[wingspan33]

Brad's video:
PIC said to youth that the youth might get to see helicopter in the air (because of the collision/accident that just happened).
If one has solid reason to suspect that a rescue helicopter might be in the air soon .......
then one does not then get in the airspace.

Excellent point Joe.

And on the human side of things, . . . how does a pilot even launch (tandem or not) if, just prior to launching, a person the pilot knows (on a first name basis) falls to the ground from a collapsed canopy? How can a person look at a pilot who DOES launch in that situation in any other way than completely lacking in any true interest in the injured student pilot's well being?

Then include that the about to launch PG is a tandem rig and the passenger is a child! The PIC, after launching TELLS the boy about how serious Shannon Hamby's injuries are likely to be. Then, the PIC actually flies Closely (!) over the crash scene! There's something called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can develop after witnessing the death or serious injury of another human being. Good thinking Brad Geary! (note absolute sarcasm)

At every flying site I've ever been to people STOP preparing to fly if someone has a bad launch or a crash anywhere near launch. Good pilots go to see what has happened and what needs to be done. I'd call that process "established pilot etiquette".

As a one time USHPA Certified Instructor I believe that having completed a Red Cross First Aid course is probably STILL a requirement. Kind of puts a "duty" on an u$hPa Certified Instructor to help when there is any possibility that help is needed.

But things are clearly different at Air California Adventure Inc. Tandem joyride income ($$$) comes before injured pilots.

PS - The boy's helmet is also an improper fit. It's too large. ANY u$hPa Certifed Instructor should know that a properly fitting helmet is VERY important. A helmet that is too large can cause more damage upon impact than one that is the proper size. The whole idea is that the helmet is "SAFETY Gear" - not "Let's Add Another Negative Factor That Allows For Potential Injury Gear"

[Rick Masters]

        
        You're just not in step with the new priorities of commercial paragliding.

[JoeF]

Along those many lines: HERE

[JoeF]

In the video where the Gabe starkly assaulted BobK is a line of instruction-time words spoken to the three students:
Gabe (looking at Bob): Just so you guys know, the guy over there in the white shirt [... unintelligible]
================THAT INSTRUCTION-TIME set of words to students
may be studied more carefully:
Notice that Gabe is instructing. There is a large high-aspect ratio canopy on the ground in the wind capable of activating into inflation under certain gust events. Gabe CHOOSES to initiate taking the attention of the students away from the very important matter of attending to a large canopy that has all kinds of tethers attached to an movable anchor (Gabe's body). The canopy is not tied to earth, but to Gabe's movable body. Deliberately CHOOSING to direct the student's focus to a guy far away in a white shirt takes the focus of himself and the students AWAY from the important canopy. A good instructor would not choose to redirect his students in such a manner; by so doing, the instructor teaches that it is OK to stop paying attention to the canopy and its needs for safety; the instructor increased the risk of injury to himself and to the students near the canopy. It is possible for a canopy to self-inflate and wrap the instructor and a student into a tangle and drag and lift that could result in injury or death. An instructor is supposed to teach risk management. In this example, the instructor chose to be without helmet and to also to direct the students' focus to a remote standing white shirt. Poor risk management was being taught to the students in their tender training time.

Then to cement the poor lesson, Gabe taught the students that it is OK to drop harness on the ground, leave a canopy unattended possibly to self-inflate and become a runaway kite system to cause damage to people and property for up to miles away. He anchored the poor lesson more emphatically by teaching the students it is OK somehow to construct those said dangers and go assault a person in a public park. All such is very poor instructing of students.

CONSTRUCTIING A POTENTIAL RUNAWAY KITE SYSTEM BY LEAVING NO SOIL TIE TO THE MOVABLE PAYLOAD HARNESS AND MULTI-TETHER WING:

Runaway kite systems may cause traffic accidents, bring blackouts to electrical systems, start fires. Tie down kites or stow them; do not leave a potential kite system vulnerable to becoming a breakaway or runaway kite system. The instructor during a kiting training session performed by choice deeply unsafe things exampling for his students the same. Remove his instructor's certificate until he can prove he will put the safety of persons and property as a high priority.

Minutes later, another Concessionaire would untie an airframed hang glider against all rights and aviation practice and leave the glider free to be lifted by the wind; he left the nose up into the wind; a gust could have had the airframed hang glider fly up and away possibly to injure people or property or kill persons; then he quickly left the scene while another assaulter Shelby body blocked and distracted the owner of the hang glider for important moments; finally the owner would reach the hazard that had been created before the terrible potential damages could be done. The Concessionaire risked huge losses by free choice; such hazard constructing should be noted by the City of San Diego; pulling business license might be a wise thing; the public park does not need a concessionaire.

Any national org supporting such conduct just to get funds from temporary student memberships ought to reverse its stance and pull whatever support it has for the concession.

[SamKellner]

In National News today

The citizen's right to video record for documentation

I hope all the RDs are watching.

[JoeF]

One link
Yes, saw the news spot; first thing came to mind: our topic thread hereon.

Keeping TODAY ... for all hang glider pilots everywhere ....
with a gentle vision for our future.
The Force be with BobK who is actually representing so much that is good in the hang gliding community
in a hearing that matches the nightmare that I had last night: I was wrestling with a hang glider that was easily with 80 ft keel dimension; it was just too large for me.

AND:

[Bob Kuczewski]

WOW!!!

It is unbelievable what is happening in our country at this time. The abuses at Torrey and now USHPA are just the tip of the iceberg.

[Free]

WOW!!!

It is unbelievable what is happening in our country at this time. The abuses at Torrey and now USHPA are just the tip of the iceberg.

Torrey and u$hPa are a microcosm of the geo-political landscape. It's global corporatism in small scale.
Corruption and lawlessness is the predictable flow from such an inbred/cabalistic wielding of self dealing power.

[Rick Masters]

Torrey and u$hPa are a microcosm of the geo-political landscape. It's global corporatism in small scale.
Corruption and lawlessness is the predictable flow from such an inbred/cabalistic wielding of self dealing power.

This is true. Corporations within this microcosm take cues from the geo-political landscape. They tend toward war footing where opposition is crushed and mis-information campaigns become de rigueur to keep the public and membership in line. Profit becomes the primary goal. Members become only sheep to shear. Expect member fees to continue to rise forever.

[wingspan33]

To let everyone know, Bob went to court and was informed AGAIN that the charges are not being pursued by the City Attorney.

As a result, . . . .

- No ability to hear the charges

- No ability to plead innocent

- No ability to present a defense

- No ability to legally establish that he had a right to be in the park.

The only thing that seemed to be confirmed by Bob's Court experience today is that SD Cops can violate a citizen's civil rights on multiple occasions (by arresting them and holding them against their will [otherwise called kidnapping] in a jail cell) and then act like nothing ever happened. And the SD City Courts are going right along with that.

Well, if it talks Corrupt, walks Corrupt, and smells Corrupt, then it dang well is probably CORRUPT.