Safety Committee News

Hey Pilots,

A few weeks ago the safety committee got together for a meeting. We welcomed Stu Ednie and Sean Green to our small group of Safety Officers with Simon A, Brad H, Cyril, Ramon and myself in attendance.

For your information, the safety committee speak about numerous different issues all based around the safety of the public, pilots, our sites and incidents with a focus on reducing issues and incidents into the future.

We decided to start giving an update on this as a few of you may not know what happens behind the scenes and to let you know what was raised. The main topics of conversation were:

– Flying unrated sites. With an awesome increase in the parakite community and a bunch of pilots chasing the air wave, we spoke about the need to respect the rules and ratings of sites and how to go about getting a site approved. The process, FYI, is to contact someone on the safety committee (see website), visit the site with a Safety officer and get it assessed. We would love to increase the number of our sites so please reach out if you would like to fly new sites. Alongside the desire to explore new sites, we have to be mindful of our legal obligations and impact to the public and community. Remember the rule of keeping 25m horizontally and 100ft vertically from any spectators. Remember that only PG5 can fly unrated sites.

– Reduced AIRS reports. Since my last message about AIRS reports I've had 4 come through. Thanks for those who put the effort in. They prompted a couple of points for our next meeting to clean up some more on 2 of our sites.

– A reminder about PG2 Pilots and supervision. As PG2 pilots you are the pilot in command and the Supervisor is simply that, there to ask advice or clarification, not an instructor giving directions. 

– Equipment checks. A recent fatality in the sport (due to leg clips not being done up) was spoken about with a focus on checking your mates on launch. If you don't have a systematic process to clip into whichever harness and wing you are flying we suggest making one and repeating it the same each time. Feel free to watch each other while clipping-in on launches and on landings. There have been many potential incidents stopped by an observer noticing that something looks wrong (risers twisted, speed bar not clipped, reserve handle out, harness not fitted properly for example). Keep it up team. It’s also good to stop talking to those around you while clipping in so you aren’t distracted. It’s not rude, but essential.

– First Aid Kits. In the coming weeks we will have four first-aid kits to be located at Little Green Hill, Single and Lemon, with Winton being added when it re-opens. They will be in waterproof locked cases with a letter-combination lock. The passcode word will be “FIRST”.

We have an absolutely amazing group of people on our club and I feel very privileged to be a part of it. Thanks for looking out for each other and working together to improve your skills and those of others. 

Go well, Safe landings.

Mikey