San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
  • SDHGPA
    • About Us
    • SDHGPA Calendar
    • Minutes, News, & Articles
    • Bylaws
    • Instruction Policies - Protocol
    • Permits
    • History - San Diego Free Flight >
      • Black Mountain Open Space History
    • Flight Videos
  • What's Happening
    • SDHGPA Calendar
    • Minutes, News, & Articles
    • SOCAL WX Dash Board
    • Weather Stations
    • Who's Flying Where
    • SDHGPA Tracking Maps
    • SDHGPA Site & XC Route live Cameras
  • Membership
    • Join SDHGPA
    • Current Membership Status
    • Member Only Pages >
      • Member Only Pages
      • 2023 Membership Info-Gates-Cards
      • 2022 Membership Info-Gates-Cards
      • Telegram & Private FB Access
      • Gear Swap
      • Roster
      • Meeting Live Stream Videos
      • XC Maps & Master Waypoint Files
      • Clinic & Meeting Talk Materials
      • Incident-Accident Report
  • Sites Guide
  • XC Contest - SDHGPA
    • SDHGPA XC Contest Rules & Scoring
    • Join SDHGPA Leonardo XC Comp Filter
    • Generating Track Logs & Uploading Flights to Leonardo
    • Ayvri Flight Animation
    • XC Maps & Master Waypoint Files
    • XC Records
  • Palomar Point Series
  • LiveTrack24 SDHGPA Group
  • Schools - Tandem
  • Selecting the Right School - Instructor
  • Visiting SD Incident-Accident Report
  • USHPA
  • Links
  • Meeting - Non-Flying Guest BBQ Donations

San Diego Free flight Site Guides

8-19-2020 Update

​SDHGPA sites are sensitive:  These sites have taken years of effort to acquire and require compliance with all procedures. Please read site protocols BEFORE going to the site and always get a site briefing from a Local Pilot.  If you have questions, contact the site manager.

​
Caution: Big Air Sites
All SDHGPA sites and Southern California off of the coast sites have very powerful sharp thermals in the middle of the day, requiring very advanced big air active flying skills to fly safely.  If you don’t have big air mountain experience, only fly SDHGPA sites at the end of the day, when conditions are calming down.

​Also, if you don’t know EXACTLY what "big air" means, then you DEFINITELY don’t have big air experience.  If you are a low time pilot and are not sure which sites and conditions are appropriate, consult with your instructor.  Advice on social media such as Telegram or YouTube is a poor substitute for proper instruction.
A decision to launch is always that of the individual pilot. When deciding whether or not to fly, a pilot may wish to take into account the descriptions in this site guide but must also consider numerous other factors including the pilot's training and experience, familiarity with the site, equipment, physical and mental condition and the specific weather conditions in existence at the time of the decision along with what the conditions may change to.

Always ​fly within the USHPA recommended operating limitations for your rating as specified in the USHPA Pilot Proficiency System. Pilots of relatively little experience or who are new to the site are urged to consult with other local pilots at the site in order to obtain their assessment of the conditions. ​Always get a site briefing from a local pilot. Do not fly sites alone or without a local pilot present. If locals are not flying, there is likely a reason.

WARNING:
 The descriptions of typical flying conditions listed in this site guide reflect the experience of the authors of the guide. The conditions that you encounter at the site may differ, sometimes substantially, from those encountered by the authors. The descriptions of their experiences may not be relevant to the likely experience of any other pilot, particularly one who is relatively inexperienced or new to the site.

ALL PILOTS SHOULD FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH USHPA’S SAFETY PROCEDURES BEFORE FLIGHT

SDHGPA Site Guide
The SDHGPA insures, maintains, and regulates several flying sites in the San Diego area. Most Sites are considered sensitive and flying at our sites requires adhering to specific procedures. 
This information and the applicable, current site protocols change VERY OFTEN and you must contact a local, active pilot for a briefing on the current protocols. The best way for even local pilots to be and stay informed about our sites is to come to the SDHGPA site meetings, contact the Site Rep/ pilot in command, or contact your board members. Every effort will be made to keep the site information and protocols up to date in this guide however it should not be relied upon as a single source of information. Always get a site briefing from a local pilot. Do not fly sites alone or without a local pilot present. If locals are not flying, there is likely a reason.
The rating listed for a given launch or landing zone does not mean that if you have that rating you will necessarily be able to safely launch or safely land. The rating means you must have knowledge at that level to decide whether it is safe for you to launch or land in the existing conditions.
Always ​Fly within the recommended operating limitations for your rating;  pay attention to changing conditions and weather forecasts. Flying into mid day and peak heating conditions should be reserved for Advanced pilots. Reference USHPA recommended operating limitations for your rating in the USHPA Pilot Proficiency System.
Cross-country flights from all of our sites fly over private property and/ or State Park land. You should familiarize yourself with the locations of legal landing zones and strict no landing areas before venturing XC. 
Some sites have an LZ designated "Emergency". This really means emergency, as in something breaks or goes terribly wrong. Only a couple of landings per year (that's total landings, not per pilot) at those sites might classify as emergency and would be tolerated. Lack of lift is not an emergency, rather that is pilot error. You must fly in such a way that you are always very sure that you can make it to a legal LZ.
If landing out, it is very important that you treat the landowners with the utmost respect.  If you are flying cross country and you have to land out please be as courteous as possible. You are an uninvited guest on someone else’s property.  Your actions may only mean one bad day for you but can impact the flying of local pilots  if we lose a landing field for years to come. Before you fly have a look at this site that shows the known landing and “no landing” fields.

Pilots flying cross country often are forced to land in farm or horse pasture fields.  Some general rules when you land away from one of the marked landing fields:
  • When you land, sincerely apologize for landing on the property. Pack up and leave as expeditiously as possible.
  • Do not land near animals (especially horses) except in an extreme emergency
  • Do not land on crops.  Offer to pay for damage if you do.
  • Do not climb over fences
  • Exit fields at gates. If gates are locked climb over at the hinge end.
Power assisted flight is non recommended or prohibited at most of our foot launch soaring sites due to conditions and/ or use agreements. 
Radio Information: Members of the SDHGPA use 2-meter ham radios for communication. For safety and convenience, it is strongly recommended that pilots obtain their "Technician Class" amateur radio operator license, and fly with a radio. It is also recommended that pilots join the East County Repeater Association ham radio club, which owns and operates the Laguna repeater. Our new normal frequency is 145.525 Mhz.
XC Flying & Trackers: If you plan on flying XC from any SDHGPA Site: (or even if just site flying)
  • Use a Personal Tracker! (Satellite & or GSM enabled flight instrument/ Cell device app)
  • Week Before: Join the SDHGPA LiveTrack24 Group ( both Satellite & or GSM enabled flight instrument/ Cell device)
  • Week Before: Join XC Find California Tracking Group (if using Spot or InReach) :  Email David Wheeler at the email listed on the bottom left of the XC Find page. ​

The information, rules, and guidelines contained in the links below take precedence over conflicting information that may be found on the web for the following sites:

SDHGPA Primary Sites*:
  1. Palomar *
  2. Big Black *
  3. Little Black (LB)​ * 
  4. Laguna *
  5. Horse Canyon​​​ ​​*
Secondary SDHGPA Sites:
  • Blossom Valley (LZ is Closed) *
  • Otay Mesa​

Other San Diego Sites:​​
  • Torrey Pines Glider Port **
Infrequently Flown and not maintained or recommended: 
  • ​Fuzz (Closed) - alt Horse launch
  • Iron Mt
  • Tecate Pk​
Closed Private Sites - do Not Fly these sites that require specific “by invitation only” permission: 
  • Buda
  • Stonehenge
  • ​The Rock

Other Nearby Sites (sometimes flown by members but not maintained by SDHGPA)
Elsinore:
  • ​The "E"
  • Edwards (Bowl)​
​Saboba**
CSS**: Marshall/ Crestline/ Andy Jackson Air Park

* Only Local or Visiting Schools and Instructors that have Registered with SDHGPA and been Verified by SDHGPA as meeting each SDHGPA Additional Insured Site Requirements may conduct "For-hire (commercial) activity" at SDHGPA Primary Insured Sites, or Secondary Sites if * indicated. (Definition of a Site includes all associated Launches and and Landing Zones / LZs listed in each Site Guide and SDHGPA Additional Insured list.) (By definition, Tandem Flight is for instruction and commercial if student is enrolled in a certification program or other for consideration compensation​)
Flight School and Instructor requirement Verification is required for Each of the following sites individually:
  • Palomar *
  • Laguna *
  • Little Black *
  • Big Black *
  • Blossom *
  • Horse Anderson LZ *
Each School and Instructor must clearly display the SDHGPA Verified School Vehicle Pass in all vehicles at all SDHGPA Insured Sites.
Schools / Instructors Registered for SDHGPA Sites
To be listed as a School or Instructor and more information: See Schools & Instruction Policies -Protocal

**The Torrey Pines Glider Port is operated as a commercial for profit concession on City Park Lands and is not under the guidance or provisions of SDHGPA.
** The Saboba Flight Park is operated as a commercial for profit flight park on private lands and is not under the guidance or provisions of SDHGPA.
​** 
CSS (Crestline Soaring Society) is another USHPA Chapter and is not under the guidance or provisions of SDHGPA.

Picture
Pilots in Command:
If you need/ or have site information,
please contact the following people:

Palomar                HG:   Jeff Brown          858-344-3846
                               PG: Ron Davis            360-731-1987 /
                                       Robb Milley          805-990-5598
Big Black                  TBD
Horse Canyon        Kris Souther           619-300-2966 
Laguna                     Jeff Brown             858-344-3846
Anza-Borrego SP    Jeff Brown             858-344-3846
Little Black               Jeff Brown             858-344-3846 , 
                                  James Acres          541-760-7503
Blossom Valley        Josh Gelb              760-803-9440
​                                  Brad Stevenson
Otay                          Rob Eschbach        847-347-3667
Tecate Peak            Rob Eschbach        847-347-3667
XC Competition      Jeff Brown             858-344-3846
Torrey Pines           Robin Marion         (858) 452-9858

SDHGPA logo
SDHGPA is a local chapter of 
Picture
USHPA 
(United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association)
SDHGPA, P.O. Box 420973, San Diego, CA. 92142-0973