Grants Awarded 2010

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.

Chelan WA Paragliding World Cup Meet Targeted Fund, (Special Fund Setup and Grant Awarded 4/17/2010)

In an effort to support tax deductable giving toward a Targeted Purpose a new special targeted Fund was established by the Foundation For Free flight to support contributions toward the Chelan WA Paragliding World Meet that is happening in July 2010.

After the fund was established a grant award to it was made to matching whatever amount has been raised for the fund by July 1st, 2010 to a max of $10,000.

Please note this is a Special FFF Targeted Fund that is separate from the regular FFF Funds. It was created this year to support a special big event.

The United States has the honor of hosting a Paragliding World Cup (PWC) event. This is only the second time this competition has been held in the US, so it is highly anticipated by US paragliding pilots and pilots throughout the world. Funding for this event falls short of the expectations the PWC has for their events hence the grant award.