There will be no general meeting of the CHGPA this December. Instead, we'll be celebrating the holidays at our annual CHGPA Christmas Party! This year, Dave and Jodie will be hosting our soiree at their home in Arlington VA, at 3208 5th St. North.

The Bodners are located an easy 15 minute walk from the Virginia Square and Clarendon metro stations, so that might be the easiest option for local pilots.

Please refer to these driving and walking directions for further details on how to get to the Bodners from points near and far.

This Google Maps link may also be of help.

This year's High Rock Party / Fly-In will be held on October 13th and 14th. Leigh and Richard Hays invite you on behalf of the MHGA to join us for the event. Chili, BBQ chicken and pasta salad will be served for the meal at the end of the flying on Saturday. A spot landing contest will be organized for your amusement. Registration fee will be $10 and will include beer and food. Two raffles will be held. One for a discount island getaway from Connie's Travel and one for a new glider at dealer's cost from the Maryland School of Hang Gliding Inc. (Moyes and Wills Wing Only). A wine tasting will also be enjoyed. Bring a bottle of wine in a paper bag and we will number them. If your bottle wins the tasting you get a refund on your registration!

All proceeds from the Fly-In will be donated to Emma Jane, who's been a loyal supporter of our sport since 1974. As you all know, Emma Jane's husband Harry Carbaugh passed away last May. Emma Jane has been struggling to deal with his loss and would be happy to meet and chat with all of you. She considers us family and High Rock would not be the special place it is without her influence and support.

High Rock is the oldest continuously flown site in the USA east of the Mississippi. That record held until 9/11, which shut us down for a year. High Rock has always stood for spectacular cliff launches (please check out marylandhanggliding.org for cool pictures), which make even the shortest flight a rewarding experience. A nicely textured ridge that works well in NW winds of 10 mph and more as well as a very user-friendly set up and landing area complete the unique character of this site. Directions can be found here.

Come on out and join us for what is going to be a stellar party a la Hays and hopefully good flying.

Janni Papakrivos

Note! Change Of Venue!

Our fall CHGPA general meeting will be held from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Shirlington Library's Edmond and Elizabeth Campbell Meeting Room.

And we will have quite a special guest this month! Lisa Tate, President of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association will make a presentation about the direction and plans of our national organization, and will inquire about the concerns of we Region IX pilots.

As always, members of the general public are welcome to attend. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about how a national, self-regulated association like the USHPA operates, and about opportunities to fly in the Washington DC area.

The Shirlington Libarary is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue in the Village at Shirlington, Arlington VA. Directions and a map are available from the library's website.

NOTE! The directions at the library website say that you should go through the intersection of South Arlington Mill Dr and South Randolph St, and then take the next left onto Campbell Ave (formerly South Stafford St). But Google Maps indicates that the first left is South Stuart St. So be aware that the Library's directions and available maps might not be in agreement.

The CHGPA and MHGA will be holding their annual Fly-In and Just-For-Fun XC Competition the third weekend of September. Event info, directions, and registration details are available at the Festival's homepage

We're going to have a ton of great raffle prizes, a cook-out and party on Saturday night, trophies and awards for the winners of the XC comp, and fireworks too!

Our Festival benefits the Rescue Squad of McConnellsburg PA, so your participation will also help out a very worthy cause. Please consider buying a few extra raffle tickets so that we can make a larger donation.

Please reserve the 15th and 16th of September for our Fly-In, we guarantee you'll have a great time if you do!

Our summer CHGPA general meeting will be held from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, in the second floor meeting room at the Arlington Central Library in Arlington, Virginia.

Both club members and interested members of the public are welcome at the meeting, which will feature a presentation by hang-glider and sailplane pilot Kolie Lombard. Kolie will be discussing soaring forecasts and some of the commonalities that hang gliding and sailplane flights share.

Arlington Central Library is located at :

1015 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22201

Here's a link to a map courtesy of maps.google.com that should help get you there.

Directions From Maryland:

• I-495 West across the Cabin John Bridge, into Northern Virginia.
• Take Exit 45B from the Beltway, following the signs for I-66 East. (You'll actually be on VA Route 267 for several miles, which eventually merges with I-66 proper.)
• Take Exit 71 (Fairfax Drive) and proceed straight ahead into Arlington.
• Cross Glebe Road.
• LEFT after about seven blocks, onto Quincy Street.
• The library is on your right, and there is a parking garage under the building.

The gang at Highland Aerosports in Ridgely, Maryland will be holding their 8th Annual Fly-In this summer. RSVP by email if you wish to attend, so that they have an idea of how many to plan for. Some friendly competitive flying and a great party are a given!

The CHGPA has been invited to exhibit at the 'Become a Pilot' Family Day, held at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, near Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia. We were there for the inaugural, and have been invited back again thanks to the efforts of Dan B!

This event features every sort of flying craft imaginable, from radio controlled airplane models, to hot air balloons, to the F-16. And of course, hang gliders and paragliders will be the coolest craft there!

This is a rare opportunity to attract the interest of aviation-minded people, in a setting that is truly remarkable for its diversity and importance to aviation. Did you know, for example, that there are about six hang gliders on permanent display in the collection at the Udvar-Hazy center? And during this event, we'll be able to demonstrate the latest and greatest generation of HG and PG craft.

Volunteers Are Needed!! If you can help out on that day, send email to Dan B. Dan will definitely need a hand, especially to transport tables, chairs, gliders, etc.

See the Become a Pilot website for directions and other event details. Note that although the event is free, the parking fee at the center is $12 per vehicle. Carpooling obviously makes sense.

Highland Aerosports in Ridgely Maryland is hosting the East Coast Hang Gliding Championship (ECC), a USHPA-sanctioned competition for Flex-wing and Rigid-wing Hang Glider pilots. This is the third year that Highland has hosted the meet.

See Highland's ECC Website for the latest info, including entry fees, entrance requirements, registration form, and accomodations.

Pilots can once again participate in the 'sport' class, which provides an excellent opportunity for area pilots to fly in a competitive and educational meet, but without all the pressures that come with the 'comp' class.

If you would like to volunteer to help out at the ECC, please contact Highland at ecc@aerosports.net

With spring upon us and pilots dusting off their wings, this month's meeting will focus on safety topics. We are lucky enough to be able to draw on Pete's expertise in tree-rescue techniques, which he will be demonstrating 'live', courtesy of Ellis' backyard and tree. That's right, this will be a hands-on sort of evening, so bring along a carabiner and a length of rope, and expect to practice. Pete's seminar is very informative, you will definitely take home much good advice!

Ellis is kindly opening her home for this meeting. Directions to her place can be found in the Members-Only area of the CHGPA website. But you do not have to be a CHGPA member to attend and participate, this meeting is open to ALL who are interested.

If you need directions, or have forgotten the username and password for accessing the Members-Only area, please give our Prez, Hugh, a call: 703-681-5426 (w) 301-864-3431 (h). Or send him an email: president@chgpa.org

Time permitting, other safety topics may be discussed, such as gap jumping for the Woodstock/Harrisonburg ridge-run.

Please reserve a place on your calendar for the January 25th CHGPA general meeting!

Our gypsy-like wanderings in search of meeting places take us this month to the Azalea Room at the Takoma Park Community Center.

TackyParkCommCen is at the intersection of Route 410 (aka East-West Highway, aka Philadelphia Avenue) and Maple Avenue, and the Azalea Room is on the main level, on the left just before some double doors.

The main purpose of our January meeting is elections, for the Board-Of-Directors positions which are opening up for 2007. We will also be leaning on members to renew for 2007, so please remember to bring your checkbooks! CHGPA annual awards will be presented, and some pilots will be recognized for their 'firsts' in 2006. It will be a busy night!

Please come on out to support your club!! And please remember to renew your membership!

Location:

The Takoma Park Community Center
Azalea Room
7500 Maple Avenue
Takoma Park, MD

You can find a map for the center with this Google-Maps Link

Directions:

• Take the Beltway (I-495) to the University Blvd East (Langley Park) exit. University Blvd is MD Route 193.
• Follow University/Rt-193 for 1.5 miles
• RIGHT onto Carroll Avenue (landmark: a Shell gas station on the right corner)
• Follow Carroll for 1.3 miles to a T-intersection
• RIGHT to stay on Carroll, then immediately move to the right lane.
• QUICK RIGHT onto Route 410 West (East-West Highway). Rt-410 is also Philadelphia Avenue. There's a Fire Station on your left at this intersection.
• Follow Rt 410 West/Philadelphia for two or three blocks.
• RIGHT onto Maple Avenue. The recreation center should be visible as you make the turn.

By Metro:

• Exit the Takoma Park station and follow Carroll Street towards the 7-11 convenience store. Continue to a T-intersection.
• Cross street, and turn LEFT to stay on Carroll.
• Continue out of downtown Takoma Park, passing Westmoreland Ave and Columbia Ave on your right.
• Continue on Carroll for one more long block.
• LEFT onto Route 410 West (East-West Highway). Rt-410 is also Philadelphia Avenue. There's a Fire Station on your right at this intersection.
• Follow Rt 410 West/Philadelphia for two or three long blocks.
• RIGHT onto Maple Avenue. The recreation center should be visible as you make the turn.