South Devon Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club (“the Club”)
To enable those interested in the sport of Hang Gliding and Paragliding to get together to share experiences, develop skills, and improve safety in the sport.
Where required, to negotiate Agreements / Licences with landowners to enable the Club Members to access suitable sites for take-off and/or landing Hang Gliders and Paragliders.
To encourage responsible behaviour by Club Members with respect to the countryside, landowners, members of the public and fellow pilots, and to represent the sport in the best possible light.
The scope of the Club’s activities include foot-launched “free-flight” Hang Gliding and Paragliding using aircraft that are approved under the BHPA Type Approval scheme, or where the pilot has a BHPA permit to fly a registered non-approved aircraft.
The Scope of Activity excludes powered aircraft, winch-launched, boat-tow and aero-tow launched aircraft.
BHPA Technical Manual
BHPA Pilot Handbook
BHPA Rules for Individual Flying Members
South Devon Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club Sites Guide
The Club shall be a non-profit “recreational club” affiliate of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA).
The Club shall recognise three types of Club Membership:
Flying Membership (Full or Temporary) of the Club shall be contingent on full flying membership of the BHPA and entitlement to Third-Party Liability Insurance provided by the BHPA. In the event that their BHPA membership has lapsed, or entitlement to Third-Party Liability Insurance through the BHPA no longer applies, Membership of the Club shall also be deemed to have lapsed, together with any rights to fly enabled through Agreements / Licences held by the Club. This applies irrespective of whether Membership Fees have been paid to the Club.
Flying Members are required to be qualified to a minimum of Club Pilot level in the BHPA Pilot Rating Scheme before being entitled to fly at Club Sites. Below this qualification level trainee pilots may only fly under the guidance of a BHPA licensed Flying Instructor, and at flying sites for which the Flying Instructor has negotiated separate agreement with the landowner to undertake such instruction.
Club Members shall at all times comply with the BHPA “Rules for Individual Flying Members” (Appendix C)
Membership Fees shall be payable by 1st March each year, and the amount of the fees shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.
Members have a right to:
Members must:
The Club shall meet regularly at a venue, time and date agreed by the Club Members and published via the Club Website. Any changes to the meeting venue, time or date, whether temporary or permanent, shall be communicated to the members via email.
Only paid-up Club Members (Full Flying Members) shall be eligible to** **vote on any matters requiring decisions by the Club Membership. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote. A quorum for any decisions at Club Meetings shall be defined as 20% of the Full Flying Membership. Votes may be placed at a Club Meeting, or by email to the Club Chairman or Secretary for those unable to attend the meeting. Decisions shall be agreed by a simple majority vote.
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held on the same day as and preceding the January monthly meeting.
At the AGM Club Members shall:-
An Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by 6 members in writing to the Chairman. An EGM will be announced at the next monthly meeting and shall be held immediately before the ensuing monthly meeting.
The Club Committee shall consist of the following Officers:
and any other such Officers that the Club shall deem appropriate to appoint.
Officers of the Club have no power except those approved by a quorum body of the Club Membership
For Club Committee meetings, a quorum shall consist of Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer, or their nominated representatives, and 50% of the remaining Committee Officers. Voting may be by email for those unable to attend a meeting in person, and decisions shall be agreed by a simple majority vote.
The current Club Committee Officers are listed in Appendix A.
The Club does not provide any practical training in flight skills or safety. This is provided solely through BHPA licensed Training Schools. Members of the Club are responsible for their own safety and decision-making.
Club Members are required to observe any restrictions that may apply according to their BHPA pilot rating.
The Club does occasionally provide training courses in theoretical aspects of flying Hang Gliders and Paragliders with the specific purpose of assisting Club Members in passing the theory exams set by the BHPA to enable them to obtain a more advanced pilot rating.
The Club operates a system of voluntary unpaid Club Coaches under the BHPA “Coaching Club” scheme. Such Coaches will, when requested by the pilot, offer advice to help correct errors or improve skills. At all times the pilot remains solely responsible for his/her own safety and decision-making.
The role of the Safety Officer within the Club is to review any incidents or accidents that may happen from time to time and liaise with any formal investigation by the BHPA, AAIB, police or other authorities as may be necessary. Following any incident or accident the Safety Officer shall aid in a “lessons learnt” analysis in order to provide guidance to members of the Club in avoiding a similar incident or accident.
Formal reporting of any incident or accident remains the responsibility of the pilot involved.
At no time will the any member of the club be responsible for another pilot’s decision-making or safety.
The Club has negotiated agreements with landowners to operate from certain flying sites. These flying sites are listed within the Club’s Sites Guide, and registered with the BHPA. A Sites Officer shall be appointed for each Club Site with responsibility for keeping the Sites Guide up to date, including details of any restrictions that may be applied by the landowners to our operations. In the event of any problems, the Sites Officer shall be the Club’s primary contact with the landowner, supported by other Club Officers as necessary.
The Club Sites, together with the responsible Sites Officers, are listed in Appendix B.
Chairman – Chairs club meetings and co-ordinates the other officers’ activities. Organises Committee meetings as required.
Secretary – Keeps a written record/minutes of club meetings and minutes of committee meetings. Maintains the Club Constitution.
Treasurer – Maintains the financial records and bank accounts. Ensures that site fees are paid and valid expenses are reimbursed.
Membership Secretary – Maintains a record of paid up members of the club. Ensures they are current BHPA members. Maintains the full membership e-mail listing.
Chief Coach – Co-ordinates the activities of the Club Coaches. Leads on coaching issues in the club and raised by the BHPA.
Club Contact – the ‘human’ contact point for enquiries from visiting pilots. Also the regular contact for the club from the BHPA.
| Position | Person Assigned |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Mark Nicol / Tim Pilling |
| Secretary | Alan Hughes |
| Treasurer | Rob Willings |
| Membership Secretary | Chris Leaver |
| Club Contact | Tim Pilling |
| Chief Coach | Tim Pilling |
| HG & PG Safety Officer | Mark Nicol |
| Sites Officer (Dartmoor & East) | Caed Mullin |
| Sites Officer (West) | Colin Blagdon |
| Club Webmaster | Woody Goodricke |
| Fun League Compiler | Martin Foley |
| 1 | Battern | SX330541 | Colin Blagdon |
| 2 | Beesands | SX815400 | Caed Mullin |
| 3 | Belstone | SX613906 | Caed Mullin |
| 4 | Chinkwell | SX727783 | Caed Mullin |
| 5 | Corn Rdge | SX553895 | Caed Mullin |
| 6 | Cox Tor | SX530761 | Caed Mullin |
| 7 | Dizzard | SX175994 | Colin Blagdon |
| 8 | Whitsand | SX401518 | Colin Blagdon |
| 9 | King Tor | SX709815 | Caed Mullin |
| 10 | Maker Hts | SX438515 | Colin Blagdon |
| 11 | Meldon | SX695862 | Caed Mullin |
| 12 | Polhawn | SX422497 | Colin Blagdon |
| 13 | Rame Church | SX427491 | Colin Blagdon |
| 14 | Sourton | SX539898 | Caed Mullin |
| 15 | Strete | SX834456 | Caed Mullin |
| 16 | Struddick | SX295545 | Colin Blagdon |
| 17 | Trethill | SX371536 | Colin Blagdon |
| 18 | Widgery | SX539857 | Caed Mullin |
Recommendations
The BHPA Pilot Handbook sets out recommended practice.
