UHPC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015

The club AGM went well.

The Ulster Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club's Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday 25th November 2015 at the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim. 

There were comprehensive reports from the club officers, demonstrating the very large amount of work carried out during the year, particularly in relation to site matters, wind farm developments and airspace issues.

Most of the outgoing committee agreed to serve for another year and were duly elected, with former Chairman Andrew Jess elected as Secretary - see "Contact us" link.

Gary McKie has taken on the task of producing the club newsletter from Maurice McBride who did an excellent job for the last six years. Gary needs contributions for his first edition so please get your stories and photos to him now - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give him a call to discuss - tel:07836362003. First issue by Gary (Dec 2015) is now available in the Members Area of the website (login on the left).

Dave Tweedie did a roaring trade in 2016 club calendars which were on sale at a discount rate of £4 on the night! He's got plenty more so get your order in for these excellent Christmas presents - tel: 07740862658.

SLIEVE GALLION PARTIALLY CLOSED

Much of Slieve Gallion is STILL CLOSED.

As you all know Sl.Gallion has been closed to us now for some time. This was due to the landowner of the ground around the mast ( including the east and west take offs ) withdrawing his permission for us to fly. The reason is not clear although we have been assured that it is not directly related to our activities.
 
So the new rules for the site are as follows:
 
Do NOT pass the last cattle grid towards the mast, which now has a Private Property sign.

Details of a new parking area and  new arrangements for access to some takeoff areas are in the sites guide in the Members Area of the UHPC website where a map shows the forbidden ground marked in red. Do NOT at any time use the ground around the mast.
 
This is still a very sensitive site and should therefore be treated with great respect. It is possible that at some stage in the future we may regain permission from the landowner for access to all of the site but in the meantime it is essential that we respect his wish.
 
If in any doubt please do not hesitate to contact the Sites Officer (Tel: 07715539702).

The club is in contact with the landowners and the Sites Guide in the Members Area has been updated.

 

IMPORTANT - MID WEEK FLYING

We all know from our CP courses that there is a procedure for letting the military know where we will be flying on weekdays. Here in Northern Ireland nobody has bothered much because military low flying exercises have not happened for many years. We were forewarned of the last such exercise some time ago but now it appears that this situation has changed  - see report on the latest military low level flying here. This one came as a surprise to everybody.

We are all required by law to ensure that our flights can be made safely. Using the CANP procedure (Civil Aircraft Notification Procedure) is one way of ensuring safety in areas of potential low level military aircraft activity. The notification procedure with the list of UHPC sites, their grid references and codes is here. The club committee is currently considering how best to deal with this and further information will be posted here in due course.

Pat Dower Masterclass - SUNDAY 14th December 2014!

A very successful UHPC seminar conducted by Pat Dower was held in the Town Hall, Lurgan on Sunday 14 December.   Programme details below.

 - Setting the goals – helping you achieve what you want to from the day. 

 - Thermals and thermalling.

The absolute bedrock of the XC adventure. How thermals typically behave, with an emphasis on UK flying. Learning and perfecting the 5 thermalling methods.

 - Getting away from the hill.

 How to maximise your chances of getting away. Judging the point of no return. Backup plans.

 - Decisions in flight.

Unlocking the door to freedom in the sky. Finding your next thermals. Removing the stress from decision making. Playing the % game. 360 degree decisions. Techniques for improving glide.

 - Going Big.

 Using “speed to fly.” Changing up and down the gears. Getting the best from your instruments.

 - Choosing the days and the sites.

A straight forward guide to getting the most out of your valuable flying days. Practical tips to help you set your priorities and avoid some of the common mistakes.

Having a full understanding of the weather is not just about being in the right place at the right time. It’s also about having the information that will help you during flight. This session will be loaded with practical tips from the top pilots.

The event attendance exceeded expectations, with 32 pilots of various abilities turning up, including 5 fellow pilots from the South. All took part in the discussions on the various techniques etc with Pat answering all questions from his vast experience and knowledge. He also included a brief overview of the new BHPA Pilot Development Programme that is currently being worked on.

Unfortunately due to time constraints, physical preparation and equipment and landing out could not be covered.

If you missed this session, there is some information on Pat's website.

Thanks are due in particular to Mark Piggott, Ian Cross, Tony Conway, Jim Rainey and Steve Hill for their work in arranging  and running this event.

If you want to know what it is like to leave the hill and go XC for the first time, read the excellent article "Welcome to the Gang" by new pilot Andrew Daynes, in the June 2012 club Flypaper magazine - available in the Members' Area of the UHPC website (link on the left after login). It really is worth reading.

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UHPC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2014

A successful - and shorter than usual - annual general meeting was held at the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim on Sunday 30th November 2014. It was good to see some new faces as well as the old stalwarts who still have the interests of the club at heart.

The Club Officers had produced individual reports of their year in office. Copies were circulated to all present and the huge amount of work done by these volunteers in their own time on behalf of all pilots was noted. Officers covered the main points of their reports and answered questions from those present. Some suggestions for the future were put forward for consideration by the new committee. Thanks were expressed to the outgoing committee members for the work they had done to look after members' interests during the year.

There was lively and good-humoured discussion about a number of items of club business and detailed explanation of windfarm issues affecting various sites.

A new committee was elected to take forward UHPC business for the coming year. To ensure some continuity, a number of officers were content to stand for re-election. Danny Young conducted the election of the new committee who were elected unanimously as follows:

Chairman: Ian Cross

Secretary: Ian Fraser

Treasurer: Jim Rainey

Sites Officer: Willie Kane*

Paragliding Safety Officer: Steve Hill

Hang Gliding Safety Officer: Colin Lown

Air Liaison Officer: Mark Piggott

Accounts Auditor: Maurice McBride

Chief Coach: To be appointed by the Committee from club coaches.

Maurice McBride kindly agreed to continue to produce the UHPC Newsletter and asked for contributions, particularly from newcomers.

The club is in a reasonable financial position for the moment and subscriptions remain as before.

*Subsequently, Alastair McMaster was appointed to the post of Sites Officer when Willie Kane withdrew.

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