Pilot Responsibility

[colin keightley]

Im going to have a rant, its not directed at any one person. So dont take it personal.

This bollocks about I didnt know its was lambing blah blah blah, bollocks.

The information didnt smack me in the face. On the forum.

1) the information has been in the same place in the forum for the last 5 years that I know of.

2) Everyone knows its a dodgy time of year, we bitch about it enough so before going anywhere have a look.

As for the sites guide, (and apologies to you Helen as this was before you became sites officer) I have tried to get Sites officers to update it on at least 2 occasions.

I am not going to take on everything. For very little appreciation.

A google group was set up for coaching, it was never used, like John has mentioned I set up the facebook page to let people know if your out. Nada.

How many people know that on the front page it has the date of the next meeting and whats on.???

Keeping up with memberships and who can view what part of the website (Chris has kindly agreed to take that on Thankyou)

My point is after all the ramblings on is that it is the responsibility of the pilot, and the sites officers where given the ability to keep the sites guide up to date.

If your a sites officer please pm antobaird for asisstance in loging on to the sites guide to edit it. It is a completely separate entity to this forum.

I think thats the rant over.

[colin keightley]

I knew I had not finished my rant, usefull tip, the lambing dates dont usually change or not much anyhow, a few years ago i spent an hour putting site closed dates and site opening dates into my phone and set them to repeat every year, so i now get a notification the day before sites open or close.

[brian day]

So when are our sites closed Colin?
Yep, know exactly what you mean!

Trouble is I think these dates and lambing restrictions are all historic and embeded in folk law from the times of hang gliders only. Very few if any paragliders use the bottom landing fields where the young lambs will be. The fell tops and sides we use will be lamb free and could still be used without affecting live stock. And,,,,,,as you say the dates have stayed the same for years, which makes me wonder if anyone has actually bothered to explain to the farmers that the paragliders dont need the lower fields where their stock will be?
It's amaising that the sheep in the Dales and the Penines aren't quiete as fusssy as our own hardy Cheviot sheep?????

[ron freeman]

Brian, paragliding started in our club way back in 1989 ! and the lambing dates have been about the same since 1975 with the odd change now and then.

The reason that farmers were never asked if paragliders could fly through lambing time was because.. only experienced club members can hill side land most of the time in all types of flying conditions and it was not worth the risk if less experienced pilots ended up landing in a field full of sheep with twins (these are normally in the bottom landing fields and must not be disturbed at all costs !)

Sheep with singles are put on tops of the fells keeping twins and singles apart, this is why we don't have access to our sites in lambing time.

Sites that take longer than others is mainly due to larger numbers.