County Closes Hemet-Ryan Gliderport - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

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:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

On Aug 3, 12:59Â*pm, HoUdino wrote:
Â* I am sad to report the County of Riverside California has ordered
the closure of HMT Gliderport as of Sept 31st. Â*We got this word, out
of the blue, a few weeks ago. Â*We were stunned as we had no warning.

Â* We need an immediate letter campaign to the County of Riverside to
persude them to NOT close the gliderport at Hemet-Ryan, So
California. Â*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. Â*We have contacted AOPA, CalPilots and
the SSA. Â*We have openned a new Google Group to help organize our
response.

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

Â* Â*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:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Â*---------------------------------------------------------------------------Â*--

Stop The Closure of Hemet Ryan Gliderport

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

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

 Â* Â* 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.
 Â* Â* For further updates, join the Save Soaring at Hemet Today (SSHT)
Google News Group.

Â*#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

Â* Â*Perhaps easier, Supervisor Stone has a website with a “Constituent
Assistance Request Formâ€� athttp://district3.co.riverside.ca.us/. Â*In
a respectful tone:

• Â* Â* In the first sentence, state clearly that you are against the
closing of Hemet Ryan to glider operations.
• Â* Â* Ask for Supervisor Jeff Stone’s “helpâ€� in preventing the closure.
• Â* Â* State in your “pilot’s opinionâ€� that the operation of Runway 22 is
safe and future safety improvements are easily attainable.
• Â* Â* State there is no acceptable local alternative airport for soaring
at Hemet
• Â* Â* If you live in Riverside or San Diego County, state that you do.
• Â* Â* 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.

Â* Â*Who should write? Everyone (not just pilots) who wants to see
soaring continue at Hemet Ryan. Â*To build our “support fileâ€�, 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

I'm curious. What is the reason for the closure?

Westbender wrote:

[huge citation deleted]

I'm curious. What is the reason for the closure?

Please. Can't you invest just two seconds and trim the quotation before
you answer?

The officially given reason is "safety"...though there have been no
accidents/incidents, our runway has been deemed to be too close to the
power runway that is to be extended in a few years. No ruling from
the FAA/CalTrans ordering a shutdown. The County jumped on the
retirement of the FBO to try an evict us early for eventual hopeful
development.

OK to be curious, better to help out.

LT

On Aug 3, 2:42*pm, HoUdino wrote:
The officially given reason is "safety"...though there have been no
accidents/incidents, our runway has been deemed to be too close to the
power runway that is to be extended in a few years. *No ruling from
the FAA/CalTrans ordering a shutdown. The County jumped on the
retirement of the FBO to try an evict us early for eventual hopeful
development.

OK to be curious, better to help out.

LT

The easy solution is to tell them you are moving all operations to the
main runway on October 1st. I would guess they have taken federal
funds for that runway. They cannot prevent you from using that runway
and now will have to share. If they don't like that idea they can let
you keep your runway. Glider operations on all runways take time to
move and stage aircraft, this is a normal part of operations and can
not be excluded from any federally funded runway except by a ruling
from the FAA.

Also, has the current runway been updated with federal dollars? Then
the county can't do anything without federal permission.

On Aug 3, 4:06*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:
On Aug 3, 2:42*pm, HoUdino wrote:

The officially given reason is "safety"...though there have been no
accidents/incidents, our runway has been deemed to be too close to the
power runway that is to be extended in a few years. *No ruling from
the FAA/CalTrans ordering a shutdown. The County jumped on the
retirement of the FBO to try an evict us early for eventual hopeful
development.

OK to be curious, better to help out.

LT

The easy solution is to tell them you are moving all operations to the
main runway on October 1st. *I would guess they have taken federal
funds for that runway. *They cannot prevent you from using that runway
and now will have to share. *If they don't like that idea they can let
you keep your runway. *Glider operations on all runways take time to
move and stage aircraft, this is a normal part of operations and can
not be excluded from any federally funded runway except by a ruling
from the FAA.

Also, has the current runway been updated with federal dollars? *Then
the county can't do anything without federal permission.

These are all excellent suggestions. In addition, I would recommend
you contact the folks at MASA (Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association) who
had very similar problems at the Frederick, MD airport. As I
understand it, they now operate off one of the paved runways.
Thx - Renny

At 22:06 03 August 2009, Tim Taylor wrote:

Then the county can't do anything without federal permission.

All may be true in court, Tim. But we all know that the government,
particularly the California Government, is "above the law". Just ask
them. They will show you. They do what they want, and make you try and
stop them. Just like they have just done.

Please help them out if you can. I will be doing that after I get bills
put together to help keep my club going.

Steve Leonard

We have tried all that and much more...due to the political nature of
their development cause they have not backed down. We have taken
advice from many who have battled similar situations to arrive at THIS
MOMENTS COURSE OF ACTION. Yes an expensive lawsuit could be next...so
if this MOMENT does not work we may next be begging for lawyer money .

So rather than type the obvious suggestions onto this news group and
into the vapor of the "blogosphere", PLEASE take your time in real
time to write Supervisor Stone with all your thoughts.

Sorry if I may sound a bit harsh towards everyone's suggestions, but
your actions speak louder than rec.soaring posts.

Don't hesitate...the moment is now and its EZ...before the lawyers are
engaged, the FAA Complaint is filed and the Meig's Field tractor shows
up in the middle of the night.

LT

I suggest that you leave an email AND send a letter.

Unfortunately, Supervisor Stone's "Constituent Assistance Request
Form" limits you to 500 characters. I must be long winded because
that wasn't NEARLY enough for me to adequately express my opinions and
the reasoning behind them.

Good luck and let us know what else we can do.

FC Norton
N304BL

On Aug 4, 2:34*pm, fcnorton wrote:
I suggest that you leave an email AND send a letter.

Unfortunately, Supervisor Stone's "Constituent Assistance Request
Form" limits you to 500 characters. *I must be long winded because
that wasn't NEARLY enough for me to adequately express my opinions and
the reasoning behind them.

Good luck and let us know what else we can do.

FC Norton
N304BL

Thanks Fred! Yes, snail mail is actually a better format for
political action as it is less easy to "delete" and the staffer tends
to open a physical file that occaisionally get shown to the
politician. Send me a copy and I'll put it in our file to show when
the need comes.

Thanks again,

LT