No “User Vicious,” software at this site.

[Bill Cummings]

Why don’t I fly with a pod harness? Because any pilot that says that they never had a problem with their pod zipper either doesn’t get out much or they are lying.[/quote]

I was just talking about zippers and look what Mike uploaded to Youtube two days ago.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Well, the RGSA forum had its first topic make it to page 2!!   

I'm also not a big fan of the pods, but then I'm not a competition pilot either. I liked seeing Mike thermalling nicely with that paraglider about 3/4 through the video. They looked like they were working well together. Good job to both!!   

[wingspan33]

Hey Bob, Bill and all you others out there,

It's great to read that the RGSA is considering moving to it's own forum "neighborhood" here on the US Hawk's site. If I was looking for a site to host my club's communications mechanism, this site would be at the top of my list.

In fact, the local club (a New York State Not-For-Profit Corp) abandoned their bylaws required News Letter back in 2006. They lazily adopted a private, individual owned, Yahoo forum to take the place of their formal NFP Corporate News Letter. That forum has been repeatedly abused by certain pilots and is "controlled" by an irresponsible, part time (over sized ego?) HG pilot, who I've even heard is now more into sailplanes. Not a very good recipe.

Unfortunately, since it is a "privately owned" Yahoo group, the local club can cop out and deny responsibility for the abuses that have taken place there. Oddly, the same club members/officers post club business and flying info to this Yahoo forum - just as if it was their (modern version of an) Official News Letter. (? ? ?)

If I had a say, which I unfortunately do not, I'd suggest to the local club that they move here . . . to start a News Letter/Club Forum for which they could accept and maintain actual and valid responsibility.

And, as was the beginning topic in this thread, there's just about 0% possibility that the US Hawks will mess with the lay out that you and your group decide on. Much better than the very limited/restricted/changing for the worse Yahoo Group options.

I know my above story has no parallel with the RGSA's interest in possibly moving here. But finding a good home site can be critical to the on going health and well being of flying group. Bill, I hope the Rio Grande SA decides to make this its home web site.

S C W

PS - As to pod harnesses and problem zippers, . . . I bought my current WW Z harness back in 1990. The only zipper problems in all that time, have involved me wearing lose pants with cuffs that got caught as I went to zip up. That's happened maybe 3 times in a few hundred flights - no lies! I think zipper function is most often tied to zipper quality and to harness sizing/design - emphasis on sizing.

[SamKellner]

Hawks,

Bill, Good to see your efforts bringing more members in to the forum. The decline? of the yahoo forums is really obvious.

There's no doubt that BobK has a super forum here, and I'm proud to be a small part of it.

I'd be glad to work with Hadley to see what steps he took to open up the flying site in the Tx. State Park near El Paso.

We have a possibility, Garner State Park, very near also, in SW Tx.

With Bob's history of transparency and fairness, I feel safe. How do the RGSA PG pilots feel about being a part of the US Hawks HANG GLIDING forum and US Hawks HG Assn?

Respectfully,
Sam Kellner
USHGA #16016

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks for the kind words Scott and Sam. You guys have seen it all, and it's an honor to have you choose the US Hawks as your roost.

I'd be glad to work with Hadley to see what steps he took to open up the flying site in the Tx. State Park near El Paso.

We have a possibility, Garner State Park, very near also, in SW Tx.

This is exactly the kind of information sharing that we need to maintain and grow the sport of hang gliding (and paragliding), and it's exactly why we need to integrate our local clubs into a national forum (like this one ).

I think Garner State Park would be an excellent flying site, and we've talked about it in the past on the SWTHG forum:

    In the winch topic: http://www.ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=101
    In the first anniversary topic: http://www.ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=907

It would be great if some help or suggestions from RGSA pilots could help Sam get Garner State Park opened for flying. That's the kind of synergy that we want here on the US Hawks. You guys are practically neighbors and it's great that your clubs can find and support each other through this forum.

By the way, here's a terrain map and picture of the Garner State Park site from the SWTHG forum:

Garner_State_Park.jpg (57.47 KiB) Viewed 7558 times

VID00103_a_Garner_State_Park_720.jpeg (45.37 KiB) Viewed 7558 times

[SamKellner]

Hey,

Thanks Bob. You have actually seen the hill while visiting the area and there's not much doubt there could be some airtime had if we could get it open.

There are other aerial pics of the north face that show it nicely. Although the north face is most impressive, the south side might turn out to be the best launch.

<90mi from The Rio Grand.

[Bill Cummings]

Thanks Scott, Bob and Sam for the words of encouragement to move the RGSA forum over to the US Hawks.

I was dismayed to hear about the New York Yahoo forum troubles that you had to deal with.

I couldn’t in good faith continue contributing to the hgdotorg forum after it became evident that the moderator was taking too many liberties with posts made by others.

In fairness to SG none of my posts were modified by the time I left there but I had no reasonable expectation that the same wouldn’t happen to me as time went on.
The abuse that Al Hernandez was subject to at hgdotorg was beyond belief and I would think libelous. Al was not the only one I saw wronged at that site. I’m only sorry I wasn’t able to notice what was going on there sooner and that I wasn’t able to pick up all my posts and go home.

As of today, Tuesday November 11, 2013, more than two years with the US Hawks I’ve seen nothing to complain about.
But-----just a warning everyone ---If you all don’t continue to play nice here I’ll take my glider, go home, and play with myself.
(I might have to edit that last sentence---it doesn’t sound right.)

[Bill Cummings]

RGSA,
I moved over to Bing search engine and so far AOL hasn’t figured out how to hijack Bing like they did my last one.

Yahoo Groups and Yahoo mail has been a constant source of aggravation for me when it comes to sending attachments or pictures.
Clickable links work less than 50% of the time.

On Yahoo Groups my clickable links are most often misdirected. My most recent link just sits there and goes no where when clicked on.

I have sent many “Contact Us,” messages to Yahoo and only get back computer generated generic trouble shooting tips that almost always are of no help.

I have made the personal choice to leave Yahoo Groups and Yahoo email and separate myself from all the aggravation.

I will struggle with it to the end of this year in an effort to notify all of my contacts
that they will have to either call my home phone, cell phone or use my Q(dot)com email address starting the first of 2014.

I will be hanging out at the US Hawks Hang Gliding Association forum if someone wants to contact me. I will probably be roosting at the:
viewforum.php?f=17

The above is SW Texas Hang Gliders Forum. This should be the closest US Hawks forum.

I can almost guarantee that the link above will not take you there through RGSA Yahoo Groups at our current clubs forum. You will have to copy/paste.

I will be splitting my roosting time with SW Texas HG Forum and Hang Gliding General at:
viewforum.php?f=2

The US Hawks forum unlike Yahoo Groups can be contacted by phone and has a voice at the end of the line that is actually hooked to a set of lungs and a diaphragm nourished with blood from a beating heart. The voice doesn’t have a foreign accent.

I will try at the end of the year to unsubscribe to Yahoo Groups and Yahoo mail so that anyone trying to contact me at my Yahoo mail address will at least be able to get a bounced email to let them know that I didn’t get the message.

If all goes as expected I will not be able to successfully unsubscribe and email sent to me will not bounce back to the sender. I will not be seeing these yahoo emails after 2013.

Starting 2014 (and mostly right now.) I’ll be at the US Hawks Hang Gliding Association or if the RGSA club decides to use something other than Yahoo groups and email I’ll give that a try. Hopefully the RGSA will move to the Hawks forum that I like.

Yahoo Groups and email only have to the end of this year to further aggravate me.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks Scott, Bob and Sam for the words of encouragement to move the RGSA forum over to the US Hawks.

Thanks to you Bill for joining us here!!     

I was dismayed to hear about the New York Yahoo forum troubles that you had to deal with.

Scott's been targeted for standing his ground. Jack on hanggliding.org kicked Scott off ... for nothing!!     

I couldn’t in good faith continue contributing to the hgdotorg forum after it became evident that the moderator was taking too many liberties with posts made by others.

Thanks Bill. You're a man of character, and we're glad to have you. But our feelings won't be hurt a bit if you (or anyone else) continues to post over there on hanggliding.org. We understand that they're the bigger audience whenever anyone wants to get the word out to the hang gliding community. Just be sure to drop an occasional comment about how much you're enjoying the US Hawks!!

In fairness to SG none of my posts were modified by the time I left there but I had no reasonable expectation that the same wouldn’t happen to me as time went on.
The abuse that Al Hernandez was subject to at hgdotorg was beyond belief and I would think libelous. Al was not the only one I saw wronged at that site. I’m only sorry I wasn’t able to notice what was going on there sooner and that I wasn’t able to pick up all my posts and go home.

I have a theory that people should be judged by the worse things they do to others ... not the best. Any mobster can be generous with friends and family ... and then turn around and order some cement overshoes for someone who didn't buckle under intimidation. It's not the best things that we do that defines us ... it's the worst.

As of today, Tuesday November 11, 2013, more than two years with the US Hawks I’ve seen nothing to complain about.
But-----just a warning everyone ---If you all don’t continue to play nice here I’ll take my glider, go home, and play with myself.
(I might have to edit that last sentence---it doesn’t sound right.)

Thanks for the kind words Bill. If you ever do have anything to complain about ... please do!!!    That's what will make us better.