Grants Awarded 2003 – 2012

Woodrat Mountain – Fiasco Landing Zone (LZ) Preservation Project

This grant was given to Dave and Pamela Parker, the owners of the Fiasco LZ at Woodrat Mountain in Oregon, in an effort to help protect the site and prepare it for the US National Paragliding Championships held on June 17th – 24th 2012. The total award of $12,727, from the Site Preservation Fund, enabled them to use it for the burying of power lines. The exciting part about this particular project is that it is leading to the creation of a permanent legal easement for use of the LZ by USHPA members. This is a major accomplishment as it will be the first permanent deeded easement to support recreational free flight in the Rogue Valley area. This project will also be valuable for USHPA as a way to demonstrate efforts to mitigate risk at important flying sites. It will support their work toward pursuing better risk management efforts.

Villa Grove, Co Launch & Road Maintenance, (4-28-12)

This $2,500 grant from the Site Preservation Fund was made to Hayden Pass HG Club + Rocky Mountain HG & PG Association for the improvement of their Landing Zone at this flying site in Villa Grove, Colorado. Their site was in need of critical road maintenance without which threatened to shut the site down. The launch is located on public lands and a four-wheel drive road provides access to the site and surrounding areas for many recreational users. The government had not invested in road maintenance and, with the heavy use by pilots and others, the road condition had continually degraded. Water and vehicle erosion made much of the road, especially the last stretch just below launch, almost unusable. In particular, the launch was unsuitable for paraglider pilots. On July 4th 2011 a meeting was held for a large number of persons. The local clubs were eager to make the launch and access to it safer. Fred Kaemerer and Larry & Tiffany Smith were the points of contact for this project.

Live the Dream Film Proposal (4/28/2012)

The grant, awarded for $4,000 from the Safety and Education Fund, helped Seth Warren and Sara Close fund for the development of the their hang gliding training and promotional film Live the Dream. The grant aided them in the development and distribution process of the film, supporting FFF’s mission to fund safety and educational efforts having do with free flight. This project is unique and valuable in that it demonstrates important truths and joys about the sport of hang gliding. It provides a view of learning to become a pilot over time and shows various stages of a pilot’s development. In addition, this story, told from the point of view of a newly trained female pilot, helps to de-mystify many aspects of the sports risks and/or perceived dangers for a whole new audience.

2011 Men’s HG Competition Funding Request (4/16/2011)

This was a grant of $2,945 from the Men’s HG Comp Fund toward the US Men’s Hang Gliding Team. This primarily covered pilot Entry fees in the 2011 World Hang Gliding Championships at Monte Cucco, Italy. The US was awarded 6 pilot slots. The team consisted of Dustin Martin, Zac Majors, Jeff Shapiro, Jeff O’Brien, Derreck Turner, and James Stinnet. Considering that the funds were available, the goal of the FFF in funding this effort was to support the team as best as we could.

2011 US Paragliding Team Comp Request (4/16/2011)

This was a grant for a total amount of $4,350 from the Paragliding Competition Fund toward the US Paragliding Team. This covered pilot entry fees at the Paragliding Worlds held in Piedrahita, Spain. Attending pilots were to be Josh Cohen, Jack Brown, Brad Gunnuscio, Meredyth Malocsay, and Nick Greece. The team leader was Rob Sporrer. Considering that the funds were available, the FFF’s goal in funding this effort was to support the team as best as we could.

2011 US Red Bull X-Alps Team (06/07/11)

This was a grant of $750 from the Paragliding Competition Fund. This was a token amount, but the FFF wanted to be supportive of this kind of competition initiative which shows creativity and challenge in new ways. We knew the event would draw important media coverage to the Sport of Paragliding and hence we were eager to support increased coverage of the sport.

RVHPA – Whaleback Launch Improvement Project, Part 1, (4/16/2011)

The Whaleback is a spectacular flying site located on the Klamath National Forest in far Northern California, next to Mt. Shasta. With the stunning backdrop of a snow-clad volcano, it offers a diversity of flying experiences from smooth evening flights to epic XC adventures over challenging terrain. The united efforts of the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (RVHPA) and the FFF to improve LZ have allowed for the re-opening of the site, after several years of declining use; and as a result, its popularity is now skyrocketing. Part one of the project was completed, but the launch site still had serious safety and usability issues for paragliding that were addressed in part two of the project.
Originally developed as a flying site in the late 1980’s, popular throughout the 1990s, with pilots from Northern California and Southern Oregon, The Whaleback had essentially become a lost site by the late 2000’s. More than 15 years without maintenance allowed sagebrush to overtake the LZ, rendering it unusable to all but the most intrepid paraglider pilots. Eventually hang glider pilots stopped flying the site entirely.

With needed improvements the site has re-opened again and is now in great usable form. This grant was for $5,500 from the Site Preservation Fund.

RVHPA – Whaleback Grant Proposal, Part 2, (8/16/2011)

This additional grant for $2,500, from the Site Preservation Fund, helped the RVHPA complete the Launch improvements. After these initial improvements had been finished, the contouring ground was not as steep to make the launch safe for both hang gliders and paragliders, or to accommodate less-skilled pilots to make safe launches. Additional work was requested to be done on parts of the launch slope as well. The club was eager to have this work performed while they still had heavy equipment on-site, thus reducing costs. Additional Funding enabled RVHPA to make the practical and important safety finishes to their original project that the FFF felt were prudent.

Hillcrest Open Space Fund Grant – Butte Montana Site Improvement (10/11/2011)

For this initiative, the FFF was able to show support for a much larger long-term effort that has been ongoing for land use planning of an important area near Butte Montana. As a result of this project, the Butte-Silver Bow City/County Government, (B-SB) and the Skyline Sportsmen’s Association will restore and develop a 57-acre parcel, known as the Hillcrest Open Space area, into a natural, passive recreational park. The project will include building and maintaining children’s fishing pond, restoring Reese Creek and the adjacent riparian and upland natural areas, outdoor education stations, walking/biking trails, grading and seeding of native grasses to improve an existing eight acre hang glider/paraglider landing zone, and other park amenities to complement the recreational uses and restored natural areas.

The project includes assuring access and recreational use of the area for hang gliding and paragliding into the future. The project was much broader than Hang Gliding and Paragliding alone, but the interests of the free flight communities were included in the project. The total funding for the project was estimated to be $2,337,134. This was to be composed of a number of funding sources. The largest one was a grant funded through an UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN RESTORATION, UCFRBR, Grant received by Butte Montana for $1,566,998 dollars. The Butte area Skyline Sports Association was also contributing $10,000. Members of the Montana Hang Gliding Association approached the FFF to determine if we were able to provide support to this large initiative to represent interests from the free flight community. The FFF agreed to fund $10,000 from the Site Preservation Fund with matching support of $2,000 from the local flight club. This project represents an important way that the Foundation can participate on a regional level with protection/restoration initiatives that impact long term usage considerations. By participating at this level we were able to secure long term usage rights in an area where, if effort had not been made, it is possible that free flight usage could have been altogether retracted.

High Rock Improvement Project (12/13/2011)

This grant for $3,150 from the Site Preservation Fund represents the Capital Hang Gliding Association, CHGPA’s excellent example of the commitment it takes to carry this free flight sport to the next generation and beyond! High Rock, near Thurmont Maryland is a national treasure for Hang Gliding. Perched 1,200ft above the surrounding area in the Catoctin mountain range, High Rock is the oldest cliff launch site in the East, and it is the closest hang gliding site in proximity to the many pilots who live in the Washington DC Area. Management of the site is shared between CHGPA and the Maryland Hang Gliding Association, MHGA. It is a significant site which has suffered from erosion, affecting the safety and accessibility of the launch and landing zone.

The launch pad was poured from concrete atop the foundations of a historic lookout pavilion. However, erosion has eaten away the surrounding fill and placed the steps out of reach for anyone carrying a glider. Numerous attempts to scramble up to the launch compromised safety, especially windy conditions strong enough to soar the ridge. Upon being informed, and with the help of assistance from the FFF, the CHGPA and MHGA were able to coordinate and hire a contractor to improve the access by pouring a large concrete staircase to the ramp.

The traditional landing field for the site sits directly below launch on private land that has been saved for the landing of gliders. The private road to the landing field has been used since the beginning of high flight, but was washed away due to erosion and a deteriorated culvert. Even 4WD SUVs were unable to navigate the road. This causes an unacceptable safety risk in case emergency access is required. The CHGPA and MHGA also coordinated with the landowner to install a new culvert and repair the road leading to the landing field as an additional part of the project.

Reopening of Mount Equinox and Ramp Building Project (Awarded 1/25/2010)

This $2750 grant provides funding for the rebuilding of a Hang Gliding Launch Ramp in Mt. Equinox in Vermont. The project supports restoration of a very good high flying site in Vermont that has been closed for some years.

This project is a 1st step in the direction to open Mt. Equinox to the complete free flight community. In the Spring of 2010, as a later phase, VHGA will be fixing that issue so both Hang Glider and Paraglider wings can enjoy this site. This will be a 1st for Paraglider flight from Mt. Equinox. Contact the Vermont Hang Gliding Association for more up to date news. The Web Site is: Info about Mt. Equinox

The Launch for The Pulpit in McConnelsburg, PA (Awarded 1/25/2010)

This $2500 grant was awarded to the Capital Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and involved widening and lengthening the launch at this site to make it suitable for forward and reverse paragliding launches in a wider variety of conditions. It also allowed for hang glider pilots to self-launch more efficiently. The work required the hiring of a contractor and the use heavy equipment, including an excavator.

Lookout Mountain (Colorado) Flight Park Master Plan Development Grant (Awarded 1/25/2010)

This $3500 grant to the Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (RMHPA) provides funding for supporting the overall goal of developing a Flight Park Master Plan for the Lookout Mountain site in Golden Colorado – supporting the establishment of a hang gliding and paragliding flight park.

It seeds the beginning of an ambitious project multi-stage project. This grant will hopefully open the door to other larger more comprehensive grants by enabling RMHPA to develop a comprehensive plan which will be used later in the procurement of other grants.

The Lookout launch is located on Jefferson County Open Space property and is not considered to be threatened. However, as all hang gliding and paragliding pilots know, the launch is only as good at the landing zone(s) that accompany it. In the case of Lookout Mountain, the LZ is owned by the Colorado School of Mines and the City of Golden. Both entities are in dire need of space to accommodate the growing population. The Lookout LZ is currently on the drawing boards of both city and University planners. To date, the local USHPA chapter (Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association – RMHGA.org) has protected the site with assertive lobbying and relationship building. However, these are but stopgaps to what may be the inevitable loss of the site if a permanent solution is not instituted.

Tiger Mtn LZ Parking Expansion(Awarded 4/17/2010)

A matching grant of $10,000 was awarded to the Northwest Paragliding Club and Cloudbase Country Club for use in the Tiger Mountain LZ Parking Expansion. This will assure that this imporant Seattle WA area site is maintained and improved to make it safe for future generations of pilots. It involes at least 2 stages: 1st a stage involving LZ tree removal, and then a 2nd stage involving parking lot improvements. These actions will potentially help the Clubs prevent the threat of site closure by the County if improvements are not made.

City of Moore, Idaho Hang Glider / Paraglider Shower / Restroom Project (Awarded 4/17/2010)

The City of Moore, Idaho has been a long time supporter of hang gliding and paragliding at King Mountain in Idaho. In conjunction with the US National Hang Gliding Championships held there last year, the City put in two additional bathroom with showers and an on-demand hot water heater for the pilots.

The shower facilities at the Moore Park are were 90% complete however they needed to pay for additional costs to bring the facilities to code. This grant was for $1500 to the City of Moore to pay for the additional costs to bring the facilities to code and compliance with the regulating authorities.

Buffalo Mt. Flyers Multi Site Improvement/Addition/Expansion Project (Awarded 4/17/2010)

This matching grant awarded Buffalo Mountain Flyers of Talihina, Inc. in Oklahoma $6000. This was to assist them in site preservation on a number of sites.

BMF is currently in the midst of a substantial number of improvements to their flying sites,. They are entering a 3rd year of activity on these projects. Their 3 year project includes creating 3 additional launches at existing mountain sites, 1 new mountain site, and improving the size and condition of LZ’s at 2 existing sites, in order to increase the wind directions and conditions in which they can fly, increase PG flyability, and improve safety.

They have insured 4 different launch sites with associated landing areas in the Ouachita Mountains of SE Oklahoma: Buffalo Mountain, Heavener Runestone, Panorama Vista, and Little Yancey. More information about these sites can be seen at http://www.ouachitahanggliding.com/Sites/sites.html

Soaring 100 Event (9-29-2010)

This $2,000 grant was a matching grant with the USHPA, given to support the 100th Anniversary of Soaring Flight held at Kitty Hawk, NC in Oct 2011 out of the Safety and Education Fund. This was an important contribution that gave the Free Flight Community important visibility in an historic event in US aviation. It assured that Hang Gliding and Paragliding had relevance and an important role in the event. FFF was pleased to sponsor such a well attended and historic event.

ABLE PILOT – 2010 Adaptive Paragliding Grant Request 2 (Awarded 4/17/2010)

This matching grant for $5000 will continue to address the engineering and design challenges that have prevented paragliding instructors from safely accommodating the instructional and adaptive needs of persons with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). This application requested financial assistance to continue the process of perfecting the design, build and testing of new paragliding flight chair/harnesses that meet several well-defined characteristics and criteria. The project seeks to develop a better paragliding flight chair/harness prototype as a result.

For more information go to http://www.ablepilot.com or to the article: Pilot Program Set to Launch Collaboration Between ABLE Pilot and the University of Utah Department of Mechanical Engineering

Aerobatics Judges Training Grant (Awarded 3/15/2010)

This grant was awarded to the USHPA Aerobatics Sub Committee to up to a maximum of $1000 to assist them with the development of a mechanism whereby more Aerobatic Judges could be trained.

USHPA’s strategic plan plots a course for the growth of hang gliding and paragliding in the United States. Part of the growth plan is a Marketing Plan that was approved by USHPA’s board of directors in 2008. This marketing plan relies in part on event marketing for the purposes of public awareness and corporate sponsorship. USHPA is also restructuring its competition program.

Aerobatic competition is a highly skilled and technical form of hang gliding and paragliding, however, it is arguably the best form of competition for public spectators and corporate sponsorship. The hang gliding aerobatic community is actively participating in USHPA’s new competition restructure project and The Aerobatics Subcommittee is excited at the future possibilities this form of flying can have.

Currently, one of the largest barriers to hang gliding aerobatics competitions in the U.S. is the lack of trained judges which are required for event validity. Each hang gliding aerobatics contest requires 3 – 5 judges to properly score glider maneuvers from various angels.

This effort effort is expected to be helpful to USHPA.

2010 Womens HG Team Funding to World Championships – Tegleberg, Germany (Awarded 3/01/2010)

This grant awarded $1005 to the Women’s HG Team to attend the World Championships. It was for entry fees alone for one team leader and one pilot participant, Linda Salamone.

2010 Worlds – US Men’s HG Team Funding (Awarded 04/05/2010)

This grant awarded $607 to the Men’s HG Team for Brian Porter’s entry fees for US Class II World Team competition.

FarView Flying Tow Site Improvement, Stowe, OH

This $4000 grant provides funding for a better facility at a local airport in Stowe, Ohio where hang gliding activities have been conducted for 15 years. Before this project, there was no infrastructure enabling the Ohio Flyer’s Club to permanently store their aerotow tug in a ready-to fly configuration. Space will be provided where tow equipment and gear is well stored for ease of use and helps strengthen the Ohio Flyer’s Club flight operations. The grant enables the Club to have an enduring presence to ensure operations for years to come. Total cost of the project is projected to be $27,000 including donated labor and equipment.

• A matching grant of $3000 to the US Paragliding Team for the 2009 Comp, entry fees alone for the competition held in Valle De Brava, Mexico.
• A matching grant of $2160.32 to the US Hang Gliding World Team for the 2009 Comp, entry fees alone for the Competition held in Laragne/Chabre, France.

2009 InterMountain Paragliding League Funding

A grant of $392 to the InterMountain Paragliding League was granted to seed the start of this important new flying group and should help interest a growing group of pilots. Jugdeep Aggarwal is the lead POC for the League in Santa Cruz CA. It is anticipated that once this league has been setup for this year and enough people will be trained in all aspects of the league for it to become self funding and will not require further support. The Web Site is: http://www.leaguemeet.com

Mount Sentinel Native Grassland Restoration,
U. of Montana HG and PG Club

Brian Steubs, of the University of Montana, was awarded $820 toward the restoration of native grasslands on the face of Mt. Sentinel in Missoula, MT.

Kirkridge Access Project, Watergap HG Club

The Watergap Hang Gliding Club was awarded a matching grant for $1823 toward the Club’s required portion of funds needed to support a road on the top of Kirkridge in Stewartsville, NJ.

Snow King Launch Improvement, Jackson Hole Free Flight Club

Kevin and Melanie Pfister of the Jackson Hole Free Flight Club were awarded $787 to conduct launch improvement work at the Jackson Hole, Snow King Launch Site.

Bidwell Park Environmental Review,Town of Chico, CA

In conjunction with Jon Stallman’s efforts, the town of Chico, CA, was awarded a grant of $1500 towards efforts to conduct an environmental review of the Bidwell Park Site. This is part of a larger effort to preserve the site and remove references to paragliding from restrictive city ordinances.

Lake Elsinor Legal Assistance Fund,Lake Elsinor Hang Gliding Club

This was a third part of an ongoing effort over the past few years to assist the well known Lake Elsinore Hang Gliding Club raise addidtional site preservation funds of amount of $3121. This endoses the clubs strong efforts continue trying to support the site for future use.

The Dunlap Flight Park Improvement Project,
Bay Area Paragliding Association

A grant award of $2650 was made to the Dunlap CA site for overall improvement of the site for Paragliding. This was done in assistance with much help from the Bay Area Paragliding Assoc.

Mingus Mt. Paragliding Launch Improvements,
Arizona Hang Gliding Association

Mingus Mountain in Arizona was helped with a matching grant of $8000 to complete a launch preservation project and develop the site appropriately to accomodate paragiding. This was coodingated thru Hal Haden and the Arizona Hang Gliding. Assoc.

Adaptive Paragliding Training Protocol and Development Grant, Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

In conjunction with Mark Gaskill of the Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Assoc., a grant for $3402 was given to support the overall goal of developing and testing a formal paragliding and hang gliding instructional protocol for student pilots with various disabilities.

• A matching grant of $1,616 to the US Women’s Hang Gliding World Team for entry fee’s alone.
• A matching grant of $780 to the US Hang Gliding World Team Comp for entry fees alone.

• A matching grant of $4,800 to the Crestline Soaring Society for Andy Jackson Airpark. See 2006 for the first part of this project.
• A matching grant of $10,000 to the Valley Floor Restoration Partners in Telluride, CO for the preservation of the Telluride site.
• A grant of $834 to Frank Lenard of the So. Arizona Hang Gliding Association for the preservation of Miller Canyon.
• A grant of $1000 to the Lake Elsinor Hang Glding Club in effort to help them with the cost of litigation to preserve the Lake Elsinore Site in southern California

• A matching grant of $1,500 to the US Hang Gliding Team for entry fee’s alone.
• A matching grant of $1,700 to the US Paragliding Team for entry fees alone.
• A grant of $2000 to Team USA for the Redbull XAlps Challenge

• A $9,000 matching grant to the Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association for improvements required by the State of Utah to secure the south side of the Point of the Mountain as a dedicated flight park.
• A $4,200 grant to the Andy Jackson Airpark via the Crestline Soaring Society, in San Bernedino, CA. This was the first part of a grant to enable the Crestline Soarling Society to procure a tracker at auction for making site improvements critical at the Andy Jackson Airpark. A second grant in 2007 was made for a total of $9000 in matching funds for this project.
• A $4,180 matching grant provided to the Elsinor Hang Gliding Association to fight legal battles for the presevation of the Elsinor Hang Gliding Site in southern California.

• Matching grant of $4500 to Elsinore.
• Standby commitment of $2,000 by an initiative of the Trustees to support extraordinary expenses that may be incurred by the USHPA in their response to the Draft 2006 National Park Service Management Policy (unused as of the close of the response, February 18, 2006).
• Matching grant of $17,500 for the purchase of the Sand Turn LZ in Wyoming (not yet funded).
• Matching grant of $10,000 for purchase and easement of the West Rutland Launch in Vermont.
• Legal assistance grant to the Tennessee Tree Toppers totaling $3,015 for the establishment of a land trust agreement to protect forever the Henson’s Gap site in Tennessee.

• Matching grant of $2,000, in association with the USHPA, for the Hang Gliding Scooter Tow Instructors Clinic in February, 2006, in Groveland, Florida.
• Matching grant of $816 to Nick Davila for a Hang Gliding DVD.

The Foundation continues to consolidate its operating structure. We now have four main funds:

• General Fund
• Site Preservation Fund
• Education & Safety Fund
• Competition Fund

The Competition Fund has three targeted areas:

• Hang Gliding Competition Fund
• Women’s HG Competition Fund
• Paragliding Competition Fund

It is the intent of the Foundation to provide generic funding in these areas to “worthwhile” initiatives that are reviewed and accepted by the Foundation Trustees.

In Feb 2005 three operation committees were formed:

• Grant Processing
• Marketing & Development
• Operations

Participants on each of these committees will focus on these critical areas for the Foundation. The chairs of the three subcommittees are:

• Grant Processing: Douglas Sharpe
• Marketing: Jonathan Kelly
• Development: Lisa Tate
• Operations: Russ Locke
• Within Operations is a Bylaws Subcommittee headed by Bill Bolosky

The Foundation continues to consolidate its operating structure. We now have four main funds:

• General Fund
• Site Preservation Fund
• Education & Safety Fund
• Competition Fund

The Competition Fund has three targeted areas:

• Hang Gliding Competition Fund
• Women’s HG Competition Fund
• Paragliding Competition Fund

It is the intent of the Foundation to provide generic funding in these areas to “worthwhile” initiatives that are reviewed and accepted by the Foundation Trustees.

In Feb 2005 three operation committees were formed:

• Grant Processing
• Marketing & Development
• Operations

Participants on each of these committees will focus on these critical areas for the Foundation. The chairs of the three subcommittees are:

• Grant Processing: Douglas Sharpe
• Marketing: Jonathan Kelly
• Development: Lisa Tate
• Operations: Russ Locke
• Within Operations is a Bylaws Subcommittee headed by Bill Bolosky

• Matching grant of $1,500 for the production of a cross-country site guide for King Mountain, Idaho, (funded).
• Grant underwriting the cost of running a hang gliding Instructor Certification Program, (program supported itself and required no funding).
• $500 grant to train new meet directors (funded).

• Grant of $1,150 to the US Hang Gliding National Team to cover entry fees for the 2006 Class 5 Hang Gliding Worlds.

A mentor (Advocate) program was developed to assist in the grant application process. The intent of this program is to help applicants through the grant process so a complete and accurate document is prepared for presentation to the Foundation. Contact the Grant Committee if you have questions and need a mentor.

• Grant of $5,000 to the Rogollo Foundation for a trade show display booth for the 2003 Centennial of Flight at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The grant was funded but then recalled when the booth could not be delivered on time.
• Grant to Alan Chuculate for $1000 for paragliding aero towing research and testing.
• Grant of $1,150 to the US Hang Gliding National Team to cover entry fees for the 2006 Class 5 Hang Gliding Worlds
• Grant of $4,000 to the US Women’s Hang Gliding National Team to cover entry fees for the 2006 Women’s World Hang Gliding competition in Groveland, FL
• Grants totaling $7136 to the US Hang Gliding National Team members to cover entry fees for World Meets in Austria and Australia
• Grant of $2,675 to the US Paragliding National Team members to cover entry fees for the Paragliding World Meet