Resignation

[Matthew]

I mentioned that we were going to do this before... and still no one has stepped up to the plate. Anyway, Karen and I officially resign from the CHGPA BOD effective today March 13th, 2009. I've been on the CHGPA BOD for over nine years. Karen has served on the BOD for four years. One of the jobs of VP is to promote hang gliding and paragliding. However, in light of continued disregard for safety, continued blatant violations of our site insurance, and the promotion of unsafe and inapproprate flying practices to newer pilots by our more senior pilots, I can no longer in good conscience promote this sport.

Currently, Hugh McElrath is President, Tom McGowan is Flight Director and Craig Shelton is Treasurer. Dan Tuckwiller has volunteered to take over as Treasurer and Bacil Dickert has volunteered to be the new Flight Director.

Fell free to flame away. I will not respond to any posts.

Matthew Graham

[pink_albatross]

Wow. You two have been doing a super job for all those years. It will be strange not to have you on the board.
Can't say I blame you for wanting a a rest, though.

I want to take the opportunity to thank you for all the years of self less service you have put in!
Hoping the rest is not too long

-- ellis

[brianvh]

Though I can think of people who have shown similar dedication to the club (Mike Balk wearing 3 officer hats at once with a sunny disposition that carried the day, Mark Cavanaugh keeping the Pulpit fly-in and website going for years basically behind the scenes when nobody's watching) I can't think of anyone who has shown greater dedication. It's one of the pillars that sustains a club and keeps it alive. I hope others can fill the oversized shoes.

That being said, almost none of us do a perfect job in safety; not me, not Matt, I can only think of one or two who never cross the line. If you get a big enough group of folks together (which is what a successful club does) it's unfair to sum up all the accumulated occasional failures and say it's the reason to quit. Say you've done more than you're fair share, that it's time for a rest, and you've got a reason that is 100% valid. Take a well deserved rest...but don't tell this great group of people you've helped make possible that they have failed. They haven't and neither have you.

It's the years of service from people like Matt that give the club a chance to do better. Never perfect, but eventually better. Don't diminish that accomplishment.

[Dan T]

Matthew,

Of all the people that I know the ones I call my friends are almost exclusively members of this club. You and Karen, as much as anyone, have been part of the foundation upon which it has been built. Those of us who know you appreciate all that you have done. Those who know you well appreciate your sense of humor too.

Thanks for both.
Dan T
back in Baghdad after a week roadtripping across the country

[Lauren Tjaden]

I remember when I was prez -- driving 2-3 hours each way to club meetings for a crowd of six; trying to whip up enthusiasm; the decided lack of glory. Matthew and Karen were always there. Always. (Though I DO think it was Matthew that sucked me into being prez...)
Thanks, you guys. You rock!
Lauren

[Flying Lobster]

Thanks for your service. You seem to paint a pretty dismal picture of the state of affairs--are things really that bad?

marc

[davidtheamazing1]

How about we have a flying weekend and festive occasion to celebrate their years of service, or perhaps our next club meeting should just be their retirement party?

[mikel]

Matthew and Karen, Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, hope to see ya'll soon...

Perhaps, we could have it during the going away party?

let me know.....

It will be a sad day in Mudville, Casey......

'Til then, Mike

[huddlec]

Thanks for sticking it out so long on the board. You both did a lot to keep the energy up at the club meetings and at the flying sites. It's always a good thing to move on so others can step in and see how much work goes into it - if you're doing it right.

I can understand your frustration on the safety thing. But look at the bright side, the ones who don't listen usually end up buying lots of aluminum/gliders to replace what they break. (The not so bright side is when they get badly hurt which is a real bummer for them.....)

Christy

[RedBaron]

But look at the bright side, the ones who don't listen usually end up buying lots of aluminum/gliders to replace what they break. (The not so bright side is when they get badly hurt which is a real bummer for them.....)

I don't think there's a bright side to a pilot's misfortune. I also think that when a pilot gets hurt it's a real bummer for everybody, especially if the pilot is a friend. But that's just me.

[hepcat1989]

.

[hepcat1989]

.

[davidtheamazing1]

Mike,
I like your idea... Shawn, Matthew and Karen have all stepped up to help and it would be a good chance to recognize their service, before Shawn escapes to the wilds of Colorado, and before Matthew is done sulking about how much we abuse him

Matthew & Karen are gonna be there right?

[Kelvin Pierce]

I think what Matthew is referring to are the recent wuffo assisted launches at High Rock. That has always been a sore subject for Matthew.

[hepcat1989]

.

[mikel]

David,

I have not heard from matthew or karen yet, I certainly hope they both show...I'll try to call them this week.

'Til then, Mike

[RedBaron]

I think what Matthew is referring to are the recent wuffo assisted launches at High Rock. That has always been a sore subject for Matthew.

Oh, I thought he was joking. I agree, doing wuffo-assisted launches is not cool, you will likely sled. But look at the bright side, if you stuff your launch at HR you will have to buy a new glider and pay for medical bills or even a funeral, that's good for the economy. Plus, if wuffos were present, some get to say "told you so" or "serves you right", which makes them very happy as well.

[huddlec]

Bright side of breaking aluminum and gliders is that it usually means the glider took the impact and not the pilot. At least the dealers of the parts/gliders make something out of a pilot not listening to good advice.

Re High Rock. Pretty funny how pilots coming up in the ranks have to make the same mistakes that older pilots made. It would only be funny if it meant the pilot or the wire crew didn't get hurt. I've never come close to totaling a glider in all my not so great landings, including the ones that were made in self-created (and not self-created) emergency conditions. But then, I was willing to listen to all the pilots who helped me along the way.

Using wuffos as wire crew without having them roped in even if the possibility of getting pulled off the ramp is slight, is nuts and incredibly selfish on the part of the pilot. Wuffos could easily step off the ramp for all kinds of reasons.

[Richard Hays]

Whiners.

LOL. What....did years of selfless devotion finally break you? Huh? No spine?? LOSERS !!!

All BS aside, you guys are the best. Go have some fun. You deserve it. Thank you for all you've done which...has been of true value to us all.

Maybe one day I'll get to join you?

Richard Hays
Pres. MHGA

[brianvh]

It was only after I posted my previous reply that I saw the High Rock wuffo launch report.

People have been doing this off and on for years, and it's never been a good idea. Matthew was hoping to make that point dramatically, but if previous incidents haven't made it dramatic nothing will. At least Janni had the sense to wait for a lull, which given previous wuffo history at the rock is a sign of incremental progress.

I used to do wuffo launches at HR, but then started thinking about how dramatically it can go wrong and stopped doing it. Thinking about it really can give you the willies. Lots of clueless people out there, have to stick with people you know.

[RedBaron]

Well, we're finally moving away from Karen's and Matthew's pitiful letter of resignation.

Bright side of breaking aluminum and gliders is that it usually means the glider took the impact and not the pilot.

But that's not what you said or meant in your first post.

It would only be funny if it meant the pilot or the wire crew didn't get hurt.

No it wouldn't.

But then, I was willing to listen to all the pilots who helped me along the way.

But I don't want to retire from the mountains yet!!!

is nuts and incredibly selfish on the part of the pilot

Lashing out on pilots from your armchair is incredibly nuts and selfish, too.

Wuffos could easily step off the ramp for all kinds of reasons.

Please provide examples and stats to back this statement. How many wuffos have died at HR or the Pulpit in, let's say the last 25 years?

I used to do wuffo launches at HR, but then started thinking about how dramatically it can go wrong and stopped doing it.

Yes and no, it all depends. Foremost conditions and whom you pick. A well-trained dog can hold a wire down in reasonable conditions.There are surprisingly many people out there who are experienced with wire-crewing, who skydive or even used to HG themselves. Some did a better job than current pilots. IMO wuffos have their place in times when pilots prefer giving advice on the computer over lending a hand on launch. If pilots like Christy realized that we're going anemic and decided to become am active member of this mountain community again I might be willing to let a good day pass. As of now? Sorry, but retirement or not staying current are no options for this young pilot.

[hepcat1989]

.

[brianvh]

For me the most vivid example of what can go wrong comes from a youngish but experienced pilot named Juan who was from somewhere in South America and spent a few years flying with us. He was up at the rock in great conditions, but no other pilots had arrived yet (or maybe they had launched?). So he trained up a wire crew and got up on launch. His wire crew were fighting each other so much he finally decided it would be best to wait for what seemed like a smooth cycle, clear his crew, balance the glider, and launch. But things didn't work out as expected and I (and someone else?) got up there in time to drag him up from the edge where he was hanging nose down; one nose wire caught in the old metal rack that sticks out in front. That old anachronism and a nose wire were the only things between him and oblivion.

He decided not to attempt another launch, drove partway home, then had to pull over and nearly vomited as the shock and realization of what happened finally sunk in.

Sure, it's no good extrapolating from one case (though there have been others), but that was the day I stopped doing wuffo launches at high rock or the pulpit.

[RedBaron]

Interesting. No dead wuffos I take it?
I once watched a pilot launch at HR, no wuffos present, in a seemingly great cycle with experienced pilots on both sides of his wing. Upon launch the nose of his glider pitched down violently and his base tube missed the metal rack by maybe an inch. I realized that that rack was an enormous and potentially fatal hazard and made a petition before the safety propagandists of the club to have it removed. As usual they weren't listening, too busy promoting HG as a safe sport I guess.

[eggzkitz]

What's a wuffo?