All Pilots!
The National Park Service is about to update their Management Policies. The USHGA (and others) have been working to make those policies more friendly to hang gliding and paragliding. Below is information that was sent to me by some of those who have been working this issue. If you think you might ever want to fly in a National Park, or if you KNOW someone who might want to fly in a national park, please send a letter as described below.
Thanks,
George Stebbins
-----------------------------------
Thanks again for your park nominations and ideas for encouraging the National Park Service to adopt a friendlier HG & PG policy. We now have an opportunity to make this project soar after being temporarily grounded while NPS addressed its homeland security and management priorities.
NPS now wants public comments on its new 2006 Management Policies proposal. A big public response for a policy favoring HG & PG as appropriate park uses will improve our chances for success and spillover to other federal, state & local public lands - as the NPS goes so may go the others.
In 1982, last time NPS worked on nationwide proposal for footlaunch powerless flight, it received ONLY TWO positive responses. As a consequence the NPS adopted a restrictive policy that prohibits HG & PG unless a superintendent obtains a Special Use Regulation via a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This understandably discourages new site opportunities, wastes taxpayer resources, delays permitting decisions, and explains why less than a dozen parks (out of hundreds possible!) have this regulation!
This time we must flood the NPS mailboxes with public comments urging an HG/PG-friendly policy. A sample letter and how to send it are shown below. Better yet, write your own letter for a more personal touch. The more letters the NPS receives, the better. And you don't have to be a pilot to respond. So make extra copies for your family, friends, co-workers, associates, etc. to send in. Do it now! Numbers count! Timing is critical! FEBRUARY 18, 2006 DEADLINE!
Thanks,
Peter Birren (peter@birrendesign.com)
Jack Eckert (jaeckert@ptdprolog.net)
Mark Frasca (MarkFrasca@comcast.net
Steve Onstad (sonstad@gmail.com)
PS: More policy details at:
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cf ... ntID=12825>
or
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/waso>.
HOW TO SEND YOUR LETTER:
Put your name & address on the letter below. (Better yet, write your own! Of course, be respectful and polite. We want this guy on our side!)
Send it by one of these three ways so it's received by the NPS before the FEBRUARY 18, 2006 deadline.
[1] PREFERRED: Via the web
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=12825>
for brief public comments like the suggested letter below.
[2] OR email: waso_policy@nps.gov for longer letters.
[3] OR snailmail: Mr. Bernard Fagan, National Park Service, Office of
Policy-Room 7252, Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20240 for longer letters.
SUGGESTED LETTER:
Dear Mr. Fagan:
In response to the proposed 2006 NPS Management Policies, hang gliding and paragliding are fully in keeping with the NPS's goals and efforts for
conserving park resources and values. These recreational activities have historically had no more - and often less - adverse impact than most traditionally-accepted activities like backpacking and hiking.
National parks are often the best or only terrain suitable for footlaunch powerless flight. Yet hang gliding and paragliding are prohibited unless a
superintendent obtains a Special Use Regulation through a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This is a burden to the NPS, park managers, and the powerless flying community.
I urge the NPS to adopt a friendlier policy that does not require a Special Use Regulation before this low adverse impact form of recreation is allowed in a park. Powerless flight should be determined by the park manager and the hang gliding and paragliding community.
Sincerely,
Your Name & Address
Hang Gliding allowed in National Parks?
Moderator: Chip
Sample letter and directions for sending it
That darned forum size limit ate the end of my post. Here is the required information again:
HOW TO SEND YOUR LETTER:
Put your name & address on the letter below. (Better yet, write your own! Of course, be respectful and polite. We want this guy on our side!)
Send it by one of these three ways so it's received by the NPS before the FEBRUARY 18, 2006 deadline.
[1] PREFERRED: Via the web
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=12825>
for brief public comments like the suggested letter below.
[2] OR email: waso_policy@nps.gov for longer letters.
[3] OR snailmail: Mr. Bernard Fagan, National Park Service, Office of
Policy-Room 7252, Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20240 for longer letters.
SUGGESTED LETTER:
Dear Mr. Fagan:
In response to the proposed 2006 NPS Management Policies, hang gliding and paragliding are fully in keeping with the NPS's goals and efforts for
conserving park resources and values. These recreational activities have historically had no more - and often less - adverse impact than most traditionally-accepted activities like backpacking and hiking.
National parks are often the best or only terrain suitable for footlaunch powerless flight. Yet hang gliding and paragliding are prohibited unless a
superintendent obtains a Special Use Regulation through a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This is a burden to the NPS, park managers, and the powerless flying community.
I urge the NPS to adopt a friendlier policy that does not require a Special Use Regulation before this low adverse impact form of recreation is allowed in a park. Powerless flight should be determined by the park manager and the hang gliding and paragliding community.
Sincerely,
Your Name & Address
HOW TO SEND YOUR LETTER:
Put your name & address on the letter below. (Better yet, write your own! Of course, be respectful and polite. We want this guy on our side!)
Send it by one of these three ways so it's received by the NPS before the FEBRUARY 18, 2006 deadline.
[1] PREFERRED: Via the web
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=12825>
for brief public comments like the suggested letter below.
[2] OR email: waso_policy@nps.gov for longer letters.
[3] OR snailmail: Mr. Bernard Fagan, National Park Service, Office of
Policy-Room 7252, Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20240 for longer letters.
SUGGESTED LETTER:
Dear Mr. Fagan:
In response to the proposed 2006 NPS Management Policies, hang gliding and paragliding are fully in keeping with the NPS's goals and efforts for
conserving park resources and values. These recreational activities have historically had no more - and often less - adverse impact than most traditionally-accepted activities like backpacking and hiking.
National parks are often the best or only terrain suitable for footlaunch powerless flight. Yet hang gliding and paragliding are prohibited unless a
superintendent obtains a Special Use Regulation through a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This is a burden to the NPS, park managers, and the powerless flying community.
I urge the NPS to adopt a friendlier policy that does not require a Special Use Regulation before this low adverse impact form of recreation is allowed in a park. Powerless flight should be determined by the park manager and the hang gliding and paragliding community.
Sincerely,
Your Name & Address
Flying in National Parks - New and Improved Draft Letter
There is a new and improved draft letter. If you sent the previous one, no problem.
Flying in National Parks and Recreation Areas --
PLEASE WRITE A LETTER SUPPORTING US
The Club Asks that you write a letter to the National Park Service (NPS, requesting that NPS change its regulations to permit hang gliding and paragliding as recreational uses of National Parks and Recreation Areas. THIS IS IMPORTANT AND URGENT. The deadline is February 18, 2006.
History
In 1983 the Department of the Interior, National Park Service) put in force a regulation that prohibits “aviation� in National Parks and National Recreation Areas. When they sought public input before putting up that regulation, there were only two responses that were favorable to hang gliding.
We Want a Change
USHGA and SHGA are asking them to change that regulation and have unpowered flight a normal recreational use of National Park Land. A part of this is to have as many letters to NPS as possible in favor of paragliding and hang gliding in National Parks and National Recreation Areas, such as the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. There used to be a soaring launch at Trancas Canyon, which is now closed, and won’t be reopened unless we get a favorable result.
The Present Rules and Regulations
The way the NPS regulation works now is that a Park Administrator cannot permit hang gliding or paragliding unless the Department of Interior in Washington goes through the long, drawn-out process of putting in effect a “special regulation� that permits unpowered flight in a specific park. There are special regulation in effect in Yosemite and three other National Parks in California. There are special regulations in effect for seven National Park sites outside California. Each special regulation requires a huge bureaucratic process in Washington that is burdensome and time-consuming.
What We Want to Tell Them
The change we want is to give local National Park administrators the power to permit hang gliding and paragliding in their individual parks, and eliminate the “rule making� process in Washington. At the same time, we want the NPS to make a policy favoring hang gliding and paragliding as a recreational use of National Park lands, so that it will be easier for a park administrator to say, “Sure, you can fly here.�
So, Please Write a Letter Today
It would be best if NPS gets a huge number of original, individual letters from those who favor the idea of hang gliding and paragliding in National Parks and Recreation Areas. We should emphasize that we have a very low impact on the land compared to almost any other recreational use. Certainly less than off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, mountain bikes and even hikers.
If you don’t want to write your own letter, please copy and sign the following letter and send it in.
Send it by one of these three ways so it's received by the NPS before the
FEBRUARY 18, 2006 deadline.
[1] PREFERRED: Via the web for brief public comments like the suggested letter below
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=12825
.
[2] OR for longer letters, email: waso_policy@nps.gov.
[3] OR for even longer letters, regular mail to:
Mr. Bernard Fagan,
National Park Service, Office of Policy-
Room 7252, Main Interior Building,
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
Dear Mr. Fagan:
I am a pilot member of the United States Hang Gliding Association, which represents the non-powered hang gliding and paragliding community.
This letter is in response to the request for input for the proposed 2006 National Park Service Management Policies. As a person with experience in the sport of hang gliding or paragliding, non-powered hang gliding and paragliding, which we also call “silent soaring� are fully in keeping with the NPS's goals and efforts for conserving park resources and values. These recreational activities have historically had no more - and often less - impact than most traditionally-accepted activities like backpacking and hiking.
National parks are often the best or only terrain suitable for foot-launched powerless flight. Yet, hang gliding and paragliding are presently prohibited unless the Department of Interior promulgates a Special Use Regulation through a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This is an unnecessary burden to the NPS, park managers, and the powerless flying community.
I urge the NPS to adopt a policy and, if necessary, seek a rule to remove the blanket prohibition on this low impact form of recreation in our park lands. Powerless flight should be evaluated determined by individual the park managers with the assistance of the local hang gliding and paragliding community.
Sincerely,
Your Name & Address.
Flying in National Parks and Recreation Areas --
PLEASE WRITE A LETTER SUPPORTING US
The Club Asks that you write a letter to the National Park Service (NPS, requesting that NPS change its regulations to permit hang gliding and paragliding as recreational uses of National Parks and Recreation Areas. THIS IS IMPORTANT AND URGENT. The deadline is February 18, 2006.
History
In 1983 the Department of the Interior, National Park Service) put in force a regulation that prohibits “aviation� in National Parks and National Recreation Areas. When they sought public input before putting up that regulation, there were only two responses that were favorable to hang gliding.
We Want a Change
USHGA and SHGA are asking them to change that regulation and have unpowered flight a normal recreational use of National Park Land. A part of this is to have as many letters to NPS as possible in favor of paragliding and hang gliding in National Parks and National Recreation Areas, such as the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. There used to be a soaring launch at Trancas Canyon, which is now closed, and won’t be reopened unless we get a favorable result.
The Present Rules and Regulations
The way the NPS regulation works now is that a Park Administrator cannot permit hang gliding or paragliding unless the Department of Interior in Washington goes through the long, drawn-out process of putting in effect a “special regulation� that permits unpowered flight in a specific park. There are special regulation in effect in Yosemite and three other National Parks in California. There are special regulations in effect for seven National Park sites outside California. Each special regulation requires a huge bureaucratic process in Washington that is burdensome and time-consuming.
What We Want to Tell Them
The change we want is to give local National Park administrators the power to permit hang gliding and paragliding in their individual parks, and eliminate the “rule making� process in Washington. At the same time, we want the NPS to make a policy favoring hang gliding and paragliding as a recreational use of National Park lands, so that it will be easier for a park administrator to say, “Sure, you can fly here.�
So, Please Write a Letter Today
It would be best if NPS gets a huge number of original, individual letters from those who favor the idea of hang gliding and paragliding in National Parks and Recreation Areas. We should emphasize that we have a very low impact on the land compared to almost any other recreational use. Certainly less than off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, mountain bikes and even hikers.
If you don’t want to write your own letter, please copy and sign the following letter and send it in.
Send it by one of these three ways so it's received by the NPS before the
FEBRUARY 18, 2006 deadline.
[1] PREFERRED: Via the web for brief public comments like the suggested letter below
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=12825
.
[2] OR for longer letters, email: waso_policy@nps.gov.
[3] OR for even longer letters, regular mail to:
Mr. Bernard Fagan,
National Park Service, Office of Policy-
Room 7252, Main Interior Building,
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
Dear Mr. Fagan:
I am a pilot member of the United States Hang Gliding Association, which represents the non-powered hang gliding and paragliding community.
This letter is in response to the request for input for the proposed 2006 National Park Service Management Policies. As a person with experience in the sport of hang gliding or paragliding, non-powered hang gliding and paragliding, which we also call “silent soaring� are fully in keeping with the NPS's goals and efforts for conserving park resources and values. These recreational activities have historically had no more - and often less - impact than most traditionally-accepted activities like backpacking and hiking.
National parks are often the best or only terrain suitable for foot-launched powerless flight. Yet, hang gliding and paragliding are presently prohibited unless the Department of Interior promulgates a Special Use Regulation through a cumbersome process that often takes years and extensive park resources. This is an unnecessary burden to the NPS, park managers, and the powerless flying community.
I urge the NPS to adopt a policy and, if necessary, seek a rule to remove the blanket prohibition on this low impact form of recreation in our park lands. Powerless flight should be evaluated determined by individual the park managers with the assistance of the local hang gliding and paragliding community.
Sincerely,
Your Name & Address.
Soar With Prudent Passion
Larry Chamblee
Larry Chamblee