Tow winch and trailer

[SamKellner]

Charles,

New u$hPa Regs. What for? $$$$$

Surely you want to maximize the benefit of your PL outing and build the new foundation at Hearne .
http://www.ushpa.aero/policy/SOP-12-05.pdf

There are very new ushpa SOP changes that involve towing. About a dozen new Tow Observer appointments, and an equal number of Tow Examiner appointments.

Surprisingly, this issue even has Bart and Gregg at odds, as I'm sure you read, on who can sign off tow special skills. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/hhp ... ages/22783

IMO these new regs reduce the effectiveness of Basic Inst. the most. Depending on who is correct, Bart or Gregg.

In my case as Basic Inst w/Observer appt., where as I was allowed to sign off any towing special skill that I have on my card, now I have to go to another clinic to get the SurfaceTow Observer

appointment and another clinic to get the PL Tow Observer appointment and another clinic to get AT Tow Observer.

I'm sure you have the best intentions re-building the Hearne tow group. Check out these new SOP.

[cascpa]

Good evening Sam,
Actually I am not trying to rebuild the Hearne tow Group. The Texas Hang Gliding Society is for the most part gone. It is their old hanger AFFA is renting to store our winch and more importantly to keep our hang gliding foot in the door at Hearne. There is no greater challenge to free flight these day as the loss of flying sites. Just look at the devastating results of loosing Packsaddle have been. The airport just put up a high security fence complete with access codes. If we had not been tenants, there might have been some question as to whether we could still tow and aero-tow there. At the same time, HHPA needed a place to store their winch. So we reached a turnkey cost sharing arrangement for the cost of the hanger.

Hearne is not a USHPA insured site. The airport is municipal and does not require it. What reason would we have to get USHPA involved?

As for the tow ratings, I will let the experts take care of that. It is amazing however the amount of interest generated in PL launch at Hearne because of all this stuff. We are having a training weekend March 14 and 15. If the weather cooperates, I will wager we could have 20+ folks there. I'll be there in my RV (they have RV pad sites at the airport) grilling T-bones & corn on the cob, and slapping back some cold ones. Come on out and bring some friends.

Charlie Schneider

[cascpa]

Good afternoon Bill, Sam, Bob, et. al.,
We had a wonderful weekend of surface towing at Hearne this last weekend. Some twenty or so folks made it out. We had PG's and HG's flying off all the rigs. The TMU worked flawlessly and excellently. We now have several more folks up to speed on it. The snowball grows and gains momentum. For now we are dolly launching HG's. It works smooth as butter. However, much progress has been made on the platform launch design. Most importantly, there were no accidents or injuries. Not even a bent down tube!

We are looking to have another weekend at Hearne soon.

Charlie

[SamKellner]

Good Job Charles

[Bill Cummings]

Hearne is not a USHPA insured site. The airport is municipal and does not require it. What reason would we have to get USHPA involved?

Don't make the mistake of holding a Nationals or any thing more than fun flying at Hearne TX.
Good Job Charlie on your fun weekend.

[cascpa]

Evening Bill,
Fun and adventure is why I fly. Coming out alive and unscathed with perma-grin is the only competition I desire. A Nationals meet was held there back in the nineties by the Texas Hang Gliding Society. It no longer exists. I do keep a trike there along with several other trikers. Aero-towing is allowed at Hearne by the owners and manager (city of Hearne). Our little club, AFFA, just wants good clean fun with enjoyable end of day debriefings.

See you in Dinosaur?

Charlie S.

[SamKellner]

Yeah, let's go to Colorado and fly...............

Or, Dinosaur..............

.....Charles

Just look at the devastating results of loosing Packsaddle

What are the results? Tiki and Bart showed up?