The Launch

A number of pilots, who earned their HG or PG ratings more than 4 years ago, before instructors started recording special skill endorsements, still do not have their special skills recorded (if there are no letters behind the pilot’s rating on their card, then they have not been recorded). Any pilot who wishes to catch that up, please approach an instructor who is familiar with your skills, and ask them to send in a rating form to the Office, indicating the endorsement to be recorded. For a list of endorsements, please go to http://www.hpac.ca/pub/?pid=409. Instructors are asked to please facilitate this catch-up for pilots with whom they are familiar and whose skills they have witnessed. For additional information please contact the Office by e-mail.

In late October or early November 2016, an episode of the Rick Mercer show on CBC will feature a major segment shot at Revelstoke Mountain Resort with Rick Mercer and crew flying with HPAC Instructor/Tandem Pilots Brad Murphy of Revelstoke Paragliding and Luke Myers. This is great exposure for our sport. Please check your local listings for airtimes or see it online after it is aired at http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport

Our 2016 Annual General Meeting will be posted on the HPAC Forum at http://www.hpac.ca/forum/  and will be ready for members to vote. The wide green box at the top of the page gives instructions on how to log into the Forum. The primary votes relate to the audited financial statements of fiscal 2015-2016 and the annual budget 2016-2017. This is a hugely important aspect of your membership in the Association and we ask all members to please vote.

Hello members and friends,

As we wind down the Canadian summer flying season, I wanted to say a quick hello and let you know what’s been happening with the HPAC this year.  We started the year off with a sad farewell to our friend and President Dom.  The dedication ceremony was beautiful and moving.

I spent the year traveling from BC, Alberta, and Quebec to enjoy the flying and camaraderie across this great country.  Both our HG and PG nationals were hampered by weather but we made the best of it, as we always do.  The Willi was very well attended with some great flights again this year.  Planning is already underway for next years’ competitions.

Your Board of Directors has been dealing with the normal challenges we face as well as a few new ones this year.  On our radar is our insurance policy.  We’ve been seeking to have the minors exclusion lifted so our younger free-flight enthusiasts can join in our flying activities.  That work continues and it is a top priority for us at the moment.  We’ll also be making a few announcements for new and exciting initiatives.  It’s too soon to announce just yet but we’ll keep you all posted as they mature.

If you’re still having great flying weather, I hope you get out to enjoy it.  If you’re planning a winter getaway, safe travels, great flights.

Bruce Busby
HPAC President
Regional Director for Alberta

The HPAC Board of Directors would like to invite all pilots to the dedication ceremony in honour of our late President ‘Dom’ Domagoj Juretic at Mount Yamaska flying site. AQVL and HPAC have prepared a permanent plaque to be mounted on launch.

As many of you know, Dom was the HPAC Québec representative for 10 years; and President of the HPAC for 8 years. Dom suffered a massive heart attack in late December 2015. We said goodbye to him in Jan. 2016. Dom loved flying, loved pilots, loved people, loved Mt. Yamaska and loved a great party. It’s my hope that you’re able to attend the ceremonies planned for Sat. May 14, 2016 (Alternative weather day is Sunday May 15, 2016). It is my hope that we can join together, fill the launch area and feel the kinship that he so easily spread to all that met and knew Dom. The entire HPAC Board of Directors, along with Margit Nance (HPAC Executive Director), and a few committee members that he led with such style and grace will be in attendance. Updated information closer to the date will be available on HPAC’s Facebook page or from the National Office.

Bruce Busby
HPAC Vice President

Domagoj was an exceptional person, filled with kindness and positive energy. Someone who knew how to get people together. AQVL and its members are very grateful for Domagoj leading the organization for 10 years while ensuring that it would continue to flourish for years to come. We are reaping today the seeds that he sowed through his vision. He left us way too soon and we miss him greatly.

In order to commemorate his life and contribution, AQVL and HPAC are co-organizing an event where one of the launches on Mont Yamaska will be inaugurated in Dom’s name. A commemorative plaque will be installed on the launch and will remain there permanently. Family and friends are invited to this special ceremony that will take place on top of Mt. Yamaska either on May 14^th or 15^th, 2016 according to weather. Stay tuned for the details about the event. We are hoping that conditions will be good on the day of the ceremony so that we can fly in this sky that Domagoj loved so much.

Christian Grenier,
AQVL President
and
Catherine Gagnon
AQVL Vice-President and Treasurer

Pilots are reminded that HPAC insurance covers only non-motorized hang gliding and paragliding. Powered paragliding is in the aircraft category of ultralight. Pilots are encouraged to seek out paramotoring instruction only from a Transport Canada-licensed ultralight instructor. HPAC instructor certification is not sufficient for paramotoring instruction.

HPAC is in need of high-quality images for use in the 2017 HPAC calendar and on the current and upcoming websites, to best portray our beautiful sport. Images can be of any site in Canada as well as images showing Canadian pilots competing in international competitions. All images will of course be credited. Particularly needed are some images showing both wing types in the same photograph. Please contact the Office if you can help.

In SOP 410 there is a listing of all HPAC National awards, together with the criteria for each award. These awards represent one way by which the flying community can recognize outstanding achievement and contribution to our sport. Please send any nominations for any specific award to Margit Nance at the HPAC National Office by no later than May 12, 2016.

André Nadeau, HPAC’s Liaison with Transport Canada, has drafted a new HPAC HAGAR STUDY GUIDE to be found online. It now includes map work to reflect the kinds of knowledge tested for in the exam. There are a few tweaks still being made and member feedback is welcomed. All pilots are encouraged to take the HAGAR exam and it is a prerequisite for the Advanced rating.

A French-language film project featuring two Québec hang glider pilots, Catherine Gagnon and Camille Girard has been greenlighted by Telefilm Canada and Rogers Group of Funds to go into production. From Telefilm’s April 26 announcement:

“This feature-length documentary takes us into the world of hang-gliding through the story of Camille, 28, a mental-health worker and doctoral candidate in psychology, and Catherine, 35, a nurse practitioner, who combine their sport with a therapeutic health initiative.”

The women are unique in that they are two of only three women hang-glider pilots in Québec-proud representatives of a sport with few adherents. They are known as the “Flying Sisters.” Production is expected to begin in Fall of 2016. http://www.parallaxes.ca/films/flying-sisters/

Timely and consistent reporting of accidents and incidents is critical to the promotion of safe practices for our sport, as is learning from the experiences of other pilots for future accident prevention. A new confidential accident reporting form (http://hpac.ca?390) and experience-sharing process has been developed by Suzanne Francoeur and George Martin, HPAC’s Co-Chairs of Safety.

The narrative box from the report (top of the form), that is, the “what happened” part, will appear on a Safety Forum on the website. This latter piece is still in the final testing stage but will be available very shortly (more information to follow). The Forum will present only the “what happened” portion of the report so that pilot identity and other details remain confidential. Instructors / tandem instructors are reminded that accident reporting is mandatory.