US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

A flight club dedicated to freedom..

Good news, we are going flying!
Bad news, gotta land sometime..
Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger.

So much is happening and way too much is bad news..
Things that hang glider pilots like to avoid.

"Escapeism" is the pilot's motto.

But escapeism only works for a little while. Like a drug.
How long was that last flight? How long till the next?

We are being robbed. We are being poisoned. We are being lied to. We are becoming enslaved.
We are being oppressed and too many are in denial.
We live with our feet on the ground and our head in the air.

The freedom of flight lasts only a while. The loss of freedom lasts forever.
It's time to throw off our chains of oppression and become the freedom we are designed to be.

The "Mo Hawks" chapter of US Hawks, is in early stages of development.
Those with an honest desire to fly and contribute to the growth of hang gliding are invited to contribute ideas in that development. Sign up, stand up and speak up.
All are welcome.

Warren Narron
Mo Hawk #1

Awesome first post to the Mo Hawks forum Warren!



It does seem like this country (and maybe the entire world) is in big trouble right now. Not many people want to hear it, but that doesn't make it any less true.

One thing is for sure, it's hard to solve all the world's problems single-handedly. It takes people coming together ... lots of people ... to really make a difference. I hope the Mo Hawks forum will begin to bring people together to support hang gliding in your local region. It's a small step, but mighty oaks all start out as little acorns.

Please let me know what it takes to become a Mo Hawk, and I'll be happy to stand in line to join. The lower member numbers of any organization (like 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) usually have a special significance and should be given to people who you feel are important to flying in your region. So I would encourage you to invite special people to join early and get those special numbers. Then you can open it up to the rest of us (like myself), and I'll be happy to join.

Thanks again for founding the club, and please let me know what I can do to help.

Sincerely,
Bob Kuczewski

bobk wrote:
One thing is for sure, it's hard to solve all the world's problems single-handedly. It takes people coming together ... lots of people ... to really make a difference. I hope the Mo Hawks forum will begin to bring people together to support hang gliding in your local region. It's a small step, but mighty oaks all start out as little acorns.

Acorns are pretty bitter by themselves but as you say, big things can come from them.
My idea for a long time has been to support instruction. Instructors AND students.

Money for marketing works for things like Pepsi and toothpaste but it doesn't do much for a product that isn't available.
More later.

Please let me know what it takes to become a Mo Hawk, and I'll be happy to stand in line to join. The lower member numbers of any organization (like 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) usually have a special significance and should be given to people who you feel are important to flying in your region. So I would encourage you to invite special people to join early and get those special numbers. Then you can open it up to the rest of us (like myself), and I'll be happy to join.

Bob, you are top of the list in special significance and importance in my book!
Your political activism against the machine (the borg) earns you a top position in any organization worthy of the cause.

Truth, transparency and accountability are essential to freedoms of any form.
Your efforts to that at USHPA are appreciated here and it would be an honor to have you as a founding member.

All numbers except #1 (and possibly #5) are open.
There may only be two members here for the foreseeable future as long as the censorship and the behind the scenes smear campaign against me are in play. You have suffered comparable actions from the same ilk so we are already bonded in that sense.
Banned of Brothers! Pick a number..

Warren
Escapism is what we do as we lose freedom.
Truth and justice must prevail so we'll have something to escape to.

Free wrote:All numbers except #1 (and possibly #5) are open.

I think I can guess who #5 is reserved for.

OK, if you don't have anyone else in mind, I'll step up to be Mo Hawk #2. Now we just need 2 more to get to the magic 5!

Thanks also for the kind words. Suffering an injustice makes it easier to see when that same injustice is perpetrated on others. In that regard, we are a "Banned of Brothers" indeed.

Free wrote:Truth, transparency and accountability are essential to freedoms of any form.

Well said. Those are three missing elements at USHPA, HGAA, hanggliding.org and the Oz Report. The only problem is that very few people know they're missing because they can't see what's been hidden from their view.

A motion has been made by Mo Hawk #2 as to occupation of the flying seat Mo Hawk #5 for yours truly.
I second the motion and so humbly apply to the extant quorum Mo Hawks for confirmation of my membership #5.
Qualification? I enter that I remained polite and on topic at PG Forum and was banned. Freedom took a hit.
Gliding kites of canopy-only sort have been a cherished sector of interest of mine for over 50 years; and I "see" the
atmospheric helicities nearly daily that challenge canopy-only gliding kites; that forum would have none what was
offered; and polite was hated; I remain a Mo Hawk for blossoming gliding kites of canopy-only sorts, watchful of
opportunities to advance matters in the sector. I hope for acceptance of the motion for membership.

One of hang gliding's founding fathers Octave Chanute:
He designed and built the Hannibal Bridge which was the first bridge to cross the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri in 1869. His lessons in practicing such engineering help make it possible for him to discern the truss works in his biplane hang glider that became so important to hang gliding and aviation generally. Part of my heart flies into the trusses of the Chanute bridge project in Missouri.

Though MO stands for Missouri, Mohawk reminds me of feathers of America. Three feathers to indicate membership in his tribe:
http://albert-white-american-indian-art ... medium.jpg

My three feathers concern the three parts of the A-frame, the triangle control frame of aviation ... that streams in my blood to help me unite the concepts of aviation and spirit.
Mohawk people are "People of the shards of light" and that brings to mind the need to keep putting light on matters of freedom in each society, even the society of free-flight humans.
I will continue to work for responsible freedoms for hang gliding, wing running, gliding kiting, parachuting from high places, ...
God meant for man to fly; that is why God has given wings to us; flying is what we can do. The formation of personal flight freedoms is still in its development; exciting things are yet to come in the hang gliding world.

====================
Tom Benoist witnessed hang glider demonstration flights made by William Avery, a protégé of Octave Chanute. Tom was born in MO. Tom "had opened the Aeronautical Supply Company (known as AEROSCO), the first supply house in the country devoted to the sale of aeronautical parts and supplies. Initially, AEROSCO dealt only with the raw materials needed by aeronautical experimenters " REF. He substantially helped experimenters advance aviation, many glider builders, some hang gliders... my guess.
Tom helped advance hang gliding by providing parts, kits, books to early aviation.
Here is what he witnessed (and thus became part of his inner fabric):
http://www.airandspacemuseum.org/Benoist/chanute.jpg


===============
Fun for a high jumping wing running hang glider guy would be to wing run launch into a high jumping hang gliding flight in Springfield, MO, as a hawk man in heart.

=====================

Joe,
You qualified long ago.
Thank you

Joe's pretty enthusiastic about being member number 5 of the "Mo Hawks". Check out his new avatar!!!

It's very exciting and an honor that Joe, was moved to do so. It's a shame there is so little to offer in the way of a physical flight operation. Everything envisioned in that vein has been back-burnered for some time.

The original "FreeUSHGA" idea for growth of hang gliding through direct subsidy of instruction has all but died on the vine.
Not many have heard the idea. Some have suppressed and sabotaged the idea.

In the mean time, the economy has gotten worse, and more to come.
Hang gliding looks to becoming more of a rich man's sport all the time.
Mark Forbes, has commented wealth is the demographic being sought by the corporate evolved USHPA organization.
I don't believe that was the case when I started.
It doubtful that is what motivated Joe Faust, when he helped originate USHGA.

Times are rough for the working class. Not as bad for 'jet set' carbon emission hypocrites like Davis Straub, who panned the idea and discussion of direct assistance for instruction, years ago. Nothing in it for him, so it seemed.. I don't know.

Anyway, the idea is simple. Enable instruction where it is not available.
Make initial introduction to the sport affordable or free by subsidizing instructors.
Perhaps a foundation for aspiring pilots that could not otherwise afford to globe trot like the monied class.

Maybe too much information, maybe not enough...
Feedback.. questions.. criticism?

Warren

This was a very good and thoughtful post.

Free wrote:It's very exciting and an honor that Joe, was moved to do so. It's a shame there is so little to offer in the way of a physical flight operation. Everything envisioned in that vein has been back-burnered for some time.

Well, maybe it's time to move it to the front burner for a while. A friend of mine likes to remind me that it's hard to save the world if you don't take care of yourself first (and she's right). It's good to have a balance between what you need to do for the world and what you need to do for yourself. Sometimes recharging your own batteries with something joyful can be what you need to attack the big problems you're facing.

Free wrote:The original "FreeUSHGA" idea for growth of hang gliding through direct subsidy of instruction has all but died on the vine.
Not many have heard the idea. Some have suppressed and sabotaged the idea.

How about sharing that idea here? I'll bet it's pretty closely aligned with what I believe the US Hawks should aspire to be.

Free wrote:In the mean time, the economy has gotten worse, and more to come.
Hang gliding looks to becoming more of a rich man's sport all the time.
Mark Forbes, has commented wealth is the demographic being sought by the corporate evolved USHPA organization.
I don't believe that was the case when I started.
It doubtful that is what motivated Joe Faust, when he helped originate USHGA.

The word "doubtful" is an understatement. I believe Joe does what lifts his soul and the souls of those he touches. It's a real honor to have him giving so much of his time to post about hang gliding history to this site. It was also an honor to work with him and Neil Larson in marking the site of the first Otto meet. We're in good company with Joe!!

Free wrote:Times are rough for the working class. Not as bad for 'jet set' carbon emission hypocrites like Davis Straub, who panned the idea and discussion of direct assistance for instruction, years ago. Nothing in it for him, so it seemed.. I don't know.

Don't let Davis win by crushing your spirit. You're on the right track with pilots helping mentor pilots.

Free wrote:Anyway, the idea is simple. Enable instruction where it is not available.
Make initial introduction to the sport affordable or free by subsidizing instructors.
Perhaps a foundation for aspiring pilots that could not otherwise afford to globe trot like the monied class.

The problem (of course) is coming up with the money to subsidize the instructors. That's always the toughest problem, and that's why I like the idea of pilots just helping other pilots. Once a guy invests in becoming an instructor, they feel like they have to charge to make up their costs. But regular pilots haven't had to make that investment and many would be very good instructors and mentors without being USHPA ordained.

Free wrote:Maybe too much information, maybe not enough...
Feedback.. questions.. criticism?

I sure like it when you talk hang gliding.

Thanks for being on the forum, Warren.

Joe's post above will be 5 years old next month. It was a joy to me today to stumble upon it again after that 5 years and enjoy Joe's vision with the hindsight that the 5 years has given me.

I especially enjoyed this passage:

JoeF wrote:Mohawk people are "People of the shards of light" and that brings to mind the need to keep putting light on matters of freedom in each society, even the society of free-flight humans.
I will continue to work for responsible freedoms for hang gliding, wing running, gliding kiting, parachuting from high places, ...
God meant for man to fly; that is why God has given wings to us; flying is what we can do. The formation of personal flight freedoms is still in its development; exciting things are yet to come in the hang gliding world.

Joe, you have been true to your word. You have continued to work for the things you listed ... and exciting things have been happening. Happy 5 year post anniversary to you on August 17th 2017.