US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

The Strategic Planning Committee has been examining how the USHPA structure is working.

Now things are different. As USHPA moves to communicate better and to be transparent in its operations, committee proposals must be posted to the membership for comment at least 30 days before they are voted on. Anyone can point out a flaw in reasoning or suggest a better idea. The board, too, can weigh in. After the comment period, the committee has a chance to incorporate the feedback into its proposal before presenting it to the board.

Another problem with the current structure became apparent during the insurance crisis. There was no way for the 26-member board to manage the fast-moving situation. . . . . .

With these challenges in mind, last fall the board asked my committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, to develop a proposal for a 7-member board of directors, with a transition plan for how to make the change.

Please send your concerns and ideas. I will personally read every comment and we will consider all suggestions.

With these challenges in mind, last fall the board asked my committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, to develop a proposal for a 7-member board of directors

In a message to Dave Wills on September 4, 2009, Bob Kuczewski wrote:[Article VIII, Section 13.] Conduct of Meetings:

All meetings (including Board of Director Meetings, Committee Meetings, General Membership Meetings, and others) shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised unless otherwise provided for in these By-Laws or listed specifically below:

(a) In accordance with one of the practices discussed in Robert's Rules of Order Revised, a Roll Call vote (Yeas and Nays) shall be taken if requested by any Director. The names and votes of all Directors during any such Roll Call vote shall be included in the minutes of the meeting for distribution to the general membership.

wingspan33 wrote:... they do say that imitation is a form of flattery. Golly, the U$hPa just made me blush.

Rick Masters wrote:James Bradley: http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2014/jul/19/criticism-paragliding-safety-criticized/

FREE FLYING -- I've received a sharp response to my previous post regarding paragliding safety prompted by the death of David Norwood, a highly-regarded flyer who crashed to his death at Chelan Butte on Wednesday.

Like all tragedies, the incident is causing some flyers to step back and re-evaluate. The discussion can only be healthy.

But my previous post, in which I simply printed the personal perspective of Rick Masters of Owens Valley, California, was not well received by some paragliders.

Masters contends that when choosing to fly paragliders or hang-gliders, one is a safer choice in iffy weather because of the frame that helps prevent canopy collapse.

Masters suggests that frank discussions are hindered on chat rooms because paragliding sites often are controlled by people in the industry who don't want too much frank talk.

But James Bradley of New York, the U.S. moderator on the worldwide online forum paraglidingforum.com, sharply disagrees.  Here's his message:

Your acceptance of Rick Masters as an authority on paragliding, apparently without taking the time to learn anything about him, or talk to any people who are actually involved with the sport--we are all concerned about safety--is pretty disappointing.

I am one of a handful of US pilots who race on the Paragliding World Cup circuit. I am also the only US moderator on the worldwide online forum paraglidingforum.com (a volunteer position). Rick Masters was allowed to join there and post like anyone else. We learned that he is on an enduring anti-paragliding crusade. Like a religious zealot, he is not interested in facts or discussion unless they support his rigidly defined position. He behaved badly for some time on the forum and then we banned him, as we have a handful of other people over time.