HPAC Announcements

[Tyler G]

Important Announcement to Members: New Insurance Policy & Facebook Page
Hello to all HPAC Members:

There are two significant changes to core HPAC services:

1) New Insurance coverage for Minors
Your Association has been able to locate and negotiate a Third-Party Liability Insurance policy for 2017-2018 which includes coverage for minors. This is after numerous requests from members and an extensive world-wide search by our insurance broker.

Specifically, minors can now be accepted as students, tandem students/passengers and full members of HPAC, provided the minor as well as the parent(s) or other legal guardian(s) of the minor has signed the waiver on the minor’s behalf.

Regarding landowners: It is important to note that the protections for landowners are exactly as they were before, even if the pilot is a minor.

One change in geographical coverage: As was anticipated for a couple of years now, the policy will no longer cover in the United States. Therefore, if flying in the U.S., pilots should take out Temporary USHPA insurance, which is mandatory for most sites and all meets regardless. That will then provide the coverage for flying in the United States.

The cost of HPAC’s new policy for 2017-2018 is a very modest increase of 9%.

2) New Official Facebook Page for Members
HPAC has a new Official Facebook Page: it can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1203572566353229/.

This Facebook group is intended for anything (personal posts, national or local events, announcements and discussions) related to free flight in Canada, including personal posts, national or local events, announcements and discussions. Also welcome are suggestions, feedback, and discussions about HPAC/ACVL operations.

Do please read the group's "House Rules" before joining.

The moderators review membership requests by checking the member name against the HPAC/ACVL member list before approval and periodically thereafter.

Please contact the Office if you have any questions.

[GrumpySmurf]

New Insurance coverage for Minors

How will HPAC handle the inability to enforce waivers on minors in BC? The current waiver helps to protect pilots from one another. If there is a mid air collision, the current waiver required by HPAC would make it very difficult for either party to sue the other successfully. If a minor is either a passenger or PiC, would that protection be moot - allowing the minor to file a claim against the other pilot?

[Nicole]

Hi Mark,

This question came up during negotiations and here's what happened:

"Our new insurance policy covers for minors regardless of whether the waiver stands up in court or not. This was clearly established with the underwriter when this policy was entered into."

The physical copy of the full policy wording with the specifics is still en-route to HPAC, but Margit anticipates it being up on the HPAC website soon for all to read.

As HPAC's insurance expert is currently out-of-the-country at the moment, Margit is happy to answer any further questions in the meantime; her contact details are on the HPAC website.

Nicole

[GrumpySmurf]

Thanks Nicole - Margit since pinged. My concern isn't so much with the 3rd party coverage in this case but with the potential pandora's box in involving individuals with which the waiver is unenforceable. Will see what HPAC has to say.

[Serge]

The new official facebook HPAC group is because the BoD wants totalitarian control over it. They had the HPAC forum to do that but not many participated in. They want similar control that any dictatorial regime has, so it makes sense for them.
I don't know how long it will take for the membership to wake up, but it will happen. Sorry to say but the BoD is prime candidate to being expelled of the HPAC themselves. Some of them ripe to go in jail.

[AlexR]

HPAC does a good job Serge. Travel a bit and you'll find higher fees and more onerous regulation in many other countries.

Get a grip and stop attacking.

[GrumpySmurf]

After some back and forth between Margit and myself: the 3rd party aspect appears to be rock solid. The waiver situation on the other hand appears to be nebulous at best (its best chance of standing up in court may be in Quebec but likely nowhere else in Canada).

In light of the decision on the part of HPAC to involve minors in the sport, I am rather happy that the WCSC is an incorporated entity. As to the ramifications pertaining to landowners, schools, and 3rd party instructors on launch - best talk to a lawyer.

[Serge]

The HPAC does a good job? Why don't you read what they did and how, Alex? You tell me what you think after. I feel like the native. I am not going away either.
Democratie requires information (but maybe Alex should stick with the muzzled fb group):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HPAC.AC ... 405780157/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HPAC.AC ... 413630157/
What they did is quite grave when you think about it. Associations
don't normally expel members for their opinions or fire their
employees for tests. I have consulted with lawyers, it did cost me
$1000 already for a letter and statements it was
illegal. Pursuing it in court would cost $20000. At that price, I
might as well start my own association. The case is so obvious that
any decent BoD member should have understood it was insane to expel.
See "What justifies and expulsion" survey:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HPAC.AC ... 299735157/

[GrumpySmurf]

As the years pile on, one tends to reminisce more -likely due to the realization that there lies fewer years ahead than behind.

Holidays even more so.

Reflecting back, I recall one piece of sage advice from a parental unit during my youth.

"If you put half as much effort into fixing the problem as you did complaining about it, you wouldn't have a problem anymore."

Strange thing, memories.

[Tyler G]

As the years pile on, one tends to reminisce more -likely due to the realization that there lies fewer years ahead than behind.

Holidays even more so.

Reflecting back, I recall one piece of sage advice from a parental unit during my youth.

"If you put half as much effort into fixing the problem as you did complaining about it, you wouldn't have a problem anymore."

Strange thing, memories.

Well said, Mark.