next 3 months:
 
SDHGPA New Year Fly-in & Awards @ Palomar - Saturday, February 3: 

1. Annual Windsock Flag Replacements per usual plan and two Masts to be placed on order in the next few weeks for windsocks at Palomar, Little Black and Horse. (motion Passed)

2. Increase Temp Membership Dues to at least cover costs of Fly-ins and keep the no excuses low Annual Membership of $40. Proposed Membership structure: Week $10, Month $20, Annual $40. After review of other clubs in CA and surrounding states. SDHGPA remains one of the least expensive while including the most sites. (Motion Passed) ​ 
Dues adjustment discussion: We’re low for clubs with actively maintained sites. Maintained sites with outhouses, groomed launches, etc, are usually much more. Suggestions to have daily fees for visiting pilots floated, but detractors pointed out that daily fees are unlikely to be paid daily without site monitors to collect. Noted that primary purpose should be compliance rather than income, to decrease risk of uninsured accidents. Steve R proposed week should be $10, month $20, year $40.

​Round-up of other Club Dues for comparison:

• Crestline/ AJ (single site): $100 annual, $10 / day,
• Symar/ Kagle (single site): $75 Annual, $40 month, $10 /Day,
• Saboba (single site): $65 Annual
• Santa Barbara: $30 Flat Annual but is also structured that all need to fly with a site guide/ instructors for + $/day (locals included even at the training hill for kitting there) and the club has very little overhead as they only carry insurance for the training hill. 
• Central Cal Dunlap/Tollhouse: $100 Y, $10 / Day
• Bay Area PA: $30 Annual + $20-40 per site sticker (fly more sites, pay more and some sites have higher overhead costs)
• Marina (one site): 30Y flat  (little to no Maint) + need to pay a State Park fee to use the site.  $195 annual pass
• Rogue Valley HGPA: $60 Annual local, visiting pilot annual $30, visiting pilot 7-day $20
• Arizona: $50 Annual, $25 M, $10 W, $5 D
• Utah HGPA: $50 Annual, $25 week, $5 day

4. Improve Palomar Launch surface to minimize line snags from exposed sharp rocks and weed snags. Motion was modified to put together a proposal looking at several alternatives from Heavy Erosion Control Matting typically used in Road Bed construction, Road Base Aggregate infill, Native GD infill. Anything installed will need to blend in with natural surroundings the majority of the year.  (Motion Passed)

​Discussion Notes: Palomar needs a DG fill on launch, to cover stubs and rocks. AstroTurf from worn football field was suggested (However, would need to be a natural color and blend in with the surroundings so recycled field turf wold likely not meet the pre approved criteria) Or Landscape Fabric (in beige/ light brown color) Or 3/4 in gravel. No carpet. All options have good examples of effective use at launches here or elsewhere, but must be acceptable to the tribe. In our Palomar Use Agreement , Artificial turf is pre-approved in concept, but would need to be in a “natural color.”   James Goodpasture (Pala Tribe Program Manager that worked on the original launch improvement project) might have leftover DG or gravel from a nearby site. Steve R will call to check on cost and delivery options/cost. Seems like using a tribal source and DG/gravel rather than artificial material like AstroTurf, carpet, or landscape fabric would decrease potential rejection by the tribe? Note: Additional Improvement project proposals beyond Site Maintenance need to be cleared through the Tribal Council. 

5. Laguna Site Intro as we have done in years past in conjunction with an XC clinic. (Motion Passed) and added to the Calendar

​7. Chapter Renewal and related application & activities need to be completed by the end of Jan to assure no gap in coverage: Risk Management / Risk Assessment for club insurance renewal. New forms required to streamline USHPA processing. Bill and Phil are going to do it. Giant cut n paste adventure, with some new items to cover. Mar 1st Insurance renewal Date, but there is a potentially long processing time upstream and Chapters are proceed on a 1st in 1st out queue so trying to complete by end of January so that we do not have a laps in coverage.

Nominations for 2018 Board Members opened and the following nominations were slated:

• President: Steve Rohrbaugh
• VP: Jeff Brown
• Secretary: Dave M
• Treasurer/Sites Director: Bill Helliwell 
• Safety Officer: Bill Davis
• Co-safety Officer: Phil W

​Nominations will remain open until voting closes

SDHGPA Board Election Voting opens on Jan 2nd and closes Jan 14th. 

Member votes will be collected by mailer e-mail Ballot Form responses to nominations slated during the Nov 16th General Meeting. Write in nominations will be accepted. Election Ballot Forms will be sent to SDHGPA 2017 Full Members and 2018 Full Members as of Jan 2nd. Each current Full Member may make one Ballot submission.  All Ballot Forms must be submitted before 12 midnight Jan 14th to be counted.

Website SDHGPA Site Category Classifications
In the SDHGPA Site Guide and listing of SDHGPA managed sites, we have sites listed under the following categories: 

• SDHGPA Primary Sites: These are sites that SDHGPA actively manages and works with the Landowners / Agencies with agreements in place to maintain and works on active Site Preservation for the sites in addition to providing landowners with additional insured coverage through USHPA. 
• Secondary & Other San Diego Sites: These are sites that the SDHGPA does not have full control over or agreements in place to fly, but does annual Risk Assessments, Accident Investigations and is in communications with landowners / agencies. The SDHGPA works on Site Preservation for these sites and may carry additional insured coverage for Chapter activity and site preservation reasons. 
• Infrequently Flown: (not maintained or recommended) These sites are not maintained as active flying sites, but the SDHGPA does annual Risk Assessments, Accident Investigations for these sites.
• Closed Private Sites:  do Not Fly these sites that require specific “by invitation only” permission.   The SDHGPA does not manage or maintain these sites but does provide information as requested by the land owners to indicate the sites are closed private sites, and perform annual Risk Assessments, Accident Investigations for these sites.

Blossom Status: Club voted to keep Blossom Valley in the “secondary” site category owing to lack of direct control over activities there. The Club will continue to do do site risk assessment, interface with landowner and agencies and carry Blossom as an insured site for the % of Club & USHPA members that Fly the site.

June 15th 2017 Meeting Agenda & Notes:

Was a small meeting mostly attended by Board Members.

Site Information and Updates - Reminder for all on Site Protocols:

• Bill Helliwell noted that essentially the entire San Felipe Valley, including the usual Banner landing area, is closed for the summer to all use, including foot traffic, and is being actively monitored.  ​The Laguna Site Guide was updated and Notice Published regarding San Felipe Valley Summer Month Closure on June 21st.
• Reminder that Use of Palomar Launched or LZs and other listed Sites as Instruction sites that includes Tandem Flight (by definition) by any commercial operator, even from Robin's or other alternate launches, is only permitted by instructors that have registered with SDHGPA and meet all SOPs.  http://www.sdhgpa.com/instruction-policies---protocol.html. A reminder and Notice was sent to Air California Adventure and its instructors on 5-2-2017 after violations of site protocols. As an USHPA Chapter, SDHGPA Flight SOPs are based on and include all USHPA SOPs, and are considered USHPA SOPs by extension. Noncompliance with those SOPs could put ratings and appointments at risk.
• In the April meeting, the Board voted and passed a motion to add Blossom back in as an additional insured site covering the Landowners and Chapter. Primary reasons are for site preservation and to cover the % of pilots the are USHPA members. This brings the Chapter to covering 6 Additional Insured Sites in addition to 62 specific managed Launch and LZ locations.

Palomar Main LZ Gate Update:
​Main LZ access on Sunday is now available to SDHGPA Club Members along with all other days.

Call for SDHGPA Weather Station Proposals: - Approved

• Elsinore and several in AZ sites have installed  "Holfuy" Weather Stations that look to be a fairly good Weather Station turn key solution.  Holfuy includes web data hosting backbone, website modules, and phone Apps with their stations that are autonomous running on 3G / GSM network and solar power. http://holfuy.com/en/shop.php   Station Specs: http://holfuy.com/en/about.php 
• Jeff Brown volunteered to work on Proposal investigations and System Designs

​Proposal to include:

1. Weather Station Design Alternatives
2. Initial costs and reoccurring costs per station and other alternatives to Holfuy stations. http://holfuy.com/en/

• • Holfuy Standard 450€  ~ $500  (Controls Hub & Solar Power box)
  • Davis 6410 sensor. 110€  ~$125  (Wind anemometer & vane)
  • or Ultrasonic sensor 490€  ~ $500
  • Humidity sensor 110€  ~ $125   (if want cloud base predictions)
  • Camera 300€  ~ $340
• System Sub total for Simple Anemometer Wind only: $768.34
• System Sub total for All up with higher end options ~ $1564.72 per station
• Other costs:

1. 1. Pole & Installation costs
   2. SIM card & Data Plan

• Finalize Station Designs

The Board voted unanimously to spend up to $2K per weather station and associated data plans and installation for two initial trail stations. The first trial stations are proposed to be at the Palomar Main Launch and Little Black.  

• Dave M will ask LB Rangers if we can put one up behind launch or below the 500 on LB, otherwise we'll investigate other alternatives for a true site ind reading.  
• For Palomar, we will scout placement locations at or before the July fly-in.
• Steve will seek permission for installation from the Pala Tribal Council ​.

​

Aug Update: After initial proof of concept install at Palomar, the Board decided to approve a 3rd station for installation this year under the 2017 budget and the first 3 Stations would be installed at Palomar, Horse, & Laguna as being sites that are undeserved by current weather stations and being lease susceptible to being vandalized. 

Example ​Holfuy stations and web module samples:

Accident Awareness & Prime Season is here.
Reminder to follow USHPA Pilot Proficiency SOPs for flight condition parameters per rating level. - Midday flying should be reserved for advanced pilots only at all Mt sites off of the coast.​  

Recent Accident reports were also reviewed.  Without getting into details for two recent accidents at our San Diego and other US sites, some things all pilots should be reminded of when flying home sites or abroad in another country: 

• Flying mid-day during peak heating should be reserved for advanced pilots at inland sites.
• Fly within recommended operating parameters in Site Guides/ Protocols and USHPA Pilot Proficiency ​​System​ Pilot Proficiency Ratings.
• Always fly with local pilots. If they are not flying, there might be a reason. 
• Seek the advice of local pilots for weather and site introductions for each day based on weather conditions. 
• Seek out and join Local Clubs and utilize those clubs resources for site guides and other information available regarding sites. 
• When traveling as well as at your home sites, make sure you have insurance that covers you when and where you are. 

​

Fly-in Planning:

Traditionally there is no scheduled SDHGPA Meeting in July.  The Aug Meeting time slot has too many conflicts for Board Members and will be canceled.  The Next Scheduled SDHGPA meeting will be in September on the 21st. Follow the SDHGPA Calendar for updates.