I am sad to report the County of Riverside California has ordered
the closure of HMT Gliderport as of Sept 31st. We got this word, out
of the blue, a few weeks ago. We were stunned as we had no warning.

We need an immediate letter campaign to the County of Riverside to
persude them to NOT close the gliderport at Hemet-Ryan, So
California. Soaring has a history of more than 50 years in the Hemet
Valley and the move to close was done behind our backs, not supported
by the masterplan, etc etc etc. We have contacted AOPA, CalPilots and
the SSA. We have openned a new Google Group to help organize our
response.

We need you to write a letter or an email to the County
Supervisor....

Further details will be posted on the new Google SHHT GRoup. More
is planned, but at this moment, here is what YOU can do to help:

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Stop The Closure of Hemet Ryan Gliderport

Join the SSHT Group –and- Write the Supervisor in Charge!


The first step is to organize ourselves and communicate to the
politicians our displeasure with the closing of Hemet Ryan to
gliders. With Oct 1st coming soon this need is immediate, so please
do two things TODAY.

 Write and encourage everyone possible to write to Supervisor Stone
expressing their displeasure with the loss of soaring at Hemet Ryan to
the aviation community.
 For further updates, join the Save Soaring at Hemet Today (SSHT)
Google News Group.

#1 - The key county politician guiding Hemet Ryan is Jeff Stone,
Riverside County Supervisor, Third District. His mailing address is:

Supervisor Jeff Stone
43950 E. Acacia, Suite A
Hemet, CA 92543

Perhaps easier, Supervisor Stone has a website with a “Constituent
Assistance Request Form” at http://district3.co.riverside.ca.us/. In
a respectful tone:

• In the first sentence, state clearly that you are against the
closing of Hemet Ryan to glider operations.
• Ask for Supervisor Jeff Stone’s “help” in preventing the closure.
• State in your “pilot’s opinion” that the operation of Runway 22 is
safe and future safety improvements are easily attainable.
• State there is no acceptable local alternative airport for soaring
at Hemet
• If you live in Riverside or San Diego County, state that you do.
• If you have an aviation career which soaring helped, explain (ie, I
fly commercial jets but learned on gliders when I was 14 years old…)
or that you spend money in Hemet because of the gliderport.

Who should write? Everyone (not just pilots) who wants to see
soaring continue at Hemet Ryan. To build our “support file”, copy
your email to SSHT at:

#2 – The SSHT Google NewsGroup is at: http://groups.google.com/group/save-...at-hemet-today
We will post updates there.

Please help, with the cost of land in CA, this loss will be impossible
to replace.

Larry Tuohino
OCSA President
SSA R12 Governor