On Friday, November 1, 2013 10:12:08 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Now a question. This conversation started with slamming AOPA as being totally unhelpful in this issue.

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This is a problem with blogs. People saying things that they would never say face to face. Is the Cal City problem on route to a resolution? Is the prospect of glider operations being pushed off to the side real? Has AOPA been asked to help actually been done?


AOPA's agenda is ofttimes not in alignment with a soaring issue. Yes, AOPA were aware in California (perhaps not in DC). This is a complex mess, that mostly has to do with the City changing it's ideas over time, and dealing with a CalTrans staffer with a bias. City staff hid documents and information from the glider operation for many years. SSA was not initially made aware of the operational mandate, until after a damaging City Council vote.

SSA did weigh in. With a 10,500 member organization, we can't do what a 400,000 AOPA can do. SSA has a staff of only 6 and no attorneys. When asked, I provided my personal business historical data and photos, documents, recollections, to assist in forming a rebuttal. I worked for many hours with John Shmoldas, tuning arguments, researching California law, making FOIA requests. I have done this (regardless of any personal relationships) for the good of soaring in California (and beyond).

Yes, CalTrans and the City have copies of the Aug. 2010 FAA Memo from Airport Engineering to ADO-1( AIP $$$ folks)about glider movements adjacent to runways and what IS permitted by FAA. SSA negotiated for that document to be created to address just these instances. (Thanks, Steve.)

Phone conversations continue, and documents are still flowing between SSA, the CCGPAG, to CalTrans (and to AOPA and CalPilots). Soaring pilots may stand alone against this abuse of power by an agency, but we stand on very clear and righteous ground about the failure of process, and fallacy of arguments.
None of this helps Marty make a living at this moment.

There will be further conversations up the rungs at CalTrans in the coming week. I prefer to give a supervisor a chance to "change tack" when they can, and make a quick reversal (use a scapegoat, please) in our favor.

For those who are truly motivated to help and participate, feel free to browse up Walt's blog. And when/if the call goes out for letters, please take as much time then to write, as you did to read through all this to date.

Cindy Brickner
Region 12 Director, SSA