Tuesday August 28 7.30 pm Bridge Bar Ferrymead Tavern.
Throughout New Zealand, farms are expecting newborn sheep, cattle, horses, deer etc. Your presence on or flying over farms could frighten and injure pregnant or newborn stock. Even if you normally fly there without problems, please check with the farmer if it is OK to fly. This is a difficult time for farmers and they do appreciate your consideration. Not asking has resulted in the loss of many flying sites while asking has earned their friendship. If in doubt or if any stock are present DO NOT FLY without asking.
The CCC has a plan to regain public access to the track between Scarborough and the top of Taylors mistake. Some vehicular traffic may be allowed.
More fencing work may be carried out at the top of Taylors. CCC want our input.
15 batches at Taylors may be re-located to an area adjacent to the carpark and on the true right of the valley.
Craig Collings
Hi all! We're at the end of August, spring is fast approaching and with it the promise of thermal flying. Now is the time to get all your equipment in shape and prepare for the big flight, because the opportunity will not be far away.
Paragliding has been in the newspapers a lot recently; and not good press either. Martin Thoma of Phoenix paragliding has been convicted of forgery of a flight document and findings of the NZHGPA disciplinary committee have found that he has been operating with "blatant disregard for the safety of those in his care". Additionally the passenger of a Queenstown tandem accident is a Christchurch resident and currently in Burwood hospital. Within the Canterbury club there are mixed feelings about the Thoma case and the ways it has been dealt with by the NZHGPA Exec. These feeling have been expressed via email, letters, and through debate at previous club meetings. The challenge for us all now is to put these differences behind us and continue to contribute to the social fabric of the CHGPC. How? Get involved! The club is a great place to meet people and arrange to go XC flying.
Early next month the NZHGPA is having its Annual General Meeting where issues regarding how your organization should be run, are discussed. There are currently 6 remits, 2 put forward by Canterbury and 4 by Kevin Rooke of the Tasman club, which will be voted on at the next AGM. Some of the ideas in the remits presented represent fundamental changes in the way the NZHGPA operates and is managed. The Canterbury delegates attending the AGM are there to represent your opinion (and vote) with regard to these remits. If you would like to have your say then come along to this months club meeting.
Since the last newsletter I have returned from 5 weeks in Spain, competing at the Paragliding World Champs and the Nordic Open. During the visit I managed to clock up 50+hrs and had some really good flying. I've mentioned a few of the highlights below.
This competition season I have chosen to fly a serial class glider, the Nova Argon. All though not in a class of its own this year a good number of international competition pilots are choosing to fly these gliders and with good success. On a serial class glider you do have to fly better just to keep up open class gliders, but therein lies the challenge and the reward.
Knees in the breeze!
Craig
1. AMENDMENT TO PP1 TANDEM RATING1. 1 FLIGHT REQUIRMENTS PART (B) OF THE PARAGLIDER PASSENGER 1 TANDEM RATING Current Wording - b) 15 flights on a tandem paragliders pilot in command with a PG2 certified pilot as passenger. RECOMMENDED AMENDMENT TO - FLIGHT REQUIRMENTS PART (B) INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHTS b. 1 Five (5) instructional flights as a tandem passenger with a PP2 rated pilot. Includes introduction to big ears, 360 degree turns, wing-overs and technique for launches and landings and advice on speed to fly considerations. To be signed off by the Instructing PP2 pilot. FLIGHTS AS PILOT IN COMMAND b. 2 A total of fifteen (15) flights to be completed as pilot in command. The first five (5) will be practicing the maneuvers included in b. 1, with a PP2 pilot passenger. To be signed off by the Instructing PP2 pilot. The remaining 10 flights as pilot in command may be completed with at least a PG2 pilot. 1.2 RECOMMENDED INCLUSION OF RULING FOR TANDEM SEMINARS (PP2 FLIGHT LOG REQUIREMENTS) & TANDEM INSTRUCTORS The tandem seminar usually involves a practical portion to enable the Instructor to observe tandem pilots in command completing timed 360s, wing-overs, big ears. For pilots attending Tandem seminars; the practical part must not be undertaken unless he/she has already completed the 5 instructional flights and 5 flights as a tandem pilot in command with a PP2 pilot which form the initial part of the PP1 rating. It is not necessary that the pilot has a signed off PP1 providing the above flights have been completed. To facilitate instruction it is recommended that the pilot participate in the practical as a tandem passenger. PROPOSED: CANTERBURY CLUB 2. ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES AND CATEGORIES That provision be made for additional membership activities and categories with the purpose of allowing aerotowing by microlight and/or paramotoring to come under the NZHGPA umbrella if such a move is seen to benefit members of the NZHGPA. This would be on the proviso that: a) they are completely autonomous activities, b) their inclusion may enhance the position of our association, its activities and objectives, and c) their activities would never be allowed to cause a burden on the general membership of the NZHGPA. PROPOSED : KEVIN ROOKE (TAS) SECONDED : NIGEL CURTIS (TAS) 3. COMMERCIAL OPERATORS - SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITY Consideration is given to formation of a separate legal entity under which all commercial HG and PG (Com Ops) rated pilots and activities shall be regulated. 3.1 In addition to normal legal obligations, it (and its members) shall be directly accountable to, and bound by -the rules of the NZHGPA. 3.2 That all costs incurred by the NZHGPA in its dealing with/on behalf of the Com Ops entity are recoverable by the NZHGPA from the Com Ops entity. 3.3 The Com Ops entity shall undertake all reasonable actions necessary to ensure development, implementation and compliance of professional standards that meet or exceed those of the NZHGPA and CAA by its members. PROPOSED: KEVIN ROOKE (TAS) SECONDED: NIGEL CURTIS (TAS) 4. CONTRACTED MANAGER Restoring of executive positions to the former (largely unpaid) arrangement while equal consideration of alternatives such as a contracted manager as well as that of a workable and reasonable organizational structure are developed. PROPOSED: KEVIN ROOKE (TAS) SECONDED: NIGEL CURTIS (TAS) 5. EXECUTIVE HONORARIUMS During the next executive term, the honorariums of executive officers should remain at their current level, but that of the CEO should be reduced to the comparable amount of $2,500. In this term, a review of the workload, remuneration and organizational requirements (and how these would be best achieved) should be initiated. Consideration of formalization of an honorarium or payment for services of the internal auditor should also be given, PROPOSED: KEVIN ROOKE (TAS) SECONDED: ANDREW STIRLING (TAS) 6. FRAUD OR FORGERY OFFENCES No person who has been convicted of fraud or forgery offences relating to documents or the operations of the NZHGPA shall hold any Commercial NZHGPA ratings. PROPOSED: CANTERBURY CLUB EXPLANATORY NOTE - REMIT 1 The current requirements for obtaining a PP1 rating do not include any kind of instruction or training. Due to a recent incident/accident in Canterbury that occurred during a practical flight at a tandem seminar, it is recommended that the NZHGPA Training Manager consider the following suggestions for inclusion in the OPM at the next NZHGPA AGM. Tandem Pilots in New Zealand have been instructed in most part by fellow tandem Pilots. This system has worked and most that have wanted to fly commercially have put serious effort into obtaining the unique skills necessary to be safe for passengers and competent with all aspects of handling a 40 Sq. Meter+ wing. However, as regulation sit at this time, there is nothing to ensure public safety from an unaware experienced pilot from buying a wing and going to his/her favorite launch and giving it a go! Patterson Stark is 1mm away from being a paraplegic for this very reason. There are no standards for interested Tandem Pilots. The OPM requires mandatory instruction/training to fly a solo glider to obtain up to PG2 rating. The PP1 rating does not recognize that flying a tandem wing requires an additional set of skills. It lacks any requirement that instruction be given to fly a tandem wing. It is therefore recommended that it be mandatory to receive instruction/training to fly a tandem wing up to PP1 stage. Reasons; - the handling, behavior, launching and landing techniques of a tandem wing are different from a solo glider - there is an increased weight of responsibility of flying with a passenger- recent attention by CAA/OSH to safety of the public (tandem passengers) is paramount (even when flying with another paraglider pilot)These recommendations are in line with international guidelines and will improve Tandem Safety, awareness, passenger confidence. EXPLANATORY NOTE - REMIT 2 Primarily this move would be to accommodate aero towing if/when a desire is present to facilitate its adoption within the NZHGPA. EXPLANATORY NOTE - REMIT 3 The intent of this remit is to make the commercial entities primarily responsible for safety and overall management of their operations while the NZHGPA retains the power to audit and/or rule over (and on behalf of them) if this becomes necessary. All costs associated with such involvement by the association would be born by the commercial operations organisation. This organisation in normal circumstances must take ultimate responsibility for determination of what rules are necessary (in addition to the association's) for professional standards. By remaining accountable to the NZHGPA the needs and interests of the association and its members will be represented. This arrangement is particularly pertinent while the relationship between CAA and commercial operations (and CAA's belief that the NZHGPA will always be ultimately responsible for their them) remains unresolved. EXPLANATORY NOTE - REMIT 4 a. The intense day to day work required within the organisation at times requires sustained progress at a management level that an executive (or administrator) cannot reasonably be expected to perform. b. The problem originally identified was that no one appeared to be available for the CEO position. In reality, the CEO position should be filled from the pool of executive officers and it is quite possible that one such officer would have undertaken this role if necessary. c. One of the difficulties associated with executive office bearing has been the enormous demand placed thereon by commercial activities. To be successful in future the Association cannot ignore management of commercial activities. The sooner options are reviewed and selected, the better the association can focus on its areas of activity. This review alone requires managerial input in the development of suitable options -and requires urgent resolution. d. The considerable expense entered (in paying for executive officers) may be fair but does not ensure higher performance, expertise or accountability. Whilst financial remuneration could remain an option, this is only justifiable if all reasonable alternatives (and a fair process for executive selection) are detailed and considered. In this case they were not. Reasons in favour of a tendered management role are: The position is tendered for in the same way as the administrator's, therefore likely to be competitively priced. * The intended outcomes are contracted so acceptable performance (and areas of jurisdiction) can be specified, monitored and enforced. * A long-term vision can be implemented by a manager whereas executive members commitments' and collective goals may change too rapidly (from one year to another) to ensure implementation of a strategic plan. * The competencies of an executive may not be (neither should they be expected to be) in detailed implementation of policy. * The primary role of the exec should be in determining the association's vision and monitoring its performance and direction. * Clearly the workload of the CEO has on occasions been high. If the commercial activities are separated from the Association's core purpose, the executive role should return to its intended focus (of the advancement of recreational hang gliding & paragliding). * The payment for the role of CEO is disproportionately high compared to that of the other executive officers. * The contributions made by volunteers' at all organisational levels and over the years are belittled. Background to Remit 4-Kevin Rooke (Co administrator) Having been co-administrator over four and a half years I have seen executive members (along with their hopes and dreams) come and go. Implementation of even the simplest ideas is usually dependent upon concerted efforts over more than one term as an office bearer therefore many ideas will not be implemented. Discontinuity is the greatest plague to the effectiveness of the association -but clearly the cost of this continuity can not be sustained on a voluntary basis (it would probably require executive terms averaging at least three years). Expecting this level of commitment is not only unreasonable but also unrealistic. Conversely, I'm sure executive officers would be able (relatively easily) to ensure that member's money was not wasted, and that goals, expectations and planning were better addressed if they (essentially as volunteers) were directing, monitoring and accounting for the performance of a manager. For the reasons already outlined, paying executive officers to undertake managerial work does not necessarily ensure its completion. Conversely, a managerial arrangement would achieve a better 'balance of power' with the manager being accountable to the policy and priorities of the exec, but separately accountable for implementation of a strategic plan transcending the priorities of any single executive's term. Instead of exec officers wasting precious time 'fighting fires' beyond their area of jurisdiction they could focus on their specific area of expertise. This priority has been lost not purely due to commercial activities but also because of the large amount of work required to effectively manage operational and policy portfolios. By way of comparison, the HGFA (Hang Gliding Federation of Australia) has a paid executive director, operations manager and administrative staff. This is in addition to a national executive. I do not know how effective this structure is but I see it as having a far greater potential for effectiveness than our hastily ratified proposal of paying the executive and naively hoping that they can keep the association's wheels on in return. Such a decision may (in some respects) be fair, but cannot be shown to have delivered higher performance or greater dedication than before. Conversely, the efforts of many unpaid members working for the greater good of members is potentially devalued or overlooked. In this past year, the efforts of at least two unpaid members exceed that of the paid executive. Who do we start paying and when do we stop? If the NZHGPA business returns to its core purpose (already defined as the advancement of recreational free flight) and separates complimentary (but distinct) activities into autonomous sub entities, these can become professionally run organizations that contribute to the NZHGPA's success. The executive would still be essential to defining such relationships but a manager would have the responsibility to (for example) develop alternatives and (once approved by the executive) implement the chosen option/policy. EXPLANATORY NOTE - REMIT 5 The aim of this remit is to bring the CEO's honorarium in line with those of the other executive officers because: So far payment of executive officers has not been fully considered and was only in response to an urgent need to obtain a replacement. * Payment of an amount five times that of other executive officers would appear to be inequitable. Alternative options such as engagement of a manager have never been considered. * No performance or control mechanisms are in place to ensure such association expenditure is effectively deployed. * The process of option selection for payment of officers did not allow individual member input but followed a process of votes on a club basis. If the votes of individuals were totalled at a national level (perhaps made at club meetings and summarized nationally), greater representation of the opinions of members would have been better achieved and of stronger credibility. This remit (unlike the original set of options) allows flexibility so that after full consideration of alternatives, an informed decision can be made for future years.