Welcome to the Newcastle Paragliding Club

Welcome to the Newcastle Paragliding Club and to some of the finest flying sites in the country.
Safe and enjoyable paragliding is reliant on the goodwill of many various groups, including other pilots, landowners, government departments and members of the public.
Over the years, we have worked hard to foster goodwill and build positive relationships with these groups.
To help maintain this goodwill, the club has  published a Club Code of Conduct.
Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the Club Code of Conduct, keeping in mind the goals of the code outlined above.

Thank you, and we wish you safe and enjoyable flying,

Newcastle Paragliding Club

Code of Conduct

Newcastle Paragliding Club welcomes you as a visitor or for your membership contribution. We also welcome your ideas and the giving of your time to club meetings and projects. Your club supports your access to the sites, and values your support in return.

In order to fly our beautiful sites around Newcastle you must be a member of SAFA (either as a full SAFA member or under the SAFA Visiting overseas pilot license)

It is also a requirement as a visitor or club member that you agree to observe & abide by the following:

 

1. Respect for the sites. Our sites and surrounds are a precious resource for our sport & our club. Our custodianship of sites and ongoing access is under constant review, and we are grateful for the goodwill of the site owners. When at a flying site, please always behave respectfully and considerately towards the site. This includes familiarity with site rules – this is your responsibility. The rules are detailed on our website and in various locations around the physical site. It is mandatory that visitors receive a site briefing from a clubs safety officer prior to flying. All club members have access to the site guides. If in doubt, it is a requirement that you ask a representative of the club for clarity. Launching/flying/landing is only permitted from or within specifically designated areas, in appropriate conditions following approved site procedures.

It is a requirement of our “site licence” that:

All pilots be aware and adhere to the” No Fly Zones” of the sites.

All Pilots should ensure that they are aware of any airspace restrictions within the scope of their intended flight. The Club does not condone any instances of airspace breach and will not protect any pilot from investigation by the SAFA or CASA should this occur.

2. Respect for other stakeholders. Please respect and acknowledge the rights and interests of other site stakeholders – these include residents, landowners, members of the public and other site users and/or custodians such as councils, surf clubs, Newcastle Hang gliding club, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service NPWS, State Forests, SAFA and CASA. Flying is not a right – Flying is a privilege that relies on the goodwill of these stakeholders to continue.

3. Respect for our sport.  Know the rules, know your limitations, participate within them and make safety your primary consideration. Every time you fly the site you are representing your sport & your/our club. Please help portray an image we can all be proud of, and protect the goodwill we have established. Always consider and ensure the safety of the general public. This particularly applies to where the public are near to a launch and landing zones. Pilots are also asked to keep their language in check at all times.

4. Respect for your club and your fellow members. Goodwill between pilots including visiting pilots, paragliding and hang gliding club members is vitally important. Please be considerate towards others. Antisocial behaviour towards any member of the club or public will not be tolerated by the club in any instance. This applies to either verbal or electronic formats such as Email, Social Media postings or any other such carriage service. Should it be felt that an issue warrants investigation on Pilot Behavior or Safety grounds, the member should direct their concerns in writing to the Newcastle Paragliding Club Committee.

It is a common courtesy to fellow pilots that the following is considered at all times:-

That all setting up of hang gliders or paragliders is done outside of launch areas to maximize the efficient use of this space and to prevent any likelihood of damage occurring to equipment or persons due to a launch issue.

Ground handling of paragliders is to be immediately ceased when other pilots show a genuine intention of launching or top landing.

If, whilst you are flying, you can see that other pilots are set up to launch but appear to be waiting; there is a good chance that they are waiting for space to fly. Even though you may feel that there is room for another aircraft, you should remember that we are a community which includes low airtime or tandem operations and that we all deserve the opportunity to fly. Share the air by having several short flights rather than one or two longer ones.

All landing zones are to be vacated as soon as practicable to allow safe flight operation.

5. Respect for our environment. Please don’t litter whether biodegradable/organic or not. This means anywhere in or around our sites including car parks. Whilst we cant always control other site users in this regard, we can lead by example by leaving the site clear of rubbish at the end of a flying day. 

6. Media Involvement. Should any incident occur where the media seeks comment or information, all pilots are requested to refrain from making comments on any such incident/ accident which has occurred. Instead the member is to direct any enquiry to the Club President, or Club SSO. This is to prevent the fueling of speculation, inaccuracies or a negative portrayal of the Club/Sport; and prevent the names of the persons involved being released prior to informing of family/partners etc.

7. UHF Radio use. All pilots are encouraged to use a UHF CB radio tuned to SAFA 1. 

Please be active in upholding these points with other club members and visiting pilots. The future of our sites and our sport depends on these efforts and having a consolidated club voice.

Failure to abide by the above ‘Code of Conduct’ above could result in suspension of flying privileges or escalation to the SAFA as deemed necessary at the time by the committee.

Invitation to join our club

If you wish to take advantage of more club member privilages such as a privately owned inland Easterly facing flying site, a Telegram group for discussing current weather conditions or questions involving our club and sites, access to a privately funded weather station above Dudley and web cams displaying launches and if and where gliders are soaring consider the small expense of joining our club.

Safe and enjoyable flying.

Newcastle Paragliding Club

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