RichardShaw wrote:If you have been hounding him for "a number of months" now, I'd cool your jets, give the guy some time.
My flying jets have been on ice at Torrey since November of 2014 when Robin Marien and the Torrey concession filed a restraining order case against me. They dragged it out in court until March of 2015, but I was found innocent of their accusations, and the order was not granted.
Shortly afterward, the USHPA Board iced my jets at all other flying sites (including Sylmar) with their unjustified expulsion.
So my jets have been in the deep freeze for over a year now, and I'm still working to get them thawed out.
By the way, I had been circulating my appeals to Ken in a very small circle since December. Today I widened that circle just a bit and at least one member of that group was kind enough to petition Ken directly today:
Region 3 Director Ken Andrews, (emailed to Ken just after 8pm MDT)
Although I'm from Region #4 ( Pilot # 30448), I'm writing to you, since my written recommendations to both of my Region #4 Directors were a waste of my time.
One director seconded the original motion to expel Bob K., an H4 P4 pilot, who had broken no safety SOP's.
Both region #4 directors voted against my recommendation.
The multiple safety warnings that Bob K. identified years earlier, regarding the Glider Port, came true and now, since everyone has been looking the other way, USHPA is scrambling to get insurance.
USHPA's retained lawyer didn't represent an injured woman PG pilot who was supposed to be under the direction of the Glider Port's instructing staff.
Instead, USHPA's lawyer, Tim Herr, defended the business that eventually paid an undisclosed amount to the injured PG pilot.
The injured PG pilot should have had every expectation that the safety deficiencies, previously brought to light concerning the Glider Port, were addressed by the USHPA. This is what members pay dues for.
Members don't pay dues to back a business that is misusing our FAA tandem exemption to enrich themselves providing joy rides. (particularly to children.)
That some of our senior USHPA members being deposed were representing the defense (business) and not the injured student PG pilot is action against USHPA's safety interest. Why were THESE members not chewed out?
The protective order against Bob filed by the glider port wasn't granted.
There were no grounds for the Glider Port to have Bob K arrested twice that I remember.
The legal system has come down on Bob's side causing many of the membership to know that USHPA acted prematurely before the legal dust settled and without just cause.
I would recommend that the fair thing to do is revisit the expulsion for Bob K at the Spring Board Meeting even if you intend to vote against reinstatement.
It would surly place you in a very favorable light for those of us watching an expulsion of a member from the only game in town.
If it can happen to Bob it could happen to me --- you or anybody else.
Thank you
Bill Cummings # 30448
Bill is a pretty observant fellow.
USHPA's expulsion was clearly retaliatory and they held a kangaroo court where no witnesses to my "crimes" were brought forward for questioning or cross examination. I was also not allowed to bring my own witnesses to the alleged events or to even be defended. It was pretty much a repeat of the Salem Witch Trials: Confess to being a witch and be burned, or deny that you're a witch ... and be burned.
I denied that I was a witch and got burned. Ken is basically suggesting that if I confess to being a witch he might try to help. I'm not too keen on that alternative since it requires an admission of things I did not do.