Home Forums Events & Projects Artificial Grass PG Packing Area

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  • #16465
    Jerome Daoust
    General Member

    If you have not been at the LZ during the last week, you probably have not seen the paraglider packing area, immediately West of the cement pad and shade structure. It is made with a layer of artificial grass (Astroturf) and gets some shade starting mid-afternoon. It was discussed during the last board meeting, but is now done and very useful until the LZ has grass again. Maybe it will remain, since this is a high traffic area.

    Do we need a short (can step over) white picket fence around it to keep the dogs out? Half joking, it could add value.

    Thanks to those who worked on this, seems like a good value project VS effort and expense.

    Note: One can use a leaf blower to clear the extra dust/dirt that accumulates. But some distributed dirt helps weigh down the surface.

    #16467
    David Webb
    General Member

    Second on the kudos – I’m a big fan and enjoyed my packing sessions yesterday (minus the zipper trouble).

    The picket fence idea couldn’t hurt – saw a bomb dropped on it yesterday while I was packing up. Since it’s solely used for packing away gear cleanly, the risk of code browns kind of defeats the purpose.

    #16737
    Albert Sharp
    General Member

    I know this is an older thread, but it seemed the right place to post.

    Can pilots please be considerate of this area and keep it open for packing?  The last time I was at the airpark there were no less than 4 Wings and harnesses bunched up and and abandoned along the stretch of turf leaving little room for actual packing.

    Thank you everyone.

    #16744
    Jerome Daoust
    General Member

    The topic was brought up during the last board meeting. The club endorses the “for active packing only” policy for this zone, discouraging glider parking (HG or PG).

    The root of the problem may be that a pilot feels validated to park their gear if there is no immediate need for others to use their space for packing. The combination of shade and a clean surface is inviting for parking gear. They become a trend setter showing “it is OK to park here”. Conflict happens when the space is needed.

    I suggested posting a sign that one can point to (instead of arguing), reminding offenders the purpose of the area.

    If the situation persists, a different approach may be to relocate the packing area to a less parking-friendly location: To the South of the clubhouse, half-way to the kiting area. Being more often in the sun, pilots would be less motivated to park their gear. Less dog traffic too.

    Also, thanks goes out to Gene, who is providing the artificial turf.

    #16789
    Dan DeWeese
    General Member
    CSS Instructor

    We (As in Tim and I) are going to move the artificial back about 20ft and throw some rye grass seed to get that area of grass going again. We’ll put stake and ribbon up too so please  dont walk over the seeded area. Gotta get our green on now that the heat has headed south.

    #16790
    David Webb
    General Member

    Muchas grassias to Dan and Tim.

    #16791
    Bille Floyd
    General Member

    Jerome wrote :

    …The root of the problem may be that a pilot feels validated to park their gear if there is no immediate need for others to use their space for packing. The combination of shade and a clean surface is inviting for parking gear. They become a trend setter showing “it is OK to park here”. Conflict happens when the space is needed. …

    I was a little curious as to why the PG’s get to fold up their $h!t in the shade near  sunset ; and the HG’s have to sweat in the sun ? I guess , if your a PG pilot , that it appears perfectly reasonable ; I fly Both PG and HG , and it doesn’t appear reasonable at all to me !!!

     

    Bille

    #16792

    The HGs have been enjoying packing up their gliders near the shade structure for decades, sometimes leaving their gliders parked in the LZ for hours, sometimes stretching the HG parking lot almost to the PG landing cone.

    Meanwhile PGs try to find a clean piece of grass to lay their gliders down wherever there’s room. Most of the year we haven’t got much ”grass” to speak of, just dirt & rocks. Sometimes it’s windy and this makes it more difficult to fold our wings, so we try to find some wind shade behind the structure. Unlike HGs, we have to let our glider fabric touch the ground to pack it, so it’s been incredibly nice to have a small, clean patch of the LZ dedicated to packing PGs.

    I don’t know why anyone would get upset about us PGs getting to enjoy what HG pilots have had for years. Can we share and have some mutual understanding of our needs? We have many more PG pilots vs HG, so we do need people to pack and move their gear out of the packing area as soon as possible. If you’re not ready to tear it down, don’t park it on top of the packing carpet. I think that’s all we’re asking.

    #16794
    David Webb
    General Member

    Yes – this isn’t an HG vs PG thing.

    What folks are suggesting is that no matter what you’re flying (PG, HG, hot air balloon, etc), if you’re not actively packing up, just park your flying contraption somewhere else so that pilots who want to pack up their gear on the turf have the room to do so.

    #16804
    Bille Floyd
    General Member

    @ David :

    I agree to that .  Could even go further to place a 30-min parking limit ; violators must do 50 push-ups !

    Yea — it takes me :30 min to break down my Atos.

     

    Bille

    #16840

    We need to leave the artificial grass where it is, (wash the dog shit off), and knock down every other post, so that HGs can park under the shade structure.

    1. #HangGlidersRule

    #TooMuchTimeOnMyHands

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