SFBAPA Meeting Minutes, 7/12/2006 

New Faces / Old Friends 

There were 3 new faces at the meeting: 

    o  Juan Ramos, visiting from San Diego.   He's a P3 pilot in town for a month and a new member. 

    o  Sam Jonaini.  GA pilot and skydiver from San Jose. Interested in getting started in PG. 

    o  Ricardo Salinas, P2 trained by Wally. 

 And one old friend: 

    o  Jerry Destremps, P3.  Flys a yellow FreeX Arcane. 

Officer Reports 

Tom Moock, Site Director, 

Road to to Tollhouse needs 4wd vehicle, nothing less.

Sequoia Highlands Campground at Dunlap

Tom's not spoken with the management of the campground recently.   The new price structure ($20/person/night) now favors renting cabins ($70/night) instead.  

Wally Anderson, Safety Director, 

There have been four blowbacks at Mussel Rock in the last four weeks!  It seems like those who are getting blown back are not usually from the local area and are apparently not informed of the danger to themselves, the public, and our flying site.

We have been lucky that the recent events have all been injury-and damage-free, but that will not  continue.  We should try to spread the word that the site is endangered because of the number of blowbacks.

Possible methods include: 

     o  More signs including graphics at the site with information on the primary hazards:  water, wind gradient, power lines, garage doors. This may be a problem because of the political climate with the city.  We may not get permission to post signs, and doing so may aggravate the situation. 

     o  "I've had a site intro" helmet stickers.  Part of a packet of information and goodies.   This would give local pilots a way to identify visitors and an easier way to start to talk with them. 

     o  Instructors (local and regional) could be contacted and asked to mention the issue with their students. 

     o  Likewise, regional clubs could be contacted. 

     o  USHPA magazine letter-to-the-editor. 

     o  E-mail / listserve / forum postings. 

Ann Sasaki, Jerry Destremps, Tim Kuenster, Tim Sirianni and Wally Anderson to form a committee to come up with an action plan to get the word out. 

John Van Meter and passenger Travis Kolvet died July 8, 2006 at Slide.  Ann passed a card which she will send to John's wife.

Online donations are possible at John's wingtrip.com web site.

It is not clear what caused the accident. Various lessons could be learned, depending on what went wrong.  Please be careful. 

Atta Pilram, Treasurer, 

We are now incorporated as a para-mutual organization.  Non-profit status with the IRS has been applied for.  The costs were less than expected - about $400 this year, and around $45 every two years in the future.  Renewal must be accomplished yearly in October.  The bylaws must be updated to remove the requirement that SFBAPA's newsletter be distributed to members as hard-copy.

There are 3 or 4 new members this month, 150 total in July.

 We have $5021 in the bank. 

Old Business 

None 

New Business 

Sonoma wings has a fly-in at Potato for both HG and PG July 21-23.  Events with both types of USHPA members are a good chance to intermingle.

Motion by Wally Anderson to donate $200 to Jon's memorial fund was passed unanimously. (Editor's note - personal contributions increased the amount to $300.)

Be sure to re-register yourself at the new-and-improved sfbapa.org web site.  Everyone must re-register due to site redesign.

An REI down camping pillow was awarded in a raffle. 

Adjournment 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:56. 

Post-meeting entertainment