[Bob Kuczewski]

This topic is open for all discussions regarding the upcoming USHPA Spring 2014 Board meeting.

USHPA recently sent out an email message telling members about what's on the schedule to be changed at the meeting. Great. But when you go to look at what's being changed, the language of the download implies that you cannot post any of the actual proposed changes for discussion!! Typical USHPA secrecy. Don't let the members discuss anything about the association!! So for now, I won't include the actual SOP in my posting. You'll have to go to USHPA's "Members Only" section to download it yourself.

Anyway, one of the proposed changes is yet another re-drafting of SOP 06-01 which covers USHPA Chapters. They're doing everything they can to force all clubs to be biwingual. Now I'm biwingual myself, and I think it's great if the HG and PG pilots in an area can get along in the same club. That makes them both stronger. But when you have a situation (like we do at Torrey) where the local PG-dominated club tells HG pilots to "get lost", then there needs to be an ability for those hang gliding pilots to band together to protect their sport. USHPA is slowly removing the ability for pilots to do this by removing their ability to form clubs of their choosing.

Here's my first response to my own Region 3 Directors with a copy to USHPA President Rich Hass and a few others:

Region 3 Directors (and others),

I have read the recent SOP Changes posted on USHPA's web site and included below. I would like to offer my comments on the proposed SOP 06-01 changes which deal with USHPA Chapters.

First off, I would like to remind all Directors that for much of USHGA's history, ALL of its Chapters were hang gliding chapters because paragliding did not exist. When paragliding was accepted into the association, I don't believe the members were told that their hang gliding clubs would eventually have to become hang gliding AND paragliding clubs. In fact, I'll bet they were told that everything would remain as it had been ... no cause for alarm.

But slowly, USHPA has begun to FORCE paragliding onto hang gliding clubs (and force hang gliding onto paragliding clubs). This is NOT an appropriate role for USHPA. I believe that if the hang gliding pilots who voted to accept paragliding knew that this would happen, there would have been a different outcome. This has been a slow motion version of the "bait and switch".

Furthermore this SOP is an affront to our basic freedom of association. If hang gliding pilots want to have a plain old hang gliding club, they should have that right. If paragliding pilots want to have a plain old paragliding club, they should have that right as well. And pilots who want to form biwingual clubs should be free to do so. Pilots can then choose which clubs they want to support with their membership dollars based on what those clubs support. USHPA has no business telling pilots what kinds of clubs they can and cannot form.

Finally, since this particular SOP appears to be up for redrafting, I'd like to offer my own suggested version in the near future. I haven't written it yet, but it will basically say that Chapters are free to form any kind of clubs that the law allows. It will say that USHPA may encourage biwingual clubs (since USHPA is a biwingual association), but that USHPA will NOT discriminate based on the kinds of clubs that USHPA members choose to form. It will say that USHPA will support ALL of its chapters equally and not play "favorites" ... as USHPA has in the past.

Until then,
Bob Kuczewski
H4/P4, Former Region 3 Director, Club Secretary - Torrey Hawks

[Bob Kuczewski]

It's not sufficient to complain without offering up an alternative.

With that thought in mind, I just finished sending my own proposed rewrite of SOP 06-01 to our Region 3 Directors and USHPA President Rich Hass. My version is quite a bit shorter than USHPA's version and it gives more freedoms to Chapters. The original USHPA version stated that Chapters were "autonomous organizations", but then it went on to contradict itself by specifying all sorts of internal organizational requirements that Chapters had to meet (how "autonomous" is that?). The USHPA version also made it much more difficult for Chapters to regain Chapter status after losing it. My version does not penalize Chapters.

You can read the currently proposed USHPA version here:

    http://www.ushpa.aero/board_meeting.asp

Here's what I've proposed as a compromise that vests more autonomy with local clubs. Please compare it to the current USHPA SOP and what is being proposed for the upcoming Board Meeting.

Region 3 Directors Dan, Alan, Corey (cc Rich Hass and others),

I appreciate that USHPA has sent a notice to pilots regarding the proposed SOP Changes.
This is good. I also appreciate that one of our Region 3 Directors has gone so far as to
solicit input from USHPA members regarding these SOPs. This is also good (Thanks Alan).

So in the spirit of building a better USHPA, I've taken the time to modify the draft Chapter
SOP and I've attached that modified version below. Please note that this version is already
a compromise between the currently existing SOP and the SOP that I would write myself.
I hope this proposal will be considered in that light of compromise, and I ask all 3 of my
Region 3 Directors (Dan, Alan, and Corey) to support this version.

Thanks,
Bob Kuczewski
Current USHPA Member / Former USHPA Director
Founder - US Hawks Hang Gliding Association (ushawks.org)


=================================================
The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc.
Chapters
Standard Operating Procedure 06-01
[DRAFT with Bob Kuczewski's suggestions]

06-01.01 Introduction

Chapters are member-controlled clubs affiliated with USHPA to encourage a close relationship between
USHPA and local hang gliding and paragliding communities throughout the country.

Chapters are autonomous organizations that are financially independent from USHPA and are self-
governing. USHPA does not interfere with the internal operations of any USHPA Chapters. Multiple
USHPA Chapters may be formed in a given area to satisfy the needs of hang gliding pilots or
paragliding pilots or biwingual pilots or for any other reason deemed appropriate by the members
who form such clubs. USHPA's policy is to support all USHPA Chapters in a fair and equitable manner.

06-01.02 Chapter Benefits

USHPA chapters can take advantage of many benefits provided by USHPA, to the extent such benefits
are available. Chapter benefits include:

   A. Participation in the USHPA site insurance program. See SOP 06-02.
   B. Participation in the Accredited Competitions and Events (“ACE”) program. See SOP 06-03.
   C. Access to USHPA’s publication resources, including:
       1. Chapter listing on USHPA web site.
       2. Chapter event listings on the USHPA website.
       3. Periodic listing and news coverage for chapter events in Hang Gliding & Paragliding
       magazine.
       4. Two subscriptions to Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine for promotional purposes as
       donations to libraries, public officials and landowners.
   D. Chapter flying sites are listed in the USHPA Site Guide.
   E. Access to materials for public relations projects.
   F. Additional leverage in lobbying efforts.
   G. Access to USHPA member mailing labels for members in their region.
   H. Chapters are eligible for discounts on USHPA merchandise for special projects and events.
   I. USHPA assistance in getting high traffic flying sites added to FAA Sectionals.
   J. Increased credibility when dealing with landowners and public officials

06-01.03 Administrative Requirements

Hang gliding and paragliding clubs can apply for Chapter status by completing and submitting a chapter
application to USHPA together with the required one-time documentation fee for new chapters. Chapters
are required to complete and return a chapter renewal application annually.

Requirements for chapter status:

   A. Chapters must have at least five members.
   B. At least 50% of the chapter members must be USHPA members. Chapters are required to
   provide USHPA with a membership roster annually. The roster must include names and USHPA
   membership numbers for USHPA members.
   C. Not less than 50% of chapter officers must be USHPA members.
   D. Chapters are required to appoint or elect a Safety Coordinator responsible for encouraging safety
   and helping develop and implement site risk assessments and safety protocols. The safety
   coordinator must be a USHPA member but is not required to be a club officer or board member.
   E. Chapters are required to provide USHPA with current chapter bylaws.

06-01.04 Suspension of Chapter Status

   A. Chapters are required to renew their Chapter status annually. Clubs failing to renew in a timely
   manner or failing to satisfy the conditions for renewal shall have their chapter status suspended.
   B. If USHPA determines a chapter is not in compliance with the requirements for Chapter status
   (A-E above), USHPA may temporarily suspend chapter status by notifying the chapter's officers.

06-01.05 Revocation of Chapter Status

USHPA does not permanently revoke Chapter Status. However, any suspension under this SOP will
continue in force until such time as all requirements are met. Chapters may request to have their
Chapter status permanently removed by formal request of the Chapter's President.

06-01.06 Disclaimer Statement

THIS DOCUMENT IS ISSUED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND CONFERS NO RIGHTS
UPON USHPA CHAPTERS, MEMBERS OR SITE LANDOWNERS. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT
AMEND, EXTEND OR ALTER THE COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE INSURANCE POLICY. IN
ORDER TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL TERMS OF THE POLICY, THE EXTENT OF THE COVERAGE
PROVIDED OR ANY APPLICABLE EXCLUSIONS, PLEASE REFER TO THE POLICY.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Region 3 Directors (cc Rich Hass and others),

The USHPA Board will meet in about 10 days.

I am making an official request that each of you take the 3 following actions:

• Pass a USHPA SOP change or bylaw requiring publication of all Director's votes.
• Pass a USHPA SOP change removing requirements for chapters to be biwingual.
• Request that USHPA President Rich Hass appoint a new representative to the Torrey Pines Soaring Council who is willing to uphold the USHPA Board's 2009 directive to increase our sport's representation on that Council.

I believe none of you will do any of these things, but I am requesting it for the record.

Bob Kuczewski
Current USHPA Member
Former USHPA Director