Newcastle Hang Gliding Club “Zoom” Meeting Minutes 29/4/2020
Present: Adriaan, Jamie, Ben, Royce, John Boy, Ian Ladyman, Brad Patfield, JOD, Adam, Frans, Paul Bowers, Allan McMillan, Donny Gardner.
Apologies: Rory Duncan
Last Minutes – accepted Brad, 2nd’d Ian.
Business Arising from last meeting Minutes
Signage for Hickson St Launch was described and displayed by Adriaan.
Note – You do not have to flip down the active sign if you’re the only pilot there.
Adriaan asked National Parks many times for their artwork for the signs and they still have not come up with anything so he went and designed something (as was shown) that would be appropriate. General consensus the signage was liked by everyone at the meeting – good job Adriaan!
In the past month or so there has been some debate about whether or not we should be flying during the lockdown. John Boy spoke with Linda Ruse at Newcastle Police station to check. Their view was as long as we were maintaining social distancing, not in groups of more than 2, and not hanging around socializing then hang gliding was considered an acceptable form of exercise.
The question was raised if we should be flying, in the event of an accident we end up an extra burden on the hospital system. This is a judgement call. We are asking pilots that choose to fly to be extra careful and fly extra safe to help reduce the risk.
Some concern was also raised about driving to a flying site considered as unnecessary travel. This may have been the case earlier in the shutdown but recently restrictions have been relaxed, so much as to say that riding your motorbike is now also considered exercise, that we no longer have to worry about this.
We have to put in an application to vary the 25m rule at Hickson St launch. This is not uncommon. James Thompson is putting the finishing touches on the forms before we need to sign and submit to SAFA.
Royce has been progressing with Heaton Forrest launches. The paperwork has all been approved and Karl can get the final quotes for an arborist to finish the tree clearing. We were going to give up NE Heaton but Rory mentioned he still likes to use that cliff launch when conditions are right. Royce re-negotiated and we get to keep NE Heaton! We will only be giving up one launch, it’s near the public lookout and in virgin forest. Its one that is not used and technically does not exist. We will be gaining two new launches. Good work Royce!
Royce has suggested we include other clubs when applying for funding to the NSWHPA to finish Heaton. Other clubs such as Central Coast and as far as Sydney will be using the Heaton sites so it is only appropriate that they express their interest to give the funding application more weight. Newcastle Hang Gliding will still be the caretakers of Heaton.
General Business
Adriaan has been working hard to get the club websites up and running again. The Comp site was recently hacked and attacked by a virus. Adriaan has removed the virus and closed the backdoor it used. The NHGC needs major work. Brad has offered to help, Also Ian with adding weather information.
A refresher on bottom landing at Hunter launch. We are still permitted to land there provided we adhere to the landowner’s request to not park at the landing paddock and park at the nearest road intersection.
The fence across Hickson St launch is only temporary while they put in a limestone path. Its there to help guide people to safe passage.
National Parks is still to get back to us about top landing at Hickson St launch. We do not wish to have a rating restriction here as it is our primary training site. Any rating restriction should only be based on flying conditions which is common sense all pilots should be adhering to anyway. Royce has suggested we look at the rules in place at Stanwell Park as a guide.
New Business
Adriaan wants to continue using Zoom at club meetings even once our meetings return to the bowling club. Club meeting attendance has increased over the past year and the addition of Zoom might help that attendance increase further. This is likely to involve one or more laptops plus some small usb speakers – an easy portable setup.
Karl Kindle has been continuing his good work with the comps. He is working on a new towing competition at Barraba and next year’s Manilla comp. At Manilla the new west paragliding bottom landing area is too small for hang gliders. A new bottom landing paddock was used for the last Manilla comp. Karl and Godfrey are going to work together to put in place some more formal agreement with the landowner before next Manilla comp. The new paragliding bottom landing area is too small for hang gliders.
National Parks contacted Adriaan to let us know that Dudley Beach carpark and the road to the Glenrock Scout camp is open again.
Treasurer’s Report
$21,360 in our account. There have been no major transactions in the past month.
Allan’s Re-reimbursement for Carmel’s airstrip work has been done.
Meeting closed.
