What's happening at the North East Victorian Hang Gliding Club Inc.
Autumn News - 2011
Autumn already, where did the season go? - and what a difference to last year and all the previous drought years. This season will be remembered for rain and low bases, even on good days, and with so much moisture around that it was green all though summer.
Despite this we have had plenty of flyable days, even good thermic days but not many where it was possible to get enough height to get away from the local area and cross the valleys. This year a flight to Myrtleford and back, or even to Mt Buffalo, was a big flight.
After the VHPA decided not to help with the road maintenance program at the start of the year the club was left with the only option of relying on its own members to maintain the site and spent $5500 on the first spring road grade. After this effort, when several loads of gravel were taken up the hill, the road has been in good condition all season despite plenty of use and so far has needed only one more grade.
Consequently, memberships have been a big topic this year. One result of this level of expenditure has been regular checking of pilot memberships on launch to see that the user’s cost is being shared among all users. Unfortunately quite a lot of pilots have been found on launch without club membership which they needed to rectify before continuing to fly.
One regular excuse is that the electronic membership system, needing a Paypal or credit card, is too difficult to access so to help with this committee members have been taking cash memberships and using their own accounts to complete the memberships.
However, from before Easter this year the paper membership forms will again be available at the Outdoor Inn through Terry. Membership will cost $30 for 2 weeks or $100 annually if using the paper forms although direct electronic membership applications through the website will allow a $5 discount on these prices. You need your current HGFA membership number and expiry date to do this.
Home addresses are no longer required as email is now our primary method of member contact for all notices, although we still would like mobile numbers for emergency situations.
Also at the last Committee meeting we again decided to offer 15 months membership to any pilots joining for a full year just before Easter this year.
If all pilots using Mystic make their required contribution then we can keep the memberships fees reasonable. But if some pilots fail to do the right thing then fees will need to rise to cover the considerable cost of keeping Mystic open and available to pilots. We need about $20,000 a year to run Mystic, spending about $7500 on leases for the take-off and landing, a similar figure on road maintenance and we are still repaying $3000 each year for the loans on the carpet to the VHPA and HGFA. Throw in some mowing, landowner Xmas gifts and various sundry items and you can see the costs mount.
Formal and informal checking of pilot memberships will continue and with our membership list published on our web site it is possible for anyone’s membership to be checked easily.
This year has seen its usual competitions although the Bogong Cup for hang gliders was not well supported. To make up for this loss of revenue we had Women with Wings which attracted nearly 50 female pilots to Bright and although a couple of days were wet they still had several good flying days and I think the effort of the organisers was well rewarded.
A new harness hanger should be on launch by Easter. This will allow you to play with the settings of your harness while waiting for it to come on. Getting your harness properly adjusted is very important and can make a big difference to your enjoyment and comfort in flight.
A few members have put quite a lot of effort into maintaining the launch and bottom car park area this season. Basil particularly has spent a lot of time with a hot brush cutter and chain saw to good results. Ask him about the attack of the killer ants for a good story!
Easter is very late this year and it is anybody’s guess what the weather will be like although we are currently enjoying sunny days with good lift, albeit with bases of less than 1500 meters so sometimes just getting to Clearspot is an achievement.
We have had two fatalities in the area this year (one HG, one PG) as well as a few less serious accidents and I hope all pilots coming up will prepare their skills appropriately.
Buffalo safety harness
The club has purchased a safety harness for the wire assist person helping hang glider pilots on the Buffalo launch. Parks have made this a condition for using the Buffalo launch. 
The harness consists of a certified fall restraint harness and 17 mt of static fall rope with 2 carabiners to limit the range of movement of the wire assist person working near the edge in front of hang gliders preparing to launch. The harness will be stored with other competition equipment at the Mystic landing paddock and may be signed out by any hang glider pilot as required by contacting one of the committee members of the NE Vic HG club. See ‘club contacts’ on the web site for details.
Information sign
The club is in the process of renewing the HG/PG information sign at the Mystic landing paddock. We are looking for a high-res image of a PG for inclusion with this (we already have good HG artwork).
VHF Radios
With the new VHF radio requirements in operation the club is looking for interest in running a VHF radio operator’s licence course in Bright. Anyone interested in participating, please, email Bill Oates on woatesfly@gmail.com .
Membership checks
will be conducted several times this season on Mystic launch. While the NE Vic HG Club has to find the money to operate Mystic (up to $20,000 per year at the moment) we need to assure our loyal members that everyone using the facility is doing the right thing. Membership can only be obtained on-line through the club web site. Pilots not having access to a computer will need to contact a committee member BEFORE going up to launch. You will also need your HGFA membership. Thank you.
Landowner Xmas gifts
The club will again be giving xmas presents to landowners who allow us to use their paddocks as approved landing areas. There are about a dozen, in the Kiewa, as well as the Ovens valley. These paddocks are listed on the club web site.
Also we will again donate a additional Landowner Xmas Lotto gift to a landowner drawn from a list supplied by members who have landed out and been met with a friendly face in the property. All pilots are invited to register addresses or contact details of a landowner who was pleased to see them arrive at their place. Please give these details to Chappo at chappo252@hotmail.com
Happy flying
John Chapman NEVicHGclub President
Spring news - 2009
Hancocks, the local company that own much of the pine plantation have given us sight of their tentative logging schedule for the Bright area. Interesting to see what slopes might become better triggers in the next two or three years.
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