Search found 661 matches

by Bob Kuczewski
Thu May 05, 2022 8:48 am
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Replies: 222
Views: 117830

Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff

Bob, I am sorry my efforts to assist you are still suspended. It is much worse than you think. No need to feel sorry, it was Ken Andrews job to fix this, but he shirked his responsibility to his fellow pilots. Ken was just another "go along to get along" USHPA Director, and he's partially...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue Mar 29, 2022 5:07 pm
Forum: Safety and Incidents in flight
Topic: Near midair-collision over Kagel ridge on Sunday 12/19/2021
Replies: 9
Views: 8589

Re: Near midair-collision over Kagel ridge on Sunday 12/19/2021

A few months ago there was a jury verdict of $7M against the offending pilot. The RRRG may be on the hook for $7M or more unless all parties agree to a reduction. The RRRG may lose its ability to cover us and our sites. Do you have $1M of your own assets or other liability coverage? The recreationa...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:56 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: $7.44 Million Verdict in Crestline Case
Replies: 0
Views: 5765

$7.44 Million Verdict in Crestline Case

I'm not sure if this belongs in "Politics" or not, so please feel free to move it if it offends any of the USHPA loyalists at Sylmar. There have been a number of reports on a recent $7.44 million verdict in the Firtat v. Pivka case originating from a paragliding collision at Crestline. I'v...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:35 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Bates Beach
Replies: 1
Views: 5063

Re: Bates Beach

That's too bad. I've flown that site with my PG years ago. It wasn't Torrey or Funston, but it was a beautiful flight.

It sounds (from the article) as though people will still be able to fly there, but I'm not sure how much those flights will be degraded.

Thanks for keeping everyone posted.
by Bob Kuczewski
Sat Mar 19, 2022 8:09 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022
Replies: 8
Views: 7243

Re: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022

Remember to send in your waivers. It can take Beaches and Harbors some time to get them approved and returned. You don't want to be stuck on the ground when everyone else is flying!! Trust me. I know. :)
by Bob Kuczewski
Sat Mar 19, 2022 7:45 am
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Replies: 222
Views: 117830

Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff

We have had to suspend operations against Ushpa in order to concentrate on saving the Aeros Hanglider factory from Vladimir Putin. Good call. To fight injustice anywhere is to fight it everywhere. Both USHPA and Russia have been globally disgraced by their own petty and vindictive leadership. Sadly...
by Bob Kuczewski
Sat Jan 15, 2022 8:51 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022
Replies: 8
Views: 7243

Re: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022

51 years ago: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=125332 Thank you SeaHawk for posting that link. I didn't know that the marker had made it into the Historic Markers Database. The idea for the marker is credited to Neil Larson (USHGA 24) who proposed it as early as 2008 - long before the 40th anniversary....
by Bob Kuczewski
Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:04 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Windsports Web Site
Replies: 0
Views: 5194

Windsports Web Site

A friend wants to come down from the Bay area to fly at the Otto Meet this spring. I suggested that he take a few refresher flights through Windsports the weekend before the meet. He wanted the phone number for Windsports, so I visited their web site on my phone. Here's what I got: 20220114_114322.p...
by Bob Kuczewski
Wed Jan 05, 2022 1:11 pm
Forum: Flying Related
Topic: Serial Flights at Dockweiler May 24, 2021
Replies: 0
Views: 4926

Serial Flights at Dockweiler May 24, 2021

Typical Dockweiler day on May 24, 2021 in my Condor 225 (Thanks Frank!):

Watch on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/-YrZOTQlZKk
Docweiler_Flight_Series.png
Docweiler_Flight_Series.png (60.25 KiB) Viewed 4926 times
by Bob Kuczewski
Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:49 pm
Forum: Flying Related
Topic: Soaring at Dockweiler in Alpha 210 from February 2019
Replies: 0
Views: 4730

Soaring at Dockweiler in Alpha 210 from February 2019

Soaring at Dockweiler in Alpha 210 from February 2019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLptYRkGuHs
Great Day at Dockweiler
Great Day at Dockweiler
Dockweiler_Great_Day.png (113.28 KiB) Viewed 4723 times
by Bob Kuczewski
Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:41 pm
Forum: Support - Helpdesk
Topic: Embedded YouTube Videos
Replies: 0
Views: 10351

Embedded YouTube Videos

FYI, I think your forum can support embedded YouTube and Vimeo videos by adding some BBCode assignments through the Administration Control Panel. That will allow the video to play right in the post, and they will be in a more compatible format. Here are the BBCode assignments for YouTube:
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:22 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022
Replies: 8
Views: 7243

Re: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022

By the way, to show the range of potential conditions, these are two videos of my flying at Dockweiler from recent years. The first one is a nice soaring flight in my Alpha 210 on a windy day, and the second one is the more common "out and land" pattern with my Condor 225. Here's a soaring...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue Jan 04, 2022 10:56 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022
Replies: 8
Views: 7243

Re: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022

So what time window are we presuming this will be? Ronald Reagan used to tell jokes about the poor economic conditions in the Soviet Union. This one is paraphrased from my memory, and I apologize if parts of it are incorrect. A young man in the Soviet Union spent many years saving up to purchase hi...
by Bob Kuczewski
Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:06 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soaring to New Heights - Rose Parade Float
Replies: 3
Views: 5721

Re: Soaring to New Heights - Rose Parade Float

Thanks for the tip. Here's a frame from 1:19:30 ...
by Bob Kuczewski
Sun Jan 02, 2022 1:46 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022
Replies: 8
Views: 7243

51st Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2022

Hello Sylmartians, This year Otto Lilienthal's birthday falls on Monday, May 23rd, 2022. Several of us are planning to fly at Dockweiler that day to remember that pioneer of hang gliding and to commemorate the first "Otto Meet" which was held in 1971. This year will be the first year that ...
by Bob Kuczewski
Wed Nov 17, 2021 8:13 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: New Ratings: 445 PG to 34 HG
Replies: 0
Views: 5247

New Ratings: 445 PG to 34 HG

Frank Colver just posted USHPA's list of new ratings at U.S. Hawks: https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3611&start=10 That post shows a list of new USHPA ratings issued for July and August of 2021. The list shows 34 new hang gliding ratings and 445 new paragliding ratings. Rick Mas...
by Bob Kuczewski
Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:54 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Dockweiler Records: Joe Faust makes 60 flights
Replies: 7
Views: 8084

Dockweiler Records: Bob Kuczewski makes 201 flights

https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2973&start=10#p29676 .... from Josh Hey Joe I flew down the beach 200 times and carried the glider back up each time. Andy flew 125 times and carried up 125 times. We have a record of the exact time of each launch and even gopro footage of most ...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue May 18, 2021 3:37 am
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Replies: 222
Views: 117830

Re: Calling USHPA's Bluff

I started this topic on Mon April 18th, 2016 at 1:32 pm. A long time Torrey Pilot wrote to Ken complaining about USHPA's unfair expulsion of Bob Kuczewski (that's me). Here's part of Ken's reply: "I've told Bob many times that if he would stop attacking Torrey and USHPA, then I would work to ge...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue May 18, 2021 3:20 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: 50th Anniversary of the Otto Meet - May 23, 2021
Replies: 0
Views: 1599

50th Anniversary of the Otto Meet - May 23, 2021

This Sunday, May 23, 2021 will be the 50th anniversary of the first Otto Meet held in 1971. In honor of the first event, there will be an informal gathering of pilots at Dockweiler Beach this coming Sunday (May 23, 2021). Many of the original attendees and founders of the sport of hang gliding will ...
by Bob Kuczewski
Tue May 18, 2021 3:13 am
Forum: Events
Topic: 50th Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2021
Replies: 0
Views: 4845

50th Anniversary of Otto Meet - May 23, 2021

This Sunday, May 23, 2021 will be the 50th anniversary of the first Otto Meet held in 1971. In honor of the first event, there will be an informal gathering of pilots at Dockweiler Beach this coming Sunday. Many of the original attendees and founders of the sport of hang gliding will be there. Pleas...