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By SeeMarkFly
#401370
DAVE 858 wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 2:37 pmIs the USHPA going to sanction that individual simply off of a word of mouth?
It has happened in the past, remember Mike Sullivan...

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=22492&start=160

But NOW the USHpA is no longer the middleman in the BUSINESS of hang gliding, they now have the "right" to determine who can teach, and who can fly in order to perpetuate the (for profit) corporation called USHpA.

If I don't pay them do I have to listen to them?
Can I just say I'm "wind sliding" and ignore them?
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By Paul H
#401373
SeeMarkFly wrote: Sat Dec 02, 2017 9:29 pm
But NOW the USHpA is no longer the middleman in the BUSINESS of hang gliding, they now have the "right" to determine who can teach, and who can fly in order to perpetuate the (for profit) corporation called USHpA.

If I don't pay them do I have to listen to them?
Can I just say I'm "wind sliding" and ignore them?
And still the bullshit persists. Nobody has ever had to be a member of or receive permission from the USHPA to teach hang gliding.
It's also perfectly legal for anyone to buy a hang glider and go out and attempt to fly it. The only limiting factors are the F.A.R's. and what ever restrictions are put in place by the landowners where the attempt is going to be made.
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By Willmrx
#401375
The main reason I posted this topic was because I was told ,that I pilot that had crashed and was killed, was having a issue with Oxycontin. He was prescribed it after some medical issues. I, and others, believe it was a factor, in his death. Plus I am taken back by the pilots that have NOT commented on this thread , more so then the pilots that have.
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By JR
#401392
I was diagnosed with throat cancer May 1st and spent the summer being radiated every day and chemo’d once a week. The radiation really puts the hurt on your mouth and throat making it very difficult to eat solid food. In order to be able to swallow food, I was prescribed fentanyl patches and oxycodone for the breakthrough pain. I was on the opioids for a few months and they basically saved me from having to use a PEG tube for sustenance. I was taking the minimum dosage I needed to deal with the pain and I never felt “buzzed” or high, but the longer you take opiates, the more dosage you need to have the same effectiveness. After completing my treatments, I got a clean bill of health and gradually weaned off the drugs. As much as I wanted to fly, I waited until I was off the pain-killers before going to the hill.
JR
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By lizzard
#401470
Willmrx wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2017 1:46 am The main reason I posted this topic was because I was told ,that I pilot that had crashed and was killed, was having a issue with Oxycontin. He was prescribed it after some medical issues. I, and others, believe it was a factor, in his death. Plus I am taken back by the pilots that have NOT commented on this thread , more so then the pilots that have.
Aviation and particularly Hang gliding demand respect and its not a matter of what you are on ,it is a matter of correctly assessing your ability on the day ,no matter if drugs are involved or not .

Screw up and you are likely to get bittern very hard !

The drugs are another layer that people who are on things like oxy are aware of and I speak from experience when I say that I get less flying when using it and curse the fact that I have to sometimes ...and if on occasion it is the difference in being able to fly safely and not I will make that decision willfully as would most all responsible flyers.

Those who are not responsible ,drugs or not, are the reason that compulsory insurance is justified and they will be weeded out of the gene pool eventually.

I would add that stable coastal air is the only environment that this would apply .
In my experience hang gliders work best and far more safely in coastal air but that is a different discussion.

In the early days of hang gliding this weeding out of the gene pool happened more quickly and more violently.
Some of the comments here are discriminatory and bigoted but only through ignorance .
To the guy who died on oxy .all i can say is ,at least he died doing what he loved and I can only hope he was the only casualty. Rest well .....
We all fly with some small element of danger and excitement ,many of us seek it out by seeing just how skill full we can be .
A true drug addict has far more mental health issues than anybody with real pain ,even though they may be dependent to some degree .
It is unlikely that a junkie would develop the discipline to fly safely ,let alone get past any decent instructor.
My caution to those who are on meds and fly is just simply to ask yourself once more just before hang check .Is this a good decision?
There is no shame in packing up and you have had some exercise and excitement getting to hang check haven't you?

But doesn't this all apply to everyone here anyway?