A Publication of the    
Capital Hang Gliding
and Paragliding Assn
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Dec 2001  previous page  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  next page       Volume 39,  Issue 10  



Another NOTAM

Another NOTAM affecting Free Flight:

Nuclear power plant notam expected
10/30/01 10:11:50 AM ET - AOPA has learned that FAA will issue a notam that will establish restricted airspace around some 80 nuclear power plants and other Department of Energy of nuclear sites. The temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) will likely extend horizontally to 10-nautical-mile radius from each site, and vertically to 18,000 feet. This action comes in the wake of an announcement from Attorney General John Ashcroft that there are "credible reports" of the possibility of another major terrorist attack within the week. "We believe this threat to be credible, and for that reason it should be taken seriously," said Ashcroft.

AOPA President Phil Boyer said, "To illustrate the severity of the threats, I spoke with FAA Administrator Jane Garvey and the Deputy Administrator this morning, What the national security agencies were considering initially were much more restrictive than these TFRs. Pilots must make every effort to get the latest notams and to avoid these sensitive areas."





pumpkin notam

We wish all the notams were as humorous as the following (It might not have been so humorous for Ridgely pilots that Halloween weekend)

1/1762 - DE.. FLIGHT RESTRICTION MILLSBORO, DELAWARE. DUE TO A PUMPKIN CHUNKIN CONTEST. EFFECTIVE 0111041300 UTC 0111042300 UTC. PURSANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.137A(3) TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT WITHIN A 2 NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF 383855N/751507W AND THE WATERLOO /ATR/ VOR/DME 201 DEGREE RADIAL AT 9.9 NAUTICAL MILES BELOW 3,000 FEET MSL. FRANK PATTON, PHONE 302-441-8616, IS THE EVENT COORDINATOR. MILLVILLE AFSS /MIV/ PHONE 856-825-1173, IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY. WIE UNTIL UFN

Also see...
http://punkinchunkin.net/




High Rock Updates


The Latest Notam...

1/1724 - MD.. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS THURMONT, MARYLAND, OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 30, 2001 LOCAL. PURSUANT TO TITLE 14, SECTION 91.141 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, AIRCRAFT FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN THE FOLLOWING AREA UNLESS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY ATC. NOTE: MILITARY AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATING IN THE P-40 FIGHTER CAP AND WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD) ARRIVALS ON OR SOUTH OF THE MRB 065R ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS RESTRICTION. 8 NMR AT OR BLW FL250 OF 393853N/0772800W OR THE FDK351014.8 FROM 0110291900 (1400 LOCAL 10/29/01) UNTIL 0111301700 (1200 LOCAL 11/30/01). THURMONT MARYLAND. WIE UNTIL UFN


This notam we have been seeing and as a result there has been no hang gliding at High Rock since 9/11

CHGPA has drafted a letter and is encouraging everybody to send a copy to their representatives.

Please work to get High Rock open again.

The following letter has been drafted by Matthew Graham and Joseph Gregor with complete revisions and approvals from the CHGPA board.

If you would like a MS Word copy, click here.



Re: NOTAM Expanding P-40
Prohibited Airspace Surrounding Camp David

Dear *****

The recent ongoing expansion via NOTAM of P-40 from 4 to 8 nautical miles has had a significant impact on the local citizenry. Due to this expansion, the oldest continuously used hang gliding launch sites in the United States has been closed down. High Rock has been in operation for over a quarter century. It has been featured nationwide in many newspaper and magazine articles and has been the subject of several National Public Television specials. High Rock's location along the historic Appalachian Trail has made High Rock a significant tourist attraction for the State of Maryland.

High Rock is located in Pen Mar, Maryland. It is the only hang gliding mountain launch site in Maryland, and is the closest hang gliding site to both Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC. Each year the Capital Hang Glider Association and the Maryland Hang Gliding Association, two local flying organizations, sponsor a hang gliding festival that draws pilots from all over the nation to enjoy the freedom of soaring-flight. Due to it's proximity to the Baltimore- Washington metropolitan area, two local schools - Silver Wings Hang Gliding and The Maryland School of Hang Gliding - rely on this site to support their businesses.

We've been told by President Bush that the worst thing we can do is to permit the terrorists to change our way of life. Until High Rock is re-opened, this will be impossible for the hang gliding community in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area and indeed throughout the nation.

We pose no threat to national security. Hang gliding and Camp David have peacefully co-existed for over 25 years. The site is only usable for a small portion of the year when winds are light to moderate out of the Northwest. Flights durations, altitudes, and times depend on meteorological conditions that cannot be accurately predicted even by those who fly this site on a regular basis. All pilots who fly High Rock must meet stringent certification requirements including an intermediate pilot rating with a cliff launch sign-off from the United States Hang Gliding Association. Newer pilots must be under the supervision of an official USHGA Instructor or Observer. A hang glider, by its very nature as an unpowered ultralight, is restricted to extremely light loads. Further, a hang glider flies at an extremely slow speed and has a very limited glide range. We can generally only carry ourselves and the required safety equipment and must be careful to remain close to a suitable landing area at all times. The control system of a hang glider requires that the pilot simultaneously use both hands to fly safely. There are no one-armed hang glider pilots. Altogether, a hang glider is simply incapable of posing a viable threat to national security at Camp David.

It is our hope that some way may be found to ensure national security at camp David while permitting us to continue our lives as before the September 11 attacks. Indeed, this is a Presidential decree. We would like to begin a dialog to explore appropriate options in this regard. One idea with precedent in the national airspace system would be making provision for a cut-out in the airspace that would permit hang gliding flight over the High Rock launch. Such a cut-out exists for the nearby Tipton airfield located within the Class-B surface area for BWI Airport in central Maryland. Since the High Rock launch was located well outside of the original P-40 boundary, a cut-out of this one small area should pose no significant security threat to Camp David. I'm sure there are other ideas. We are open to anything. Please help us to regain that which we have lost as a result of these dastardly attacks.



Sincerely,



___________________________________

CHGPA


 In This Issue
page
Prez Sez 1
Para Speck Page 2
Incident Reporting 3
High Rock Updates 4
Regionals Results 5
Winter Gear 6
Mike Champlin XC contest 7
Schools, Dealers 8
 Monthly Features

Next Meeting
1
Wing Things 5
Observers 7
Instructors 8

 Previous Issues

 Oct 2001
 Sept 2001
 Jul/Aug 2001
 Jun 2001
 May 2001
 Apr 2001
 Mar 2001
 Feb 2001
 Jan 2001
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 1998


Skyline is the monthly newsletter of the Capital Hang Glider Association. CHGA represents hang glider pilots from the Washington DC mid-Atlantic region. We are committed to safety, growth and solidarity of Hang Gliding. USHGA Chapter 33

15941B Shady Grove Rd. #L-197
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-1315
(202) 393-2854











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