I guess I was right. I hadn't read Brad Hall's post to the Oz Report when I posted my previous comment. Here's what Brad wrote:
Brad Hall wrote:
Here are the facts. The La Jolla Historical Society is making a film about the story of historic TP gliderport. It is called "Soaring Torrey Pines." It tells the history of TP from the earliest sailplane days to the present. It is produced by Bill Liscomb, so the quality is outstanding. There are many groups involved, both fliers and pilots, as well as people that simply love the site for its historical and visual uniqueness. Many of them are supporting the making of the film through donation requests from their respective local and national associations. The SDHGPA is the local HG & PG club and the USHPA is our national assn. As a RD I was approached and asked to present the request to the BoD at our upcoming meeting. I support the effort and will be glad to make a presentation. This is about preserving the site, now and well into the future, as a soaring destination for all. The film is a tool that has already been helpful. An 11 min. short version is available and will be used in the Torrey Pines State Reserve educational presentations. Thousands of visitors every year will see some great HG and PG footage and may even be enticed to visit the flight park. When City of SD officials are asked to help us, they will get a dvd along with the request. The possibilities are many. The only relationship to the concession at Torrey has been their generous support. See this as an opportunity or a conspiracy, or however you like. As of right now, it is an idea looking for some help.
What's really happening here is that our (USHPA's) money is being used to make one side of a conflict look good (Brad Hall's side and the concessionaire's side) while excluding participation by anyone else - particularly the Torrey Hawks. The Hawks have been asking to be included in these kinds of projects through the Soaring Council for 3 years and Brad Hall has opposed us at every step. Don't forget Brad Hall using his title as "Regional Director" to stab the Hawks in the back with the San Diego City Council. Shameful.
It's also funny how Brad Hall has claimed that USHPA has no say in what the Soaring Council does (voting to add a USHPA chapter, for example) but suddenly we should give them our money?
But here's the biggest crime of all....
The Soaring Council has 3 representatives (clubs) dedicated to RC pilots. It has 2 representatives (clubs) dedicated to sailplane pilots. But it only has 1 representative dedicated to hang gliding pilots and 1 representative dedicated to paragliding pilots (2 representatives total for both sports). This past spring (2010), the USHPA Board voted to try to increase our representation on the Soaring Council, and yet by secret ballot the Soaring Council members voted against adding any new USHPA clubs. You'd think that USHPA would ask to have that corrected before giving them any of
our money (no taxation without
fair representation). But Brad Hall is urging USHPA to spend membership money on an organization that has thumbed its nose at USHPA - and our sports. Brad Hall has no shame. Maybe this is how he "pays off" the Soaring Council for voting against a USHPA Chapter for him.
