Friends, John Middleton has been nominated for "Instructor of the Year", and the nomination has the support Dan T, our regional director. Last year I sat in on the USHPA awards committee and they were heavily swayed by numbers... so everyone who supports John's nomination:
> Complete this simple form on the USHPA website
Note: if you want to help please do it right now because the deadline is this week!
Here is the info needed for the form:
John Middleton #22567
6032 20th Street N.
Arlington, VA 22205
Region 9
(703)533-1965
<silverwingshg@netzero.net>
I myself learned form John and I think a majority of pilots from the region have had his help also. I can't say he never yelled at me or called me a grandma, but he has instilled all of the skills I have which have kept me flying safely since my first mountain launch. I think his current and former students could band together to give our local instructor John a little bit of recognition that he has earned teaching the region's students to fly and be safe for 30 years.
Dan T wrote:John taught me to fly over 15 years ago. My life has never been the same since. I think the same could be said for most of the pilots who are or have been members of this club.
I'll be glad to pass along my support for your recommendation.
By the way I think this post should be moved to the current flight topics rather than "meetings, events and comps." It will get more viewers there.
I only go back to 1994 or so, but in the time that I've been flying the mountains, I'd have to say that at least 75% (I'm tempted to say 90%) of the HG pilots that I see on a regular basis took classes and got their rating from John. Every year, when new Hang-IIs are making their way into solo flying and getting in touch with Observers, who did they learn from? John. Damn near every time.
John is a great pilot, and is routinely at the top of the stack when he flies. But where is he most weekends? At the training hill,
teaching. *Not* soaring, while so many of his prior students are having a blast in the mountains. I'm one of them.
When it comes to running the CHGPA, I'd be hard pressed to think of *any* officer who's taken on a role on the Board of Directors who wasn't a student of John's at some point.
Bottom Line: John has been bringing new pilots into the sport for years, and I can't imagine what the local flying scene would be like without them. If we've got an active HG community around here, it's due in large part to John's efforts.
I'll be supporting his nomination at the above website, absolutely.
Thank you all. It is a pleasure to have been involved with teaching so many pilots locally. I teach because this is such an incredible sport that I want to share with others. It is great to see a student progress and especially to becoming a competent mountain pilot. We all are constantly learning in this sport and the experiences/beauty we share in flying are so special.
Thanks for your commitment to teaching me and numerous other new pilots how to fly safely. We are lucky to have such a dedicated instructor in our area. I and many others have personally benefited many times from your willingness to teach instead of flying yourself. I can't think of anyone who has done more for hang gliding.
