[JoeF]

Los Angeles, California
===============================
James Hobson
Richard Miller
Bill Bennett
Volmer Jensen
George Uveges
Neil Larson
Joe Faust
Dick Eipper
Bob Lovejoy
Joe Greblo
Bob Kuczewski
and thousands of others have parts in the history of hang gliding in Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles' economy and community health have been blessed by aviation and thus by hang gliding.
Recreational hang gliding has supported the vitality of very many aviation-industry workers.
Taxes paid by rich lives touched by aviation and thus by hang gliding has had a substantial meaning over what has occurred in Los Angeles.

Hang gliding today was put positively forward today by Bob Kuczewski at a meeting of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
I do not know what he said. And my below comments are not to imply anything about what he said today. He might tell us what he said.

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One recreational hang glider's comment:
Hang glider pilots in Los Angeles have shown themselves responsible, respectful, and caring. Equitable treatment in public parks on the level of treatment as surfers, swimmers, bicyclists, walkers, umbrella handlers, walkers, runners, kite flyers, ball players, ... and many more. Forcing the joining of a mean private PG organization by city/county/state governance inertia, depressing an activity inequitably relative to the public recreational trust, effectively privatizing sites that are essentially public recreational trusts only to reduce access for individual recreation, and unnecessarily defining just what is hang gliding by red tape machinations all are not needed. Let the recreational hang glider be left to play with wind and gravity and wing. We have state statutes that already cover our recreation on lands that do not commercialize the relationship.

Whatever you said, BobK,thanks for the trip from San Diego to Los Angeles. I know you have been now for years a regular Los Angeles hang glider pilot; you have purchased huge amounts of goods and services from Los Angeles businesses; and you have aided many citizens of Los Angeles in their recreational hang gliding adventures.

http://bos.lacounty.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=ddqE8c2UNnQ%3d&portalid=1

Meeting will be televised tomorrow; I do not know if the view will show BobK.

Code: Select all

AGENDA POSTED: March 23, 2017
MEETING TELEVISED: Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 10:00 p.m. on KCLS

V. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT 29
29.    Opportunity for members of the public to address the Board on items of
interest that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board.
(12-9998) 

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks for posting the news Joe.   

Here's the text of my prepared statement to the Board of Supervisors:

My name is Bob Kuczewski and I live in San Diego. I came here today to speak about Dockweiler beach. I learned to fly hang gliders at Dockweiler in 2004 and I have been driving from San Diego to visit and fly at Dockweiler since that time (and as recently as last week).

It's a pleasant coincidence to see the County honoring Mr. Mendoza for his service to parks and recreation because parks and recreation are so crucial to the human spirit.

I am here today because my own long history of enjoying flight at Dockweiler is being threatened. I can't give a full accounting of this situation in 2 minutes, so I will condense it.

I have been a member in good standing of an organization known as “USHPA” beginning in 2004. In 2014 I testified as an expert witness against a business friendly to USHPA. The case involved a young woman who was injured while under the care and instruction of that business. My expert testimony was pivotal in the case, and it was settled in the injured woman's favor for an undisclosed amount of money. I was subsequently expelled from USHPA which cited my testimony as one of the principle reasons. They also cited - ironically today - my own non-agenda comment to the San Diego City Council as a reason for my expulsion.

This becomes a matter for this Board because USHPA is now pressuring the Dockweiler hang gliding operator (Joe Greblo of Windsports) to ban me from flying at Dockweiler beach. They are using their monopoly control of the hang gliding insurance industry to exert force on Mr. Greblo to bar me from that site.

I believe that Joe Greblo is caught in the middle, and I don't know which way he will go.

My testimony and USHPA's retaliation make this a clear whistle blower case.

I respectfully request assistance from any Board Member to help resolve this matter. My phone number is 858-204-7499, and I welcome a call any time.

Thank you.

If anyone can capture the actual broadcast, it would be great to see it posted. Thanks.   

[brianscharp]

I believe that Joe Greblo is caught in the middle, and I don't know which way he will go.

Were you required or able to get a temporary 30 day USHPA membership in the past?
http://www.shga.com/forum/phpBB2/viewto ... 2147#22147

[Rick Masters]

USHPA Waiver
A. I have read the Federal Aviation Administration rules that grant me permission to fly hang gliders and paragliders (Part 103 of the FAA
Regulations) and I understand that FAA permission for my hang gliding or paragliding flight is premised upon me assessing the dangers
involved and my assumption of all responsibility for my personal safety.
B. I represent that I have fulfilled my obligation under the law - that I have personally assessed the dangers involved in hang gliding and/or
paragliding, and I assume all responsibility for my personal safety.
...
3. “RELEASED PARTIES” means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or
otherwise), members, independent contractors, sub-contractors, lessors and lessees:
g) All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the location(s) where Pilot PARTICIPATES IN
THE SPORT, except for hang glider pilots and paraglider pilots who are not members of USHPA. "All persons involved" includes, but
is not limited to, spectators, hang glider pilots, paraglider pilots, powered ultralight pilots, assistants, drivers, instructors, schools,
observers, examiners, administrators, owners of hang gliding equipment and owners of paragliding equipment.
--------------
So far, so good. But where is the part where they have the power to STOP people from flying on public lands?
It doesn't exist.
Actions to that effect are a civil rights violation: A violation of a protected right.

[dhmartens]

I am still blocked from even reading the shga forum however with the technology of:
https://nl.hideproxy.me/
I can circumvent their block and read those messages.
Now we can launch "Season 10 of the Bob Show"
with scripts based on "The Dominion Wars"
We welcome Ushpa to come into Los Angeles and try to block Bobk from hang gliding.
Please make the attempt because you are so out classed by the Los Angeles Political Structure and it will be so entertaining if you try.
We are waiting.

[Bob Kuczewski]

I believe that Joe Greblo is caught in the middle, and I don't know which way he will go.

Were you required or able to get a temporary 30 day USHPA membership in the past?

I don't know the details of Joe's insurance. I did get a 30 day membership when I returned to hang gliding in early 2004. I became a USHPA member around February of 2004 and I maintained my USHPA membership until I was expelled in the spring of 2015 for my expert testimony. I have been able to fly at Dockweiler since that time until late March of this year (2017) when I was informed that I couldn't fly there any more. I have asked about a 30 day membership, but I was told that it couldn't be provided. That's where it stands now.

It's very clear that this is USHPA's attempt to drive me out of the sport of hang gliding for my testimony.

[brianscharp]

Good luck with your efforts to fly there.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Good luck with your efforts to fly there.

Thanks Brian.     

[dhmartens]

We would like documentation as to why you cannot buy a 30 day membership, 2 additional federal agents are being assigned to this issue.
I am not blocked from shga it is a technical problem and the Dutch are allowing a workaround.

[Bob Kuczewski]

We would like documentation as to why you cannot buy a 30 day membership, 2 additional federal agents are being assigned to this issue.

Schedule the agents and give me a few days advance notice. I'll be there.