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Bob Kuczewski |
Bob Kuczewski's 2012 Region 3 Candidate Statement (August 2nd, 2012):
I am running for Regional Director because (1) I love flying, and (2) USHPA should belong to its members. The first item ("I love flying") speaks for itself, but the second ("USHPA should belong to its members") needs some explanation... USHPA is organized as a non-profit corporation for the benefit of its members. In other words, WE (you and I) are effectively the owners of USHPA. Does it feel like you're the owner of USHPA? No? Why not? The answer is that USHPA has lost its way. The Directors have gotten so accustomed to running the show, that they've forgotten they work for us. I could give many examples where USHPA's Directors have voted to tighten USHPA's grip on pilots. But examples are just symptoms - they're not the underlying problem. The underlying problem is accountability. The only reason USHPA is able to make unpopular decisions is because those decisions are never associated with the actual Directors who vote for them. We see changes that we don't like, but we never know which Directors supported them. That's by design, because if we knew which Directors were voting for which changes, then we'd know who to vote out in the next election. That's why USHPA won't publish voting records for the USHPA Board. That's why USHPA is out of control. Well, I've almost expended my 500 words, so let me get to the point. Of all the issues that need fixing, the most important is having open voting records for Directors. Without our ability to see which Directors are voting for which items, we're powerless to replace bad Directors with good ones. We're effectively flying blind. So if you want a better USHPA, please vote for Directors who support open voting records by the Board. You know I will. For more information on my other positions, please visit: Thanks for your time, |
My name is Bob Kuczewski, and I've been involved in flying since 1976
(U.S. Army Jump School). We jumped with round parachutes in those
days, and all steering was done by pulling different risers. Eventually our
chutes were upgraded with "TU" modifications which gave us toggles
(forerunners of "brakes" on modern paragliders). In 1978 I started flying
both airplanes (Fort Lewis) and hang gliders (Cape Kiwanda). I got my
private pilot's license in 1978 and added a sea plane rating in 1980. In
1983 I earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical
Engineering, and my career brought me to General Dynamics in San
Diego. I made my first paragliding flights at Little Black in 1990, and I've
flown RC's and sailplanes at various sites. In 2007 I became the first person to fly all 4 Torrey Pines
glider types - hang gliders, paragliders, sailplanes, and RC's - at the Torrey Pines Gliderport (see USHPA
Magazine, August 2007). I currently hold an H4/P4 rating and I fly both fairly regularly.