SHOULD TORREY BE OPENED UP TO HANG 3'S?

There is a proposal on the Torrey Pines Soaring Council's plate: To open Torrey to Hang 3's with 50 hours of airtime, and thus level the Req's for hangs and paras. Currently and historically Torrey has been an H4 site.

Before they put it to a vote, our SDHGPA Rep and the TPSC in whole would like our SDHGPA Pilot community input and feedback to help shape the potential flight rule changes. (Exploring and discussing this motion is supported by the USHPA rep Ken Baier, the SDHGPA Rep Dave Metzgar, the USHPA BOD, and the TPGP concessionaire.)

Please provide feedback via the following poll and submit comments.

Your input and time providing feedback is greatly appreciated.

Submit Feedback to SDHGPA TPSC Rep

Bill Helliwell

6/22/2015 03:14:17 pm

I think Torrey Pines is a Hang 4 site. I also think it is a Paragliding training site. The fact that a P3 can fly there without supervision is irrelevant with respect to hang glider pilots.

The landing area is a restricted landing field. Approaching from the South a pilot flies over people and a parking lot. On final approach the pilot must fly through a rotor. That can slam you to the ground even in light soarable conditions. Each of these factors adds a high degree of risk.

This is a high visibility site with many spectators. Do we want to put spectators at risk? Do we want spectators to see bad landings?

If the pilot sinks out, then landing on the beach is the only option. At high tide there isn’t much beach available. There is also the likelihood of many people on the beach. There is very light breeze on the beach, and even if there is a breeze the final approach is ninety degrees cross to the breeze. Hang glider ground speed will be more than 20 mph. Hitting someone at that speed would have serious consequences. Landing on the beach requires excellent no wind restricted landing field skills.

Maybe a Hang 3 who has demonstrated good cliff launch skills and good restricted landing field skills to an instructor could be allowed to fly at Torrey. The first few flights (which could be done in a single day) should be done under an instructors supervision with radio contact.

Bill Helliwell

Kurt Shafer link

6/23/2015 05:11:01 am

I agree with Bill that there are risks - but there is plenty of room to move the parking, is there not? That seems to be action number one. About the rotor, 50 hours is no better than 10 hours to know about rotors.
In my experience higher winds make bigger rotors and allow higher landing patterns so the rotor should be avoidable.
I flew a quicksilver there in 1974 with about 10 hours and had a fabulous time.

John Janssen

7/3/2015 02:28:21 am

Meeting Minutes, News, & Articles

SHOULD TORREY BE OPENED UP TO HANG 3'S?

Hang 3's @ Torrey Pines survey

Leave a Reply.

SDHGPA

Categories

Archives