County Closes Hemet-Ryan Gliderport - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

On Aug 3, 1:59*pm, HoUdino wrote:
* I am sad to report the County of Riverside California has ordered
the closure of HMT Gliderport as of Sept 31st. *We got this word, out
of the blue, a few weeks ago. *We were stunned as we had no warning.

* We need an immediate letter campaign to the County of Riverside to
persude them to NOT close the gliderport at Hemet-Ryan,
[SNIP]

Larry Tuohino
OCSA President
SSA R12 Governor

Larry,

I fly with Skyline Soaring Club (http://skylinesoaring.org) and we
survived a three-year 'disagreement' that sounds in some ways similar.
With real political tact and public and private pressure those that
were local and in favor won out but it was very serious for us. Your
letter writing compaign is a good start. As you point out - loud
claims about FAA rules and torts are counterproductive.

I just submitted to the Supr. Stone's feedback page (updated link):
....this letter (in hopes it might help others):

Dear Supervisor Stone,

I oppose the closure of Hemet Ryan Airport to glider operations.
Please, we need your help to preserve this great legacy of aviation
unique to the Third District. I have flown from many mixed glider-
power airports and they are absolutely safe. Further, glider
operations are a profitable source of income, attention, and usage for
the airport and the community. Not only is Hemet Ryan famous through
out the gliding aviation community but it is the only option for
glider operations within reasonable driving distance of your
District.

I thank you for your assistance in preserving this important part of
our nation's aviation heritage.

Respectfully yours,
Richard Freytag
ASW-20c [H3]

In the words of Bon Homme Richard's captain, naval hero John Paul
Jones, when asked to surrender, "I (we) have not begun to fight".

The County is scrambling...I wouldn't want to be in today's EDA staff
meeting.

LT



Glider pilots react to Oct. 1 deadline to move from Hemet-Ryan
airport

Valley News Staff

Friday, September 18th, 2009.
Issue 38, Volume 9.


RIVERSIDE - Local glider pilots were "freaking out'' today after
learning they must move their equipment out of Hemet-Ryan Airport by
Oct. 1.

The county wants to stop all glider operations at Hemet-Ryan, citing
safety concerns and potential future conflicts the gliders might have
with water-dropping air tankers, law enforcement aircraft and commuter
flights at the airfield.

Glider enthusiasts say the airport is currently under-used and that
glider traffic brings more revenue to the area.

Earlier, they were told they would have months to move their gliders,
but this week they learned that Riverside County officials want them
to move the equipment in less than two weeks -- a deadline one pilot
called ``completely unreasonable.''

"There are a lot of guys freaking out here,'' said Larry Tuohino, an
aviator and president of the Orange County Sailplane Association. "One
of our members just had emergency knee surgery. He's not going to be
able to move his stuff. We've got some members with age and medical
issues, and having additional time makes a big difference.''

During the Sept. 1 Board of Supervisors' meeting, board Chairman Jeff
Stone said glider pilots should have three to six months beyond the
Oct. 1 deadline previously set by the county's Economic Development
Agency to haul away their sailplanes and associated equipment.

"This airport is transforming itself,'' Stone said during the Sept. 1
meeting. "We've had more (firefighting) air attack airplanes go into
Hemet-Ryan than anywhere in California. It's strategic. We're not
going to get away from the compatibility issue.''

He agreed the Oct. 1 deadline to remove the 30 to 50 gliders stored on
an 8-acre lot at the airport was too soon and requested that EDA grant
the additional time.

But Tuohino said in the last several days, members from his
organization and other glider pilots were informed the original
deadline will stand.

According to EDA spokesman Tom Freeman, the agency received a letter
shortly after the Sept. 1 meeting stating "in very strong language''
that glider operations were to be halted immediately.

"Unfortunately, we're not able to honor the supervisor's extension,''
Freeman said. "It's simply because we must comply with the guidelines
placed on us.''

He said the letter came from either Caltrans, which has inspecting
authority over public airfields across the state, or from the Federal
Aviation Administration.

"It's extremely difficult for me to believe that's true from a process
point of view,'' said Tuohino. "That sounds completely fallacious.''

His organization has demanded the county provide copies of
correspondence between it and any other state or federal agencies
regarding sailplane operations at Hemet-Ryan.

The airfield, located just west of Hemet, has been a hub for
recreational flying and fire suppression operations for more than 40
years.

Earlier this summer, Larry Howell, who runs Sailplane Enterprises
Inc., asked the county for an early termination of his lease at the
airport, saying business had dropped significantly during the recent
economic downturn.

The board, following EDA's recommendation, agreed to end the lease --
and at the same time ordered a halt to glider flying in general.

Freeman said too many safety hazards have cropped up, resulting in
"fatalities, injury and serious violations of regulations.''

Last weekend, a 70-year-old glider pilot was fatally injured during
takeoff from an airport in Lake Elsinore, possibly because the glider
detached prematurely from the airplane that was towing it into the
air.

"The county has been completely unreasonable. Their style is
appalling,'' said Tuohino. "Do we have our incidents? Every airport
has its incidents. We've had glider operations going on there since
the early 70s.

Nobody has come down on us until now. Why? Because they want to
redevelop the airport into a jet port.''

Tuohino questioned the wisdom of expanding Hemet-Ryan to facilitate
commuter operations when French Valley Aiport, 12 miles away, provides
the same services.

"French Valley Airport is a white elephant,'' he said. ``The county's
not making any money. Half or less of the space there is leased.''

He complained that county budget officials fail to discern the
economic benefit of glider pilots, trainees, their families and
friends coming to Hemet-Ryan and spending money on gas, food and
lodging. He said sailplane owners also pay the county annual fees to
park their aircraft at the field.

"We are the most active operation at Hemet-Ryan,'' said Tuohino. ``We
do more operations on the glider side than everything else on the
power side.''

According to the aviator, the hazards Caltrans has listed in
connection with sailplane operations are "extremely correctable.''

He said one of the biggest issues is tow-plane pilots using a
makeshift runway extension.

"Why that hasn't been corrected is beyond us,'' he said. ``The county
has dug up meaningless safety issues and thrown them at us because
that's the only way they could get us off the field.''

With airport expansion expected to take another three to five years,
Tuohino found it ``bizarre'' the county would rush to terminate
sailplane operations.

He said the Orange County Sailplane Association and other aviator
groups are appealing the county's decision to the FAA.

"The FAA requires that public airports support all forms of aviation
so long as they are safe -- that's their basic mantra,'' Tuohino
said.

The FAA and CalTrans reported today that, despite public comments by
the County to the contrary, they have sent no letter to the County
demanding the halting of glider operations at HMT on Oct 1st. The
County has been caught with its pants down. It has over spun the
story.

Thank you to everyone who has sent letters to Supr Stone. Those
letters got us the attention we needed. The battle is still on, but
now we are no longer ignored by the County.

Everyone can hold off on sending in any new letters for the
moment...looks like Tehachapi needs the support now?

BUT if you want to flame a bit in support of HMT...via the comment
sections of the various news stories and blogs (which seem to be
popping up everywhere), that can be still very helpful. Reporters
look at the comments to follow the readers mood and count the comments
to judge whether to continue writing on the subject...we don't want
local coverage to drop the story.

You can follow the news on our website at:
http://groups.google.com/group/save-...et-today?hl=en Or
just Google the word combo: Hemet Glider News

LT

"The FAA requires that public airports support all forms of aviation
so long as they are safe -- that's their basic mantra,'' Tuohino
said.

Does this mean I can not fly my Motor Glider into Hemet anymore?

And if my Grob 109 Motor glider is banned as well then by nature of
similar operating
principles pretty much every taildragger Cessna, LSA or whatever
should also be "Unsafe"
and therefore banned from using Hemet-Ryan airport?

And is the Pipistrel Virus Motor Glider also banned, which would then
by similar operating
principles eliminate all the other tricycle gear aircraft as well.

I guess that just leaves the Jets and Fire Fighting
aircraft......dumb.

If tow launched Gliders are seen as dangerous at airports then I
suspect these closings are going to accelerate
as once the precedent is set there will be little to stop it.

It sounds like Hemet is going to need state and federal intervention
to save gliding at Hemet.