Valle de Bravo

[alek]

I just returned from ten days in that wonderful place called Valle. Unfortunately, the place currently has a bit of an unpleasant political vibe within the local flying community (more on that later). Still, the flying is awesome. Every single day was flyable.

I went there to learn to paraglide with David Prentice, and did I pick the right guy! Overall, I had a bunch of kiting and training hill time and seven flights including a little thermalling and ridge soaring. I flew from three different sites: Zitacuaro, Sacamacate, and San Pedro. The famous El Penon site was practically off limits to most local pilots who are not associated with Fly Mexico and are unwilling to pay Fly Mexico off. Despite those difficulties David did take me tandem off of El Penon earlier last week. (That tandem flight is a story all on its own, I'll just say that it was very memorable and educational.) Luckily there are many other excellent sites around, though that was a surprise to many of the visiting pilots that I talked to, because they just fly Penon or Torre, by far two of the most popular sites in the area.

Perhaps some of you have read about what's going on in Valle on pgforum: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13457 But in case any of you are thinking of going to Valle, or are just interested in the situation there, here is what I saw first hand...

El Penon is THE site in Valle de Bravo. The launch is well situated to get the valley flow, offers great xc options, and is wide open and user friendly. In anticipation of the Worlds next year, the Mexican government is further widening and improving the launch. I saw bulldozers moving dirt around, etc.

The local Valle club has been successfully maintaining the launch for about 20 years. The launch is located on land which was formerly owned by the Godinez community, but has recently been sold to a Canadian mining company. The club had a contract with Godinez community to lease the land where the launch is located, and the mining company assumed the obligations under that contract and seems to be committed to keep the launch open for everyone. The access dirt road leading up to launch is owned by Albarrada community, and the club has a valid contract for right of passage with them as well. The mining company recently improved that road. The club used to collect about US$35 per pilot per season, and out of that money paid both Godinez and Albarrada, though the payments were habitually late.

Lots of pilots were expected in the next couple of years with pre-worlds happening this year, and worlds next season. Alex Olazabal, one of the owners of Fly Mexico, made a side deal with Albarrada, the community through which the access road runs. Basically his idea was that instead of the club, Fly Mexico will be collecting the fees and Albarrada will only let people who paid up to Fly Mexico, not the club, pass through their road. The fees would be split between the two, with a little going to Abarrada and a lot going to Fly Mexico. Obviously this is in conflict with an existing and valid contract between the club and both of the communities. Fly Mexico raised the prices significantly (US$10/day, $50/week, etc) which priced out local pilots. The impact was especially harsh on non-Fly Mexico tour operators whom Alex wants to charge $300/instructor and another $400/vehicle, though rumors are that those fees have been waived for some high profile guides that Alex wants on his side.

As a result, the vast majority of non-Fly Mexico local pilots as well many visiting pilots who care about what's going on are not flying El Penon.

The vast majority of the local Mexican population are very helpful, peaceful, and generally appreciative of the pilot tourist traffic in the area. However, when we tried to go up to launch by another road that does not go through Albarrada land we were greeted by three Albarrada thugs. They jumped out of the bushes on the side of the road as we (Canadian, Swiss, French and American pilots) were unloading our gear and came full force at us with rocks and sticks. They didn't try to talk to us or tell us to leave, just started throwing rocks and swinging sticks. Luckily nobody was hurt, though it was very close.

There is a video from that encounter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhboGSXavA4 The shaky close up shots were done by yours truly. There is also an edited in segment shot by a pilot with another camera from behind the van that shows me falling over backwards as I am trying to keep my camera from a dude trying to get at it.

Nonetheless, there are hundreds of pilots in town, with the vast majority just paying up Fly Mexico to buy their passes with photos and names on them. These passes are then checked at two checkpoints along the dirt road. In the end, they peacefully dive up to an improved launch on an improved road and have great flights. Most of the pilots are there for a vacation and would rather pay Fly Mexico 50 bucks and not concern themselves with the situation. Fly Mexico claims to have raised the fees from what the club was charging to pay for the improvements, but it is pretty obvious that the improvements are being done by the mining company and Mexican government respectively.

I hope this whole upheaval is just a temporary issue that will soon be resolved. The place offers awesome flying for pilots of all skill levels and I hope to return there again if the situation improves.

Alek

[Matthew]

That's a great report Alek.

Welcome to the dark side.

It just goes to prove my point that 40 bucks a year for club membership is nothing. And we don't beat up or throw rocks at pilots who don't pay their dues.

Though, that does give me some ideas. We'll vote on hiring thugs at the next meeting. :)

Matthew

[alek]

Some pictures and videos from the trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/beynenson/Valle