Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Couple of us are looking a driver for tomorrow , any interest shoot me a text. Jim Messina 2156511009
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Ward Odenwald
- Posts: 987
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:51 pm
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
“A couple of us are looking for a driver”, hmmm, let’s break this down.
“A couple of us” -> local HG pilot translation -> the privileged few with tug access.
“are looking for a driver”-> local HG pilot translation -> we're looking for an airtime starved pilot desperate enough to just be near the privileged few.
I believe that Davis Straub summed it up best in an earlier OZ report where he sub-titled an article about your recent HC event by referring to the privileged few as - “by invitation only”.
My advice Jim, if you are interested in helping all of us that frequent this forum, especially those who remember what’s like to fly over the Eastern shore, please post. However, if you’re trying to get us to help the privileged without allowing the rest of us tug access, use your uber app!
Ward
“A couple of us” -> local HG pilot translation -> the privileged few with tug access.
“are looking for a driver”-> local HG pilot translation -> we're looking for an airtime starved pilot desperate enough to just be near the privileged few.
I believe that Davis Straub summed it up best in an earlier OZ report where he sub-titled an article about your recent HC event by referring to the privileged few as - “by invitation only”.
My advice Jim, if you are interested in helping all of us that frequent this forum, especially those who remember what’s like to fly over the Eastern shore, please post. However, if you’re trying to get us to help the privileged without allowing the rest of us tug access, use your uber app!
Ward
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
I'm driving for Jim and John Simon. Bacil
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Ward , Geeze maybe I'm mistaken, but that came off a bit harsh, don't worry I have thick skin, and I thought we were buddies. . I have been flying on the eastern shore since 91' and am deeply passionate about it. When Highland closed, the "privileged few" started talking and tried to figure out a way to continue to fly on the shore. After much research, time, thought, and money we found a way to do it, however it came with conditions. We are a group of cross country, competition Pilots and that is what we love to do. We are all working guys basically , and have no plans of opening a commercial flight Park, the landowners we are dealing with have been very gracious but have indicated that they do not want a commercial hang gliding operation on their property and would only want high-level current hang glider Pilots operating off of their property. The competition that we had this summer was a test case to show the landowners that we can do this in a safe manner, so going forward our plans are to be more inclusive. And as far as the invitation only, an invitation was given out to the membership of the Capital Club, one person replied. As far as the driver thing goes I'll mark you down as a maybe.
Have a blessed day. Jim Messina
Have a blessed day. Jim Messina
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Jim and John had nice flights yesterday. John flew for 2.5 hours (5500' MSL) and Jim just a little less. They made their way up to the NE to Millington, turned south and made it to Carsons Corner east of Barclay, then headed back west to try to make it back to Ben's strip. Jim ran out of air next to Rt. 313 south of Barclay, and John almost made it back (10K? short), running out of air along Coleman Road NE of Dudley Corners. We celebrated w/ cold beer and a live band at The Sandbar, a riverside bar at Rolphs Wharf. In search of quality food, we hit the Italian restaurant Luisa's Cucina Italiana in Chestertown at 8:15P, 15 minutes to closing time. Hearty meals for all; good quality food. Bacil
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Ward,
Just read your post and found it extremely upsetting. First off the things you state are simply not factual. The tone is very bitter and not appropriate given we have a shrinking community that should be sticking together, not having rants on the forum. The “privileged few” as you call it which clearly includes me has made huge efforts both in time and money to support flying on the east coast. Below are some facts:
Mini Comp:
April 10, 2021 – I made the following post on the CHGPA and Hyner forums looking for other pilots to join. CHGPA link here: http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7926 Excerpt: “We have 2-3 open spots, let me know if you're interested”.
“I believe that Davis Straub summed it up best in an earlier OZ report where he sub-titled an article about your recent HC event by referring to the privileged few as - “by invitation only”.” We didn’t reach out to Davis to solicit additional pilots until after posting on both the Hyner and CHGPA forums so we could try to get more local pilots attending before opening it up. First off this is not a sanctioned or open comp, and as Jim mentioned things are delicate with the landowner. What he didn’t mention is it’s also delicate with the Tug owners as not all are hang glider pilots.
With respect to the Mini comp you didn’t respond to the April post but you had access to it. So the “privileged few” made sure you knew about the event and had access prior to it being posted on the Oz report.
Tug Facts:
““A couple of us” -> local HG pilot translation -> the privileged few with tug access.” Fact many who frequent the forum got towed behind our Tug at the mini comp so this statement “My advice Jim, if you are interested in helping all of us that frequent this forum, especially those who remember what’s like to fly over the Eastern shore, please post. However, if you’re trying to get us to help the privileged without allowing the rest of us tug access, use your uber app!" Are you kidding me? 6 of us got organized and purchased a Tug for our personal use not to start a flight park. This is America go buy a plane if you want one don’t be bitter at us because we do.
Privileged Few Other Facts:
As one of the “privileged few” I have weekend house and can take off from my neighbors and land in my back yard. This is not an open site, yet when I fly I typically make a forum post on the Hyner forum and have also made posts on the Capital forum. Many pilots have come, flown and had great flights. My home is not an open HG site however I’ve still made invitations on forums for others to join and fly. Dozens of pilots have come out to fly, some who I had never met before, and had great flights. Yet the only ones who have ever helped me clear the launch are the “privileged few”.
In summary not sure what your problem is. The “privileged few” have through their time, effort, and money facilitated many other pilots getting more airtime than they otherwise would. What have you done? If Jim wants to post for a driver what’s the problem? Bacil was happy to drive and likely had a fun day doing it.
Just read your post and found it extremely upsetting. First off the things you state are simply not factual. The tone is very bitter and not appropriate given we have a shrinking community that should be sticking together, not having rants on the forum. The “privileged few” as you call it which clearly includes me has made huge efforts both in time and money to support flying on the east coast. Below are some facts:
Mini Comp:
April 10, 2021 – I made the following post on the CHGPA and Hyner forums looking for other pilots to join. CHGPA link here: http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7926 Excerpt: “We have 2-3 open spots, let me know if you're interested”.
“I believe that Davis Straub summed it up best in an earlier OZ report where he sub-titled an article about your recent HC event by referring to the privileged few as - “by invitation only”.” We didn’t reach out to Davis to solicit additional pilots until after posting on both the Hyner and CHGPA forums so we could try to get more local pilots attending before opening it up. First off this is not a sanctioned or open comp, and as Jim mentioned things are delicate with the landowner. What he didn’t mention is it’s also delicate with the Tug owners as not all are hang glider pilots.
With respect to the Mini comp you didn’t respond to the April post but you had access to it. So the “privileged few” made sure you knew about the event and had access prior to it being posted on the Oz report.
Tug Facts:
““A couple of us” -> local HG pilot translation -> the privileged few with tug access.” Fact many who frequent the forum got towed behind our Tug at the mini comp so this statement “My advice Jim, if you are interested in helping all of us that frequent this forum, especially those who remember what’s like to fly over the Eastern shore, please post. However, if you’re trying to get us to help the privileged without allowing the rest of us tug access, use your uber app!" Are you kidding me? 6 of us got organized and purchased a Tug for our personal use not to start a flight park. This is America go buy a plane if you want one don’t be bitter at us because we do.
Privileged Few Other Facts:
As one of the “privileged few” I have weekend house and can take off from my neighbors and land in my back yard. This is not an open site, yet when I fly I typically make a forum post on the Hyner forum and have also made posts on the Capital forum. Many pilots have come, flown and had great flights. My home is not an open HG site however I’ve still made invitations on forums for others to join and fly. Dozens of pilots have come out to fly, some who I had never met before, and had great flights. Yet the only ones who have ever helped me clear the launch are the “privileged few”.
In summary not sure what your problem is. The “privileged few” have through their time, effort, and money facilitated many other pilots getting more airtime than they otherwise would. What have you done? If Jim wants to post for a driver what’s the problem? Bacil was happy to drive and likely had a fun day doing it.
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
I applaud all the pilots who have been able to continue the tradition of XC flights on the Eastern Shore!
And yes, of course, I totally miss Highland!
My AT skills have rusted-out in the past few years... So I really enjoy hearing that pilots are still tearing up the skies out there. Maybe someday I'll be doing the same...
And yes, of course, I totally miss Highland!
My AT skills have rusted-out in the past few years... So I really enjoy hearing that pilots are still tearing up the skies out there. Maybe someday I'll be doing the same...
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Ward Odenwald
- Posts: 987
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:51 pm
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
HaHa! I’ve struck a nerve. When Jim mentioned he was thick-skinned I thought for a second that there would be no more discussion but now we continue.
You’re correct in that I had the opportunity to participate in your event and chose not to. I missed my once-a-year chance to fly above the Delmarva.
From your post, many former Highland pilots, yours included, are now reading for the first time that you and 5 others formed an organization, a “club”, to maintain aerotowing on the eastern shore. It’s unfortunate that many in the Highland community were not made aware of your club’s intentions or included in discussions (no posts on the CHGPA forum or others that I’m aware of). Perhaps more of us would have contributed either financially, intellectually or in other ways, but it’s evident through your actions that your members decided to keep it exclusive and that’s ok, because after all, this is America. But over the years, your club’s lack of transparency has triggered rumors which have only served to highlight the exclusive nature of your aerotow activities while many of the local pilots have been left on the sidelines wondering.
This interplay between the haves and the have-nots is a timeless issue that spans the full-spectrum of man’s existence. When I was growing up, my family lived in an environment surrounded by many exclusive country clubs and once-a-year they would open their locked gates and let the locals in to play a round of golf. I was told that it made the club members feel good about helping the less-fortunate, but many of the have-nots would say that these events were setup to feed the egos of the haves (come in and see what we’ve got, and you don’t). One could draw an analogy to your inviting CHGPA pilots to fly at your once-a-year event. Sadly, like the country clubs, when it’s over the few local HG pilots are locked out.
My beef is with Jim not you. Not because your exclusive club lets us in only once-a-year (because after all, this is America), my angst was triggered when Jim reached out to CHGPA pilots for a driver/caddie at a time when your club is locked to the few locals left in this sport. Again, angst brought on by lack of transparency with the rest of the flying community!
So, to re-translate Jim’s request in a “have vs have-not” vernacular: “A couple of us haves are planning an XC adventure and we need a have-not to help us enhance the fun”.
Sorry, we’re pilots not lackies or caddies at your disposal to enhance fun at your exclusive club. Find a way to unlock your gate so the less-fortunate can fly more than just once-a-year.
Ward
You’re correct in that I had the opportunity to participate in your event and chose not to. I missed my once-a-year chance to fly above the Delmarva.
From your post, many former Highland pilots, yours included, are now reading for the first time that you and 5 others formed an organization, a “club”, to maintain aerotowing on the eastern shore. It’s unfortunate that many in the Highland community were not made aware of your club’s intentions or included in discussions (no posts on the CHGPA forum or others that I’m aware of). Perhaps more of us would have contributed either financially, intellectually or in other ways, but it’s evident through your actions that your members decided to keep it exclusive and that’s ok, because after all, this is America. But over the years, your club’s lack of transparency has triggered rumors which have only served to highlight the exclusive nature of your aerotow activities while many of the local pilots have been left on the sidelines wondering.
This interplay between the haves and the have-nots is a timeless issue that spans the full-spectrum of man’s existence. When I was growing up, my family lived in an environment surrounded by many exclusive country clubs and once-a-year they would open their locked gates and let the locals in to play a round of golf. I was told that it made the club members feel good about helping the less-fortunate, but many of the have-nots would say that these events were setup to feed the egos of the haves (come in and see what we’ve got, and you don’t). One could draw an analogy to your inviting CHGPA pilots to fly at your once-a-year event. Sadly, like the country clubs, when it’s over the few local HG pilots are locked out.
My beef is with Jim not you. Not because your exclusive club lets us in only once-a-year (because after all, this is America), my angst was triggered when Jim reached out to CHGPA pilots for a driver/caddie at a time when your club is locked to the few locals left in this sport. Again, angst brought on by lack of transparency with the rest of the flying community!
So, to re-translate Jim’s request in a “have vs have-not” vernacular: “A couple of us haves are planning an XC adventure and we need a have-not to help us enhance the fun”.
Sorry, we’re pilots not lackies or caddies at your disposal to enhance fun at your exclusive club. Find a way to unlock your gate so the less-fortunate can fly more than just once-a-year.
Ward
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Ward,
We didn't form a "club" for the exclusion of other pilots as you suggest. We all have jobs and don't have the time or interest in running a commercial operation. A club with all the Capital or Hyner participants invited to be involved is effectively a commercial operation, not sure how you don't see that. You made a lot of references to country clubs and while they're private members only I would expect based on your experience growing up would realize they're complex commercial organizations with large staffs. You should go check out a sailplane club they're also run like commercial operations example here: https://pgcsoaring.org/. If you're interested in running a commercial operation or a large club you're more then welcome to start one and I wish you the best of luck. I'm not sure what you think we have but we don't have a commercial operation nor do we plan to.
"Sorry, we’re pilots not lackies or caddies at your disposal to enhance fun at your exclusive club." You take Jim looking for a driver as calling you and others lackies? Come on you know that's not right.
Jim and I have spent a tremendous amount of our time to put on an event which we made available to others. I've opened my home on many occasions to pilots I didn't know so they could get airtime. Our purchasing a tug and putting on an event resulted in many pilots having a week of great flying. The ECC put on by Highland was only a one week event, so this year we essentially replaced what was once lost.
Yes you hit a nerve. Publicly making Jim the bad guy for looking for a driver is unfair. We should be excited when our friends and fellow pilots have good flights and live vicariously through them. I know I'm always excited to read about others flights online when they write them up and post. Going on a rant on a public forum about have and have nots because a couple of us purchased a plane is also extremely unfair.
So I'll end with this because you didn't address it in my last post: What have you done to promote flying for others?
Respectfully,
Charles
We didn't form a "club" for the exclusion of other pilots as you suggest. We all have jobs and don't have the time or interest in running a commercial operation. A club with all the Capital or Hyner participants invited to be involved is effectively a commercial operation, not sure how you don't see that. You made a lot of references to country clubs and while they're private members only I would expect based on your experience growing up would realize they're complex commercial organizations with large staffs. You should go check out a sailplane club they're also run like commercial operations example here: https://pgcsoaring.org/. If you're interested in running a commercial operation or a large club you're more then welcome to start one and I wish you the best of luck. I'm not sure what you think we have but we don't have a commercial operation nor do we plan to.
"Sorry, we’re pilots not lackies or caddies at your disposal to enhance fun at your exclusive club." You take Jim looking for a driver as calling you and others lackies? Come on you know that's not right.
Jim and I have spent a tremendous amount of our time to put on an event which we made available to others. I've opened my home on many occasions to pilots I didn't know so they could get airtime. Our purchasing a tug and putting on an event resulted in many pilots having a week of great flying. The ECC put on by Highland was only a one week event, so this year we essentially replaced what was once lost.
Yes you hit a nerve. Publicly making Jim the bad guy for looking for a driver is unfair. We should be excited when our friends and fellow pilots have good flights and live vicariously through them. I know I'm always excited to read about others flights online when they write them up and post. Going on a rant on a public forum about have and have nots because a couple of us purchased a plane is also extremely unfair.
So I'll end with this because you didn't address it in my last post: What have you done to promote flying for others?
Respectfully,
Charles
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Ward Odenwald
- Posts: 987
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:51 pm
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Charles,
If making Jim look like a “bad guy” to highlight the pilot segregation of the haves from the have-nots then so be it. As he said, he’s got thick skin. In no way have I implied that you convert your club (or whatever you want to call the group of six) to a commercial operation. There are so few of us locals now that are qualified to aerotow if you opened your resource to past local Highland pilots and set a daily pilot limit for non-members, there is no need to expand what your group is currently doing and, most important, the perception of segregating pilots disappears.
You’ve asked what I’ve “done to promote flying of others.” Here are some highlights of my service our local HG community:
Certified USHGA instructor and co-owner of a local HG flight school (Silent Wings) from 1979 until 1982. When my partner, Rick Gilliam, left the area we gave/sold the school’s training equipment to John Middleton who started Silver Wings. During those four years, Rick and I helped over 200 students experience flight. In 1986, I stepped away from the sport to raise my children and when I returned to active flying in 2009, the USHPA issued me a H3 rating instead of the H4 that I held up until 1986. Since the H3 (with aerotow rating) is aligned with my current flying, I see no need to regain the H4 status. Excluding my sabbatical from the sport, I’ve served as an Observer from 1979 until 2020 signing off on many H1, H2 and H3 ratings. For example, I helped Anthony Lloyd achieve his H3 rating. Anthony is currently one of the few, if not the only, local Certified USHGPA HG Instructor that is actively teaching. Over the decades, I’ve helped maintain many local flying sites: the Pulpit, High Point plus others. During my short service as the president of the Maryland Hang Gliding Association, I helped organize our Highland Appreciation dinner that was open to all who wanted to attend. There are other examples but I believe these are sufficient to convince others of my contribution.
Again, I believe there is a way/path to be more inclusive that will have a negligible impact on you and your partners.
Ward
If making Jim look like a “bad guy” to highlight the pilot segregation of the haves from the have-nots then so be it. As he said, he’s got thick skin. In no way have I implied that you convert your club (or whatever you want to call the group of six) to a commercial operation. There are so few of us locals now that are qualified to aerotow if you opened your resource to past local Highland pilots and set a daily pilot limit for non-members, there is no need to expand what your group is currently doing and, most important, the perception of segregating pilots disappears.
You’ve asked what I’ve “done to promote flying of others.” Here are some highlights of my service our local HG community:
Certified USHGA instructor and co-owner of a local HG flight school (Silent Wings) from 1979 until 1982. When my partner, Rick Gilliam, left the area we gave/sold the school’s training equipment to John Middleton who started Silver Wings. During those four years, Rick and I helped over 200 students experience flight. In 1986, I stepped away from the sport to raise my children and when I returned to active flying in 2009, the USHPA issued me a H3 rating instead of the H4 that I held up until 1986. Since the H3 (with aerotow rating) is aligned with my current flying, I see no need to regain the H4 status. Excluding my sabbatical from the sport, I’ve served as an Observer from 1979 until 2020 signing off on many H1, H2 and H3 ratings. For example, I helped Anthony Lloyd achieve his H3 rating. Anthony is currently one of the few, if not the only, local Certified USHGPA HG Instructor that is actively teaching. Over the decades, I’ve helped maintain many local flying sites: the Pulpit, High Point plus others. During my short service as the president of the Maryland Hang Gliding Association, I helped organize our Highland Appreciation dinner that was open to all who wanted to attend. There are other examples but I believe these are sufficient to convince others of my contribution.
Again, I believe there is a way/path to be more inclusive that will have a negligible impact on you and your partners.
Ward
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
Ward,
I respectfully disagree. What you're proposing is essentially creating a club which none of the owners have the time or interest in doing. Further, it creates additional legal liability and could cost us our current hangar space.
"if you opened your resource to past local Highland pilots and set a daily pilot limit for non-members,". We organized a one week event and used our plane, how is that not opening our resources to local pilots? We respect to the rest of the time I think you are imagining operations which don't exist. We don't have a tug pilot on staff that is sitting around every weekend waiting to tow us. We have a written mechanism for partners to invite other qualified pilots to come out and fly, however, we can't charge for tows as that would make it a commercial operation and open us up to legal liability and likely cost us our hangar space.
Clearly you've done a lot for the hang gliding community over the last few decades. However, the sport is rapidly declining and it doesn't seem like you are currently doing anything to help others get airtime. Jim, myself and many others have been highly inclusive of the HG community and the friends we made at highland and are excited to continue flying with them. Complaining on a public forum about have and have nots and how your feel excluded is not productive and sets the wrong tone for the community. Instead of publicly attacking Jim and others, you could have reached out privately or publicly on the forum to get a sense of what was going on and see if there was a way to get involved.
If you want us to make our tug more accessible on a regular basis to non-owners perhaps you have a solution to these problems:
1. Locating a reliable tug pilot willing to be come out every flyable weekend. Also they need to be a legal pilot which excludes Adam for example.
2. Find an insurance company willing to cover the plane and the owners for a club / commercial operation.
3. Find an airport with hangar space that will allow us to operate a HG club in the way you are suggesting.
If you can solve those problems I'm all ears and would be happy to bring the concept to the other owners.
Charles
I respectfully disagree. What you're proposing is essentially creating a club which none of the owners have the time or interest in doing. Further, it creates additional legal liability and could cost us our current hangar space.
"if you opened your resource to past local Highland pilots and set a daily pilot limit for non-members,". We organized a one week event and used our plane, how is that not opening our resources to local pilots? We respect to the rest of the time I think you are imagining operations which don't exist. We don't have a tug pilot on staff that is sitting around every weekend waiting to tow us. We have a written mechanism for partners to invite other qualified pilots to come out and fly, however, we can't charge for tows as that would make it a commercial operation and open us up to legal liability and likely cost us our hangar space.
Clearly you've done a lot for the hang gliding community over the last few decades. However, the sport is rapidly declining and it doesn't seem like you are currently doing anything to help others get airtime. Jim, myself and many others have been highly inclusive of the HG community and the friends we made at highland and are excited to continue flying with them. Complaining on a public forum about have and have nots and how your feel excluded is not productive and sets the wrong tone for the community. Instead of publicly attacking Jim and others, you could have reached out privately or publicly on the forum to get a sense of what was going on and see if there was a way to get involved.
If you want us to make our tug more accessible on a regular basis to non-owners perhaps you have a solution to these problems:
1. Locating a reliable tug pilot willing to be come out every flyable weekend. Also they need to be a legal pilot which excludes Adam for example.
2. Find an insurance company willing to cover the plane and the owners for a club / commercial operation.
3. Find an airport with hangar space that will allow us to operate a HG club in the way you are suggesting.
If you can solve those problems I'm all ears and would be happy to bring the concept to the other owners.
Charles
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
The posts in this topic have been quite charged.
Overall the exchanges have been relatively civil/respectful... But things are pretty close to the edge ("lackies", really??), so I'm going to step in to say : Let's KEEP things civil/respectful!!
We've had too many flame-wars over the years, with people posting things (or emailing things, pre-forum days) that would never happen in a face-to-face context. Let's all try to take the high-road, shall we?
It's funny how different perspectives can be:
And on a weekend like the last one, with all of the mountain options looking so cr@ppy? Sure, why not, sounds like fun!
Unfortunately, I had a commitment and couldn't participate like Bacil did. The mini-comp? Well, just like the ECCs, it occurred at a time of year that I just don't have the flexibility to get away. Always so damn frustrating. Again, I wish I could have participated by simply retrieving pilots.
But more importantly: I'm NOT CURRENT in AT since (we so miss you guys!!!) Highland Aerosports shut down. I really need to head to Blue Sky for a major refresh, but it's been impossible for me to find the time to do that.
So just imagine: A somewhat-current pilot is flying out on the Eastern Shore, locks-out, and craters-in. Hopefully, s/he doesn't die. But how's that going to play with the landowner in question? There really is a huge difference between a commercial operation and an ad-hoc group of pilots who are simply trying to keep their wings in the air.
Overall the exchanges have been relatively civil/respectful... But things are pretty close to the edge ("lackies", really??), so I'm going to step in to say : Let's KEEP things civil/respectful!!
We've had too many flame-wars over the years, with people posting things (or emailing things, pre-forum days) that would never happen in a face-to-face context. Let's all try to take the high-road, shall we?
It's funny how different perspectives can be:
I saw that same post (and I've had other exchanges with Jim via text, and of course there was the recent mini-comp), and my reaction was more like: "Wow, I haven't seen these pilot-friends in forever, I'd love to chase after them, cool!"my angst was triggered when Jim reached out to CHGPA pilots for a driver/caddie
And on a weekend like the last one, with all of the mountain options looking so cr@ppy? Sure, why not, sounds like fun!
Unfortunately, I had a commitment and couldn't participate like Bacil did. The mini-comp? Well, just like the ECCs, it occurred at a time of year that I just don't have the flexibility to get away. Always so damn frustrating. Again, I wish I could have participated by simply retrieving pilots.
But more importantly: I'm NOT CURRENT in AT since (we so miss you guys!!!) Highland Aerosports shut down. I really need to head to Blue Sky for a major refresh, but it's been impossible for me to find the time to do that.
So just imagine: A somewhat-current pilot is flying out on the Eastern Shore, locks-out, and craters-in. Hopefully, s/he doesn't die. But how's that going to play with the landowner in question? There really is a huge difference between a commercial operation and an ad-hoc group of pilots who are simply trying to keep their wings in the air.
Re: Eastern shore XC 7-24-21 (driver needed)
“We've had too many flame-wars over the years”
Word. I mean how wack was that? Sure hope they don’t show up again! Gotta have someone ride herd, for sure.
Word. I mean how wack was that? Sure hope they don’t show up again! Gotta have someone ride herd, for sure.
garyDevan