Wings of Rogallo Northern California Hang Glider Association

ED LEVIN SITE PROCEDURES AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS (“SITE PROCEDURES”)

February 2018

I. INTRODUCTION. The Wings of Rogallo Northern California Hang Glider Association (WOR) is designated by the County of Santa Clara, Parks and Recreation Department through a special use permit to administer all hang gliding and paragliding activities within Ed R. Levin County Park. The purpose of these procedures is to inform pilots of their responsibilities while flying at Ed Levin. This is essential to insure maximum safety and protect access to the site for the entire flying community.

II. SITE DESCRIPTION. Ed Levin is an ideal site for hang gliding and paragliding at all skill levels. It contains a wide variety of launch areas at different elevations, a large, clear, level landing area, and prevailing wind/weather conditions that are ideally suited to safe and relaxed hang gliding and paragliding. Signs are posted at the site to provide information regarding the various launches and other site features.

The site contains two upper launch areas, the north launch of approximately 1500-ft vertical (closed until further notice) and the south launch area. The south launch area contains several closely spaced launches. The l750-ft launch is directly in front of the old base (no longer used) for an earlier wind sock. To the rear of the 1750-ft launch is the back side launch. The tower launch is immediately adjacent to the 1750-ft launch and in front of the microwave antennas. There are two mid-level launches of 300-ft and 600-ft vertical. Both the upper and mid-level launches are accessible by a road with restricted access and marked with warning signs. The designated landing area is marked on the map (see last page of this document). A spot landing bullseye is located in the northern portion of the landing area.

The training areas include three lower-level launches on the 40-ft, 50- ft, and 60-ft hills surrounding the landing area as marked on the map. These training areas are located within and surrounding the landing area, below the access road, and include launches facing NW, W, SW, E, and SE. There is a specific landing zone marked for each of these training areas. Above the access road, two walk-up training launches are available at the 100-ft and 200-ft levels below the 300-ft mid-level launch. Calibrated wind socks that inflate fully at 15 mph wind speed are installed at the site at the 1750-ft, 600-ft, and 300-ft launches, and in the center of the landing area.

A telephone for emergency communication is located in a protective enclosure at the 1750-ft launch. A pay telephone is located just outside the gate entrance to the landing area. Also located at the south entrance to the landing area is a lockbox containing site materials and emergency first-aid equipment. An automatic phone-in weather station (408-946-9516) installed at the 1750-ft launch provides temperature as well as the instantaneous and 15-minute average wind velocity and direction.

Flying activity at Ed Levin Park is permitted from opening time at 8:00 AM until the posted flying activity closing time, which is about one hour before sunset. The posted flying activity closing time for the day is posted by the Park Ranger on the vehicle entrance gate to the landing area. Flying activity includes glider breakdown, loading of equipment on to vehicles, and moving vehicles off launch access roads and out of the landing area. Pilots must not start up the hill if time will not permit them to be completely loaded up and out of the landing area by this time. The Parks Department considers it extremely important that all

pilots adhere to the posted flying activity closing time. The remainder of the Park is open to non-flying activity approximately another hour.

III. PILOT REGISTRATION. All pilots including both WOR members and non-members and including students and tandem passengers must: (1) read the Site Procedures and (2) fill out and sign the registration and waiver of liability forms. The waiver of liability must also be signed by a parent or legal guardian if the pilot or tandem passenger is less than 18 years old. The registration materials and forms may be obtained from WOR officers, Site Committee members (para. XIII) or Bay Area hang gliding shops.

The registration form and a copy of the waiver form will be kept on permanent file by the WOR Membership Services Director. The original, fully executed, waiver forms will be sent to the Parks Department. Upon completion of registration, pilots will be issued a WOR proficiency sticker and may make a donation payable to WOR to defray site expenses (suggested donation $5.00). For insurance purposes all pilots including tandem passengers and unrated student pilots (para. V.A) must be current members of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) and must have their USHPA membership card in possession to fly.

IV. HELMET STICKER IDENTIFICATION. All pilots (except unrated students and tandem passengers, para. V) must display a WOR proficiency sticker on their helmet while using the site, see chart.

This sticker is obtained by registering (para. III) above. The shape of the sticker identifies the type of glider that the pilot is qualified to operate; a round sticker for hang gliders; a triangular sticker for paragliders. The color of the sticker corresponds to the USHPA proficiency rating of the pilot. In addition, WOR member pilots will display a current WOR membership sticker. Member status will become invalid on the last day of the year affixed to the White Sticker. WOR membership confers specific privileges for pilots using the Ed Levin Park site. Only WOR member pilots will be given lock combinations for vehicle access gates to site launches. Only Blue Sticker WOR member pilots can sponsor Red Sticker pilots. Pilots who are not WOR members: