Flew Crestline yesterday (Sunday, 08 Jul) and heard a rumor that there was an HG mid-air over the Crestline ridge on Saturday, the 7th? Heard that two chutes got thrown, both pilots survived, with one getting a broken wrist.
Anyone out there know if this is actual?
While on the ridge, we observed one pilot launch with his helmet attached to his control bar (purposely), then buzz launch in steep diving turns, jumping onto his control bar with is feet, flying with no hands, spinning around in his glider, and generally acting like an idiot. His buddy then joined him by launching from way back with his feet on the control bar and no hands. It was a real freak show. Needless to say, I stayed about a mile from these two jokers while I soared, and finally headed out when it looked like they weren't going to go anywhere soon.
Later in the LZ, one of us asked a senior club member if helmets were a requirement of the club. His response was that they were "highly encouraged".
Unbelievable. I love the site, but if you go out there, be aware that there are a couple bonehead pilots flying around out there. Heads up.
Crestline mid-air on Saturday?
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Steve90266
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Crestline mid-air on Saturday?
Steve Murillo
Steve,
There was a mid-air that both pilots survived and there is an investigation in progress. The other pilots who were doing the clowning don't normally come to Crestline except for fly-ins. Feel free to contact Megret, our club president with your concerns. http://www.crestlinesoaring.org/forum/20120703/7181
Thanks,
Jonathan
There was a mid-air that both pilots survived and there is an investigation in progress. The other pilots who were doing the clowning don't normally come to Crestline except for fly-ins. Feel free to contact Megret, our club president with your concerns. http://www.crestlinesoaring.org/forum/20120703/7181
Thanks,
Jonathan
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Steve90266
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Mid-Air
Yeah Jonathan, thanks for this. I've seen one of the clowns before at a Crestline fly-in. He was the idiot that passing over the LZ at about 700 ft spinning in his harness and yelling "woo hoo" in an effort to get everyone to look up.
"Watch me, mommy, watch me!!!" Mommy didn't watch, and now we've got a problem. You'd think he'd be past that phase of his life by the time he hit the big 60. Guess not.
"Watch me, mommy, watch me!!!" Mommy didn't watch, and now we've got a problem. You'd think he'd be past that phase of his life by the time he hit the big 60. Guess not.
Steve Murillo
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Mike Blankenhorn
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Requirement
I would think a helmet would be a REQUIREMENT due to insurance. Maybe CSS should simply revoke the pilots memberships and ban them from the LZ - similar to SHGA/Dino situation.
CSS does seem to have a little more tolerance to the renegade mentality than SHGA. Aerobatics in 2010 resulting in two mishaps and one fatality - an event that would have never been sanctioned by SHGA.
CSS does seem to have a little more tolerance to the renegade mentality than SHGA. Aerobatics in 2010 resulting in two mishaps and one fatality - an event that would have never been sanctioned by SHGA.
well, we DO call it "free flight," after all. some people take the concept a bit further than others do. so glad there're sites that don't punish and exclude those who continue to embody the freedom in flying that launched the sport, originally, back in the day...and, as goofy as it might seem, it DOES require a certain amount of skill (not the midair, that's just aim...) the twist-in-harness dude, 700' above the ground. regardless of whether it's misguided, or out of place in a residential neighborhood, i have nothing but respect for skill...
janyce
"You HAVE to make it..."
"You HAVE to make it..."
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knumbknuts
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It's been a while since I was on the board at CSS, but I spent a significant amount of time dealing with an idiot pilot who, among other things, didn't want to fly with a helmet.
Helmets are required for insurance reasons, even for kiting in the LZ.
It's a fine line to walk: ensuring safety (and insurance) for all, while not "being the man" and getting up in people's grills-n-shit. I'm not good at walking that line.
I'm little fuzzy on how trash talking another club grows the sport. Do you really want to score sibling club rivalry points by citing a flying brother's death? That's a pretty low bar to limbo under, and limbo is a generous term.
Maybe we can stick to something simple like growing green grass to land on. CSS will help SHGA cut theirs.
Helmets are required for insurance reasons, even for kiting in the LZ.
It's a fine line to walk: ensuring safety (and insurance) for all, while not "being the man" and getting up in people's grills-n-shit. I'm not good at walking that line.
I'm little fuzzy on how trash talking another club grows the sport. Do you really want to score sibling club rivalry points by citing a flying brother's death? That's a pretty low bar to limbo under, and limbo is a generous term.
Maybe we can stick to something simple like growing green grass to land on. CSS will help SHGA cut theirs.
Agreed!knumbknuts wrote:It's a fine line to walk: ensuring safety (and insurance) for all, while not "being the man" and getting up in people's grills-n-shit. I'm not good at walking that line.
I'm little fuzzy on how trash talking another club grows the sport. Do you really want to score sibling club rivalry points by citing a flying brother's death? That's a pretty low bar to limbo under, and limbo is a generous term.
Maybe we can stick to something simple like growing green grass to land on. CSS will help SHGA cut theirs.
Although I'm sympathetic to Steve's concerns, I think managing our sport's fragile, public personna requires discretion.
Knumbknuts and all of CSS should feel welcome to visit. Our grass is green, too.
It seems it should be an insurance issue that UPHPA is best suited to handle. Give the name and witnesses to them so they can decide to renew the individual, or at least offer alternative insurance at say maybe $1,000 a year for that individual, or they can just ignore it. This option includes both fairness and freedom.
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Steve90266
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Crestline
If calling a guy an idiot for launching with his helmet strapped to his control bar and buzzing launch with his feet on the control bar is "trash talking" then yeah, I'm guilty as shit. Doesn't change my position.
If a guy wants to play roulette with his life and it's not going to affect anyone else, then please, by all means, go for it. Have fun. Send me a postcard.
However, in this sport, we are constantly battling the pressures of public opinion to shut down sites, take back LZs, etc. If we want to continue to do what we do, we have to walk the line of responsibility and safety. Like it or not, that's just the way it is.
So no matter how much "respect" and "props" you want to give to a show boat guy like this, in the end, he's one of the reasons you could end up without anywhere to fly. Just take a look at what's happening to Elsinore and you'll see what I mean.
If a guy wants to play roulette with his life and it's not going to affect anyone else, then please, by all means, go for it. Have fun. Send me a postcard.
However, in this sport, we are constantly battling the pressures of public opinion to shut down sites, take back LZs, etc. If we want to continue to do what we do, we have to walk the line of responsibility and safety. Like it or not, that's just the way it is.
So no matter how much "respect" and "props" you want to give to a show boat guy like this, in the end, he's one of the reasons you could end up without anywhere to fly. Just take a look at what's happening to Elsinore and you'll see what I mean.
Steve Murillo
To be fair we should explore eliminating the helmet mandate. Just so happened I just traveled through South Dakota where I noticed 99% of all motorcyclists legally do not wear helmets. As I understand it, the last several motor cycle accidents there have been fatal. There could be a no helmet "trend" developing.
Here are the motorcycle helmet laws by state. 2 are free, 27 partially free, 19 mandatory helmet.
http://www.bikersrights.com/states/50state.html
I don't recall ever having needed my helmet at Sylmar, but I do remember several crossbar clunks ground handling at the beach.
Does Ushpa specify the helmet must be worn on the head? or is the control frame acceptable?
Some of this could be because we are jealous of CSS new irrigation system. They have done a great job.
Here are the motorcycle helmet laws by state. 2 are free, 27 partially free, 19 mandatory helmet.
http://www.bikersrights.com/states/50state.html
I don't recall ever having needed my helmet at Sylmar, but I do remember several crossbar clunks ground handling at the beach.
Does Ushpa specify the helmet must be worn on the head? or is the control frame acceptable?
Some of this could be because we are jealous of CSS new irrigation system. They have done a great job.
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Steve90266
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Helmets
Helmets are like insurance. You never really need it until you NEED it. We had a guy do a head plant out at Villa Grove, CO a couple weeks ago. He stood up and could not remember his name for about an hour. His fiance's name took longer. His helmet was cracked through. Probably saved his life (speculative). His memory, blood pressure and color finally started coming back as they piled him into the ambulance.
Removing the helmet requirement can be looked at in many ways. From a Darwinian standpoint, you could say "let it ride" and leave it up to the individual and the process of natural selection. The slow learners and less "lucky" would steadily weed themselves out of the sport. However, the impact that their "accidents" would have on public opinion would make it harder on the rest of us. Sites get closed, public opinion turns, less funding from gracious politicians, no new bathrooms in the LZ, eminent domain, and on it goes.
I'm hoping that our by-laws now read that the helmet must be worn by the pilot while in flight, and if they are not that specific, I would like to be the first to suggest an amendment to reflect same.
Removing the helmet requirement can be looked at in many ways. From a Darwinian standpoint, you could say "let it ride" and leave it up to the individual and the process of natural selection. The slow learners and less "lucky" would steadily weed themselves out of the sport. However, the impact that their "accidents" would have on public opinion would make it harder on the rest of us. Sites get closed, public opinion turns, less funding from gracious politicians, no new bathrooms in the LZ, eminent domain, and on it goes.
I'm hoping that our by-laws now read that the helmet must be worn by the pilot while in flight, and if they are not that specific, I would like to be the first to suggest an amendment to reflect same.
Steve Murillo
When I broke my arm.... The helmet saved my face big time. I'm glad I went with the full face helmet.
I had a cheap pair of gas station sunglasses stamped on my forehead. Hospital said that full helmets like mine often break clavicles though.
Reminded me of this: It's worth 24 seconds of your time, and is culturally significant to my people.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toAEQTsidvg[/youtube]
I had a cheap pair of gas station sunglasses stamped on my forehead. Hospital said that full helmets like mine often break clavicles though.
Reminded me of this: It's worth 24 seconds of your time, and is culturally significant to my people.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toAEQTsidvg[/youtube]
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Mike Blankenhorn
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The problem that affects all of us from someone not wearing a helmet, no matter the sport, isn't the one who dies.
It's the one who survives that really costs. If it were OK to leave a vegetable to its own devices after an accident, it could do hand stands on its kingpost for all I care.
I still maintain that the discussion between the clubs should be in a more private setting. But I'm no censor, so have at...
It's the one who survives that really costs. If it were OK to leave a vegetable to its own devices after an accident, it could do hand stands on its kingpost for all I care.
I still maintain that the discussion between the clubs should be in a more private setting. But I'm no censor, so have at...
