Sylmar Hang Gliding Association

Resolution to Right
========================
United resolution of HG challenges
will be keyed when HG community
-----------------one-by-one------------
becomes proud of being a HG pilot;
a core test of such pride will be when
the HG community en masse
rights the wrong done to fellow hang
glider pilot Bob Kuczewski; the insurance/org
question won't be properly resolved by
hearts that bypass the injustice served
by the USHPA to a fellow pilot.
=========================

Thanks Joe for raising awareness of this topic.

Right now my biggest concerns are about USHPA's Risk Retention Group (RRG), and that's why I haven't posted to this topic.

But the point you raise is very closely tied to the insurance issue. My case provides an example of the problem with USHPA controlling the insurance pool.

I've been flying at Sylmar on and off for about 10 years now. I learned through Joe's school and made my first solo flight at Sylmar on February 29th, 2004. Some years I've flown pretty regularly and other years not so much. While I live in San Diego, I try to help out with work parties when I can. When I was Regional Director I did my best to provide service to the club, and I attended at least one (maybe 2?) government meetings to try to preserve flying at Sylmar. In all my years at Sylmar, I believe I've had a pretty good safety record (one "turtle" on launch when I was getting started). I've never had an accident or incident, and I believe I've followed the club's rules fairly diligently.

The question Joe is raising is about fairness and justice. It's not about popularity. It's about whether the Sylmar club has the sovereignty to decide which members it can allow to fly. Right now USHPA is saying they can over-ride your decision because they control the insurance at your site.

Now if USHPA had expelled me for any flying abuses, it would be reasonable for Sylmar to honor that sentence. But my expulsion was based on 100% non-flying and highly "political" grounds. One of the reasons listed was because I dared to start the US Hawks Hang Gliding Association. Is that a justification for me to not be able to fly at Sylmar?

I believe Joe's post was intended to open this discussion with regard to my particular case, and I thank him. But with USHPA's insurance being cancelled, this is time for a broader discussion. I would like to see a new insurance arrangement that removes politics from the equation. I would like to see an insurance arrangement that allows Sylmar to decide who can and cannot fly at Sylmar. That's the key question, and I hope we can get that discussion going.

Thanks,
Bob Kuczewski

Note:

There appears to be a member of this forum named "HeartnSouloftheSHGA" who is so desperate to kill these discussions that they've added an empty post to most of the topics in an effort to bury this one.

I don't know everyone in the Sylmar club, but I certainly don't think silencing sincere concerns is representative of the "Heart and Soul" of the SHGA.